52 Wines in 52 Weeks: Lambrusco is the Sparkling Red You Need Right Now

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If you’re not used to it, the idea of a red sparkling wine can be a little weird. But Lambrusco, a collection of closely related northern Italian grapes (the sub-types are named for their region but they’re all “Lambrusco”) whose best expressions are generally frizzante or slightly frothy, can be a wonderful, festive drink especially if you’ve found yourself suffering from Bored Palate Syndrome. Lambrusco is not Champagne. It’s not made the same way (it is charmat or tank-fermented style), and where the pinots and chardonnays of Champagne are painstakingly manicured and trellised and micro-managed to the last leaf, Lambruscos are commonly trained on the trunks of poplar trees. It’s been cultivated at least since the Roman Republic and probably quite a while before that (think Etruscan). It can be dry, off-dry, or sweet (sweet expressions can be disconcertingly like fermented soda, I won’t lie to you).

Good Lambruscos are young, expressive and celebratory, and actually might make a nice aperitif with, say, Thanksgiving dinner (many have a pronounced cranberry note). These wines will also typically exhibit notes of raspberry, rhubarb, and cherries or pomegranate, often with a hint of violet. It’s not always the easiest varietal to find outside its native region (but my suburban pizza joint often pours at least one by the glass during fall, so it’s not that obscure), but you’ll be rewarded for your effort by a great quality to price tier ratio: The bottles listed below all won awards this year and none of them is over $20. In fact, pricing info was so varied I have left it off, but in general, expect anything labeled “DOP” to be $8-$18, and anything marked “IGP” to be $6-$12.

Pairing-wise, Lambrusco is more versatile than you’d think, but for starters, any typical dishes from its homeland, Emilia-Romagna, are smart choices (think prosciutto, salumi and parmesan).