Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
In general, Lambrusco Salamino is character-
ized by a long but rather small grape bunch
(around ten to twelve centimeters) and round
berries of various sizes even within the same
bunch. Available clones include R5 (the fi rst to
become available, in 1969), CAB 1, CAB 3,
VCR 1, VCR 20, VCR 23, and Ampelos TEA 2D.
Of these, VCR 20, available since 2006, has
very high quality, giving wines with very
intense red-cherry aromas and fl avors. How-
ever it produces slightly less than the others
and its compact bunch makes it best suited for
slightly drier hillside environments where
water drainage proves better. VCR 23 produces
more and is less susceptible to botrytis, but in
my view at least, allows for slightly less inter-
esting wines.
Croce wine from forty-year-old vines with a pal-
try (by lambrusco standards) output of forty-
one hectoliters per hectare. Medici Ermete's
Granconcerto is a rare Lambrusco Salamino
wine made by secondary refermentation in the
bottle, in the manner of Champagne. Only
three thousand bottles are made of what is a
particularly elegant and refi ned version of this
wine.
Lambrusco Viadanese
where it's found:
Emilia-Romagna.
national
registry code number:
121.
color:
red.
The Viadanese name derives from the town
of Viadana in the province of Mantova where
this grape grows; some also call it Lambrusco
Mantovano (though that name is best reserved
for the wine) as it has historically been grown
around that countryside as well. It owes its
good fortunes to viticulturalist Ugo Ruperti,
who greatly liked the wine made with it and
encouraged locals to plant the variety as
much as possible. Phenotypically, it looks a lit-
tle like Lambrusco Salamino, though its cluster
is even more compact, so much so that the
berries are squeezed fl at in parts of the bunch.
For this reason, it is erroneously called
Groppello Ruperti, but it is not a member of
the
Groppello
family. Clones include VCR 15
(available since 2004, it adds the most per-
fume) and VCR 12 and VCR 13 (available since
2006, it adds the most structure), as well as the
Ampelos series, CNT 3, CNT 14, and CNT 18,
all of which have been available since 2009.
The CNT 14 is the most promising, with both
fl oral and fruity aromas and fl avors; it also
reaches higher potential alcohol levels most
years.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
This is one lambrusco that is more often found
in an off-dry (
semi-secco
) or frankly sweet (
dolce
)
style, than in a dry one
(secco).
It has aromas of
violet, rose, and small, red, and dark berries,
and though fairly tannic, can be almost creamy,
especially when compared to Lambrusco di Sor-
bara wines. When well made, I think it delivers
the most balanced lambrusco wines. I abso-
lutely love its fruity exuberance and fl eshy
charms, as well as its dark purple-ruby hue.
The soils it grows in have variable proportions
of clay, sand, and silt, so the quality of the wine
depends mostly on the yields and individual
producer skill. DOC wines include Reggiano
Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco Sala-
mino di Santa Croce, but Lambrusco Salamino
can also be included in the DOC blends of Lam-
brusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco Mantovano, and
the Colli di Scandiano e Canossa. IGT wines in
which it can be present are Alto Mincio, Emilia
(or dell'Emilia), Rubicone, and Sabbioneta,
among others.
Which Wines to Choose and Why
The wine can be made in two different sub-
zones, Viadanese-Sabbiotano and Oltrepò Man-
tovano, and can be quite fl avorful, with aromas
and fl avors of red cherry and sweet spices.
Finding monovarietal Lambrusco Mantovano
wines is hard, since the DOC legislation states
wines to try:
Cavicchioli*** (Tre Medaglie
Semi Secco), Luciano Saetti*** (Vigneto Sae-
tti), Medici Ermete*** (Concerto Grancon-
certo), and Pezzuoli*. Saetti makes a monovari-
etal, 100 percent Lambrusco Salamino di Santa
