A sparkling resurgence

If the idea of Lambrusco fills you with images of over-sweetened, bubble-heavy Eighties wine, then think again. When drunk on its home turf of Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco is a different thing entirely: red wine with a hint of fizz that cuts through the fat from the cured meats and cheeses typical of the region. And the reason? UK law. Between 1958 and 1965, tax on low-alcohol sparkling wine was cut by around five times as much as that on normal wine.

“So, by the end of the 1960s, everyone was sending light Lambrusco (essentially, partially fermented grape must) to the UK,” explains Tommaso Chiarli, export manager at Cleto Chiarli, Emilia-Romagna’s oldest winery. “Even we did it; we used to sell 13 million bottles a year. From there, we got into a vicious circle. People now realise they were drinking rubbish that didn’t respect the traditional characteristics of Lambrusco.

“But Lambrusco is a fantastic grape. It has a lot of sugar, but also a lot of acidity. Even the sweetest wine can be good — the acidity means you can enjoy it.”

Tommaso is the fifth generation of his family’s wine-making business, which was started in 1860 by Cleto Chiarli. “He was the first to understand Lambrusco’s potential and to commercialise it — he was like Dom Pérignon,” says Tommaso.

By encouraging this revival of Lambrusco’s reputation, Cleto Chiarli hopes to secure a place for itself at the forefront of the industry. “There are still very few wine tours in Emilia Romagna compared to Tuscany, but last year we had 5,000 visitors,” Tommaso says. With Lambrusco’s standing on the rise, it’s safe to say he’ll be seeing a lot more in the future.

The Cleto Chiarli winery has 150 hectares across the Emilia-Romagna region and produces 15 wines. chiarli.it