La Collina Biodynamic Bubbles — Lambrusco!

La Collina Lambrusco at Rolf and Daughters in Nashville. Photo Credit: Jill Barth

On a recent trip to Nashville to cover the city’s wine scene for USA Today (you can read about it here) I had poured over lists and menus before making reservations.

A couple of things really stood out to me, one of them being the cool by the glass list at Rolf and Daughters in the Germantown neighborhood.

They had something I really wanted to try and I have to say, it was very appealing option: La Collina Quaresimo Lambrusco!

Photo Credit: Indie Wineries

Then I popped into Woodland Wine Merchant and there it was on the shelf. Wish I’d grabbed a couple of bottles.

This wine comes from a Demeter-certified biodynamic farm and native yeasts were used in the making. It contains 20% Lambrusco Salamino, 40% Maestri, 30% Grasparossa and 10% Malbo Gentile. The bubbles plus crunchy acidy put a substantial rinse on the palate, while rich dark fruit is abundant. Lambrusco has that full-package delight and satisfaction that red bubbly can deliver, and this one is all the more charming for the methods by which it’s made.

La Collina is a cooperative producer near Reggio Emilia in Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region. Because I merely had a glass of the wine, I don’t have much personal experience with this group, so I turned to their importer Indie Wineries (and fell in love with what they are doing, too).

“The core of this vision is that everyone on the farm would live like an extended family. The farming was to be traditional and the produce, some of Emilia’s most famous exports: Parmigiano Reggiano and Lambrusco. The hope was to be able to offer this close knit family environment to those less fortunate that were recovering from drug problems.”

“The place was a dream, free range animals, huge vegetable gardens, fields of organically and biodynamically grown grains, and a small shop that sold everything they grew, produced and made.” From importer Indie Wineries website.

An excerpt from my Forbes article: Field Guide To Italian Sparkling Wine:

Lambrusco is a grape variety cultivated in denominations situated in Emilia-Romagna—it has a much wider range than most people expect. The Lambrusco variety has several genetic forms which skilled winemakers produce in dry versions that range from crisp and light to frothy and dark.

It’s generally made in the Charmat method, with the second fermentation occurring in the tank. There is a range of taste profiles, establishing modern Lambrusco as a something-for-everyone sparkling red wine option.

 

Italian Food, Wine and Travel 

This month, our Italian Food, Wine and Travel group is focused on Lambrusco. Join our twitter chat on Saturday, June 1st at 10am central by locating the threads with our hashtag: #ItalianFWT.

Here’s what’s up:

• Camilla from the Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be featuring “Every Wine Deserves a Second Look: Warmed Brie with Mulberry Chutney + Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara Vecchia Modena 2018“
• Here at L’Occasion we share “La Collina Biodynamic Bubbles — Lambrusco!“
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm highlights “Lambrusco? Really??“
• Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen will showcase “Top 5 Fast Food Pairings with Lambrusco“
• Jeff at Food Wine Click will share “Lambrusco Shines with Red Fizz and Fun“
• Cindy of Grape Experiences will feature “Italian Old-School Classics: Easy Drinking Lambrusco with Spicy Vegetarian Pensa Romana“
• Marcia of the Joy of Wine will be highlighting “Lambrusco – The Star of Emilia-Romagna” 
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass will be sharing “Drinking Lambrusco in Strawberry Season“
• Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairings  is focused on “Picnicking with Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco“
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish will be sharing “Revisiting Lambrusco with Francesco Vezzelli Rive dei Ciliegi“
• Nicole with Somm’s Table shares “Cooking to the Wine: Pezzuoli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro with Antipasto Pizza“
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator will be showcasing “Bugno Martino’s Organic Lambrusco Defy Expectations“
• Susannah of Avvinare will be featuring “Sparkling Lambrusco from Vitivinicola Rota“
• Jennifer of Vino Travels shares “Over 150 Years of Dedication to Lambrusco with Cleto Chiarli“