Engaging with Lambrusco is like embarking on a never-ending journey of discovery — and, like any journey of discovery, it's absolutely worth it. The first thing you realize is that Lambrusco isn’t a single grape variety, but rather an entire family. Then you slowly begin to understand that its members can be as different from one another as relatives often are, even in the best of families — and that it makes little sense to lump them all together.
At some point, you get to know the main players (Sorbara, Salamino, Grasparossa around Modena, Maestri, Grasparossa, and Marani around Reggio Emilia) and understand that some feel at home in the hills, while others thrive on the plains. And then — by now completely hooked by the family story — you start exploring those members who have never stood in the spotlight, the ones you only know from books or hearsay.
Take Lambrusco Fiorano, for example. There are probably no more than five hectares of it left in the world, even though it’s said to be one of the most multifaceted Lambruscos. The reason for this is its susceptibility to various vine diseases. Still, two winemakers produce varietal versions from it — one of them, thankfully, is Max Brondolo from Podere Sottoilnoce. He is one of those visionary individuals who view winemaking not only as a craft (which is rare enough) but also as a cultural mission.
Harvested relatively late and naturally bottle-fermented, Max’s Lambrusco Fiorano is dark-fruited, harmonious, complex, vibrant, and profound — a fantastic companion for tortellini in brodo.
Data sheet
Grape variety: Lambrusco Fioranese
Vineyard: Vineyard in Castelvetro di Modena
Harvest: By hand
Fermentation: Spontaneous | Wild yeasts + natural secondary fermentation in the bottle
Ageing: In the bottle
Filtration: No
SO₂: <25mg/l
Alcohol content: 12% vol.
Closure: crown cork
Drinking temperature: 8-10 °C
Ideal drinking window: from now - 2028
Content and price per litre: 0.75 l/(€21/l)
All the winegrowers listed on Vinonudo work with compost, organic fertilisers and natural preparations in their vineyards and do not use herbicides, pesticides or artificial fertilisers.
