Bruno Zanasi Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro 2024

Bruno Zanasi Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro 2024

Made entirely of the Grasparossa (red-stemmed) variety of Lambrusco, grown using Integrated Pest Management* in two vineyards just south of Modena, planted between 1964 and 2002. This variety of Lambrusco grown in these soils gives the chewiest, deepest, darkest Lambrusco wine.

The soils are limestone-based clay; the altitude is about 100 meters (330 feet) above sea level; yields are kept very low in order to concentrate the aromas and flavors. The grapes are normally picked in early October; after about 5-6 days of maceration on the skins at low temperature without fermentation the grapes are pressed, and fermented in special tanks from juice to sparkling wine in a single fermentation using indigenous yeasts.

After several months on the lees in tank the wine is filtered and bottled. (Marco notes that extracting color by macerating at cold temperature like this extracts only the ‘first, most noble’ layers of flavor in the skins, avoiding the bitterness that would come if fermentation started with the skins.)

Region: Emilia-Romagna, Italy

Appellation: Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC

Grapes: 100% Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro

Farming: Certified organic

Age of vines: Planted in 1964 and 2002

Maceration & Fermentation: 6 days maceration, single fermentation, from juice to sparkling wine, in stainless steel using native yeasts

Aging: 30 days in reinforced stainless steel tanks, 60 days in bottle

Finishing: Light filtration, no fining, no additional CO2 added

Production: 35,000 bottles annually