Old vines & rare grapes on the plains
Just when you think you are lost in the floodplains of the Po River in Reggio Emilia, you find the Alberici family farm. In a small village outside of Gualtieri, Arianna Alberici stands waiting for us with her big smile. With perfect timing, her father, Amilcare, arrived on the tractor, wearing his overalls and sporting the tan from a life he knows best. Arianna gets her good-natured smile from him. They show us their farm, talk about their grandparents and their love for this land, and take us to the barn; in no time, we are invited into their home to taste the wines alongside some homemade, finely sliced salumi.
Arianna is creative, expressive, and eager to engage in conversation. Her father, again with perfect timing, chooses his words carefully and places them just when needed. Their wines are as interesting and accurate to the soil as they are. These are people worth listening to, getting lost for, and representing.
If you are searching for an easy Lambrusco that goes down like sugary Kool-Aid, this is not for you. Deep people make deep wines; we are talking layers of bewitching depth. Lambrusco, Chardonnay (Nanna loved this grape, so her loving husband planted it), and Fogarina grow neatly in well-kept rows, waiting to be crafted into some of the most interesting frizzantes made in the classico method, with natural fermentation in the bottle. Everything is done naturally, by the hands of the Alberici's- from pruning to bottling; it's a work of love that you can see in their smiles.
WHO: Amilcare Alberici + his daughter Arianna
WHERE: Boretto, Reggio Emilia • Emilia-Romagna - Italy
FOUNDED: 1940
Land: 5 hectares, 75 meters above sea level
Grapes: Fogarina, Lambrusco Salamino, Ancellota, Nostrano
Appellation: Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Rosso IGP, La Fogarina Degli Artiste IGP
Viticulture: Natural / Organic
Fogarina is an ancient traditional grape saved from extinction by the work of this estate. The Alberici family is one of the few producers of this grape.
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Lambrusco
Vino Rosso Frizzante Secco, IGP“Oh, how beautiful the Fogarina grape is; how beautiful it is to know how to harvest it.”
Made from 100% Fogarina, a grape thought to be extinct in the Emilia-Romagna region but resurrected by the Alberici family, this frizzante offers an entirely fresh take on Lambrusco. It shows tart, currant, and slightly vegetal qualities.
Juxtaposition to purple berry ripeness. Bright with a balanced acidity, this bottle is a breath of fresh air from the candy-sweet Lambrusco of yesteryear. Some years, it is labeled with these amusing, artistic, cheerful glasses; other years, it has the drawing of a fawn done by their beloved uncle, who passed years ago. Either way, it is fab and worthy of singing about.
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APPELLATION: Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Rosso IGP
GRAPES: 100% Fogarina
VITICULTURE: Organic
HARVEST: mid September
VINES: Guyot trained 25+ years old
VINEYARDS: 5 hectares, age 80+ years at 20m
SOIL: Marl and sandstone of Eocene origin, known as Ponca. Excellent exposure and position, with a medium slope.
FERMENTATION: Natural fermentation in the bottle after sitting in tanks from harvest in October until February or March.
BOTTLES: 4000
BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 12
CLOSURE: cork /cage
ALC BY VOL(%): 11
LONGEVITY: 3+ years
UPC: -
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Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Rosso IGP
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Rustic, energetic - A wine of the people
It's a rare gem to come across a Lambrusco that harmoniously combines the lusciousness of ripe fruit with the structure of dryness. This particular Lambrusco stands out, boasting a remarkable weight and depth that envelops the palate with the richness of purple fruit, culminating in a remarkably dry and lingering finish.
Sparkling, dry, and intensely pigmented, this Lambrusco is the result of Amilcare Alberici's meticulous work in the Po River floodplain. With the assistance of his daughter Arianna, he tends to a handful of small Lambrusco vineyards. Their wines are steeped in tradition, with a drier profile and secondary fermentation in the bottle. Il Casalone, a blend of Lambrusco Salomino and Ancellota grapes, is a testament to their dedication and expertise.
Designed with food pairing in mind, this Lambrusco truly shines when enjoyed alongside a charcuterie plate, roasted vegetables, or pungent cheeses. The interplay of flavors is a delight to the senses.
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APPELLATION: Lambrusco Dell'Emilia Rosso IGP
GRAPES: 85% Lambrusco Salamino, 15% Ancellotta
VITICULTURE: Organic
HARVEST: September
VINES: Guyot trained 25+ years old
VINEYARDS: 5 hectares, age 80+ years at 20mSOIL: Marl and sandstone of Eocene origin, known as Ponca. Excellent exposure and position, with a medium slope.
FERMENTATION: Natural fermentation in the bottle after sitting in tanks from harvest in October until February or March.
BOTTLES: 4000
BOTTLE SIZE: 750 ml
PACK: 12
CLOSURE: cork /cage
ALC BY VOL(%): 11
LONGEVITY: 3+ years
UPC: -
ALBERICI
Via Casalone, 10, 42022 Boretto RE, Italy +39 0522 964658
www.albericivini.it