Dry, detailed, sustainably made Lambrusco from a tiny producer—a long, long way from Riunite on ice!

There are numerous sub-varieties of the Lambrusco grape grown in Emilia-Romagna, one of which is Lambrusco Grasparossa, which is mainly grown in 13 communes south of the city of Modena. This marks a point where Emilia-Romagna’s broad Pò River plain transitions to pre-Apennine foothills, giving Villa di Corlo’s vineyards a little rise to them—up to 300 meters’ elevation, with some limestone creeping into the rich clay soils.

Proprietor Antonia Munari has been on the leading edge of sustainability in a region long associated with industrial-scale production: The winery is solar-powered and carbon-neutral, while the 25 hectares of vineyards are farmed organically. The shark depicted on the label was painted by Dutch-Canadian architect Rolf Kielman, an Italian wine aficionado who, with Munari, arranged for proceeds from the wine’s sales to go to 52kids.org, a Ugandan children’s charity.

This is a classic frizzante (semi-sparkling), meaning the atmospheric pressure is much lower than that of a Champagne, and over time the sparkle dissipates to the point where it is barely perceptible. It is produced from 100% Lambrusco Grasparossa in the Charmat (“tank”) method, wherein the wine undergoes a brief secondary fermentation inside a pressurized stainless steel tank.

The aromas and flavors are driven by a powerful blast of dark fruit—muddled blackberry, blueberry, pomegranate—balanced by a distinct iron-like minerality and black pepper spice typical of Lambrusco wines. While many such wines go overboard on the fruity at the expense of the savory, this one finds the perfect balance, and while its deep color might suggest something fuller and richer, the key takeaway here is invigorating freshness and a kind of weightlessness.