Azienda Agricola Zucchi
DOC Lambrusco di Sorbara
Pignoletto
The Zucchi farm and winery are located right in the heart of the Sorbara zone of Emilia-Romagna region. Besides wonderful Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma ham, and Modena Balsamic Vinegar, this area is home to the refreshing Lambrusco wine.
While Lambrusco's reputation in the US may still suffer from yesteryear's effectively kitschy marketing campaign by Riunite, today there is a growing understanding of the wine and resurgence in its popularity. The differnce now is that it is the small producers crafting individual wines of high quality that are deserving and getting the attention. The mass produced, sweet Lambrusco by the likes of Riunite is rightly being given the heave-ho by today's savvy American consumer who appreciates authenticity over advertising.
To say a wine is a Lambrusco is a very general term for there are many, perhaps 17, varieties of the Lambrusco grape and there are several distinct zones within the Emilia-Romagna region producing Lambrusco. Withoug a doubt, the finest subzone is Sorbara where the Sorbara grape is widely grown. The majority of Lamrusco imported to the US is made with the Grasparossa grape which results in wines with very dark colors, rustic grapey aromas and somewhat harsh, dry tannic finish. As always at Moonlight, we look for something more elegant which is why we chose to work Zucchi and Lambrusco di Sorbara. Lambrusco di Sorbara is a very light-colored wine that might almost be mistaken for a rosato. The aromas are very delicate and refined with hints of red fruits like strawberries and subtle floral tones.
The Zucchi family has around eight hectares of vines all farmed organically and tended with the traditional Pergola system. Davide Zucchi is still at the helm but the daughter Silvia is slowly and surely taking over.
The soils in the low lying land between two rivers are mostly alluvial and rich with clay and calcium sitting atop a bedrock of limestone.
IGT Pignoletto
Of the eight hectares planted to grapes on the Zucchi farm, three of them are with the local white grapes called Pignoletto. These are densely planted to 3,000 vines per ha. and trained with the pergola system. The grapes are hand-harvested in mid September and gently pressed with a pneumatic press. The wine is fermented in stainless steel tank unitl it obtains an alcohol level of about 8-9%. Thereafter, the wine is cooled to halt fermentation and it is kept on the fine lees for several months at which point the temperature is allowed to rise again to restart the uncompleted fermentation process. This final fermentation is where the wine obtains it's carbonation via the Charmat process where the tank is capped and the carbon dioxide given off by the fermentation is aborbed into the wine. The final product is a bone dry sparkler coming in with just about 2gr/l of residual sugar and an alcohol level close to 11.5%.
A versatile white that finds some of its best matches with grilled fish, vegetables and fresh cheese.
DOC Lambrusco di Sorbara
Made primarly from the Sorbara grape variety along with some small amounts of Salamino. Grape growing and winemaking very similar to the methods used for the Pignoletto.
Lovely and elegant aromas of violets, cherries and strawberries abound. With very little residual sugar, this wine is very dry. The light color, aromas and flavors of red fruits and lack of sweetness may make this unfamiliar to consumers of clunkier versions of Lambrusco.
RITO
100% Lambrusco di Sorbara
The Chambolle of Lambrusco.
