Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
sparse-clustered. All together, there are cur-
rently over 1,550 hectares of Grasparossa
planted (slightly down from the 1,846 hectares
reported in the 2000 census).
Considered by many in Italy to be the high-
est-quality
Lambrusco,
due to its ability to reach
optimal ripeness even at cooler temperatures,
Grasparossa is the only
Lambrusco
that grows
mainly on hillsides rather than the plains of
Emilia. Versatile in regard to the kind of soils it
may be planted in, it probably does best in clay
soils. The Grasparossa variety shows poor affi n-
ity to most rootstocks except Golia. It responds
well to short pruning techniques. Available
clones include R1 (an extremely old clone, avail-
able since 1969), CAB 7, and CAB 14 (which is
the best at accumulating sugar and therefore
potentially produces slightly more alcoholic,
fuller-bodied wines).
Grasparossa produces bigger, creamier and
fuller-bodied wines than any other member of
the family, redolent of ripe black cherry and
dark plum aromas and fl avors, but in my expe-
rience, also less intensely aromatic and complex
ones. Certainly, you wouldn't match a Lam-
brusco Grasparossa wine to the same foods you
would a Lambrusco di Sorbara; whereas the
fi rst is a sausages or stew-and-potatoes kind of
guy, the latter is more at home in the company
of a tomato-based pizza or tortellini in broth
(for a match made in heaven, add a little of the
Lambrusco di Sorbara into the broth before dig-
ging in).
The best DOC wine is the Lambrusco
Grasparossa di Castelvetro (though the law
states that Lambrusco di Grasparossa wines
can be only 85 percent Grasparossa, there are
many great monovarietal versions, and I will
list some below); other DOC wines are Colli di
Scandiano e Canossa and Modena. IGT wines
include those labeled Alto Mincio, Emilia (or
dell'Emilia), Forlì, Rubicone, and Sabbioneta,
among others.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
The Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro pro-
duction zone is located in the provinces of
Modena (especially) and Mantova, and can be
essentially divided into the high hills and the
lower hillside vineyards. The former are char-
acterized by sandy-clay marl or clay-calcareous
soils that are hard to till and don't offer great
water drainage. The wine made from grapes
grown here are particularly intense and concen-
trated. The latter are mainly sandy-loam soils
with a noteworthy gravel content, allowing for
better water drainage. Their wines are actually
very similar to those made on the higher slopes,
but are perhaps a little more graceful and
lighter-bodied (always a very relative term with
Lambrusco Grasparossa). In fact, the wine is
more tannic than those made with other
Lam-
brusco
s, and though very deeply hued, it does
not produce the darkest
Lambrusco
wine of all
(that honor most likely goes to Lambrusco
Maestri); however, its very deep purple-ruby
hue is much darker than the medium-pale red
of wines made with Lambrusco di Sorbara. As
for the expert opinion that it is the best of all
Lambrusco
varieties, I fi nd that arguable; size
doesn't always matter. Certainly Lambrusco
wines to try:
Vittorio Graziano*** (Fontana
dei Boschi), Fattoria Moretto*** (Monovitigno
and Vigna Canova), Tenuta Pederzana***
(Canto Libero Semi Secco), Cleto Chiarli***
(Vigneto Enrico Cialdini), Corte Manzini***
(L'Acino), Villa di Corlo*** (Corleto), and
Fiorini** (Becco Rosso).
Lambrusco Maestri
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna, Puglia.
national registry code number:
117.
color:
red.
The name derives from Villa Maestri,
located near San Pancrazio in the territory of
Parma in Emilia, which is where this variety is
believed to have originated. It is one of the har-
dier and more adaptable
Lambrusco
varieties,
and unlike the others, it is more abundant
around Reggio Emilia than around Modena or
Parma. What's more, Lambrusco Maestri is on
a roll: plantings in Emilia-Romagna have essen-
