Lambrusco resurgent

I was invited to a fringe event of the Fancy Food Show* last night.  It was billed as a biodynamic wine event featuring a collection of small Italian producers.  It was being held at the Michelin-starred Del Posto.  It was a select event, 15 people max. 

I was intrigued.  Even though I cannot, by my skeptical nature, buy into the full-bore biodynamic "philosophy," aka crackpot mysticism, I do like the way the wines often turn out.  Quindi I was eager to attend.  I wanted to meet the starry-eyed visionaries who bid fair to transform Wine as We Know It.

Before I divulge how my expectations were met, or not, I am happy to report that I met Philadelphia wine-and-food blogger David McDuff, who sat by me at the dinner, a survival technique:  Italian was the language of choice.  We met at Del Posto early for a drink and a chat, then went out for a beer afterwards to chat for another hour.  What a smart, interesting guy, especially for one who lives in Philly.  (Humor.)

We discussed the vagaries of site traffic.  I suggested the sure-fire cure for lagging visits based on Google searches: peppering your site with pictures of young, pretty girls.  Like my fickle groupie, Lisa Qiu.  (That's not how I roll -- not that there's anything wrong with it.)  Anyway, you can imagine the keywords they use.

Where was I?  Oh yes, the do at Del Posto. 

Before I discuss the wine and the producer, let's get this food thing out of the way.  6 out of 10.  At a 12 out of 10 price, senza dubbio.  McDuff took his famous food photos and notes about both the grub and the wine (I scribbled only in service of the wine, which was more pleasing than the food  Stay tuned on his site.)

It turned out that the wines being featured were all from the same winery, Venturini Baldini,

* As to the show: lots of cheese and lots of very fat people in shorts eating their way through, aisle by aisle, stand by stand. Enough to put you off food, fancy or otherwise.

...in Emilia-Romagna.  Venturini Baldini is in the heart of classic Lambrusco territory, in the hills near Modena.  The farm -- for that's what it is -- covers 200 hectares (about 500 acres), of which about 50 hectares are vineyards.  Around 300,000 bottles are made annually, with a potential for twice that.  The vineyards are at elevations ranging from 170 to 370 metres.  The grapes grown are the standard ones of this zone as well as a few of the nigh-well inevitable ones from la Belle France:

The Venturini Baldini vineyards have Malvasia di Candia aromatic white, Pinot Nero, Pinot Bianco, Pinot Grigio, Pinot Meunier, Chardonnay Musquet, and the "lambrusco" varieties Montericco, Marani, Maestri, Malbo Gentile, Salamino, Sorbara and Grasparossa. Marzemino and Cabernet Sauvignon by Doc Scandiano e Canossa are the new-entries.

Donata Venturini, young leader of Venturini Baldini.  So many women are taking over as winemakers & heads of wineries.  There's no keeping them down.

The "Lambrusco" varieties mentioned on the azienda's web site are really clones and sub-varieties of Lambrusco, each adapted to a particular set of conditions and use.  I guess the sheer size of the estate encourages the family to grow a wide range of grapes.  I tend to think that's a mistake.  Based on last night's tasting dinner, the reds are much more accomplished, balanced and elegant than the whites.

The wines served with each course were:

1. Venturini Baldini Malvasia, Colli di Scandiano di Canossa 2007

        Prosciutto di Parma

2. Tocai Friulano 2007

        Aragosta con Salsa Americana

3. Venturini Baldini Lambruscio Rosso Reggiano 2007

        Garganelli al Ragu' Bolognese

4. Venturini Baldini Lambrusco Spumante Rubino del Cerro 2007

        Salsiccia di Fois Gras con Insalata d'Uva

5. Barolo 2003

        Beef Tenderloin with Potato Crisps, Butter Lettuce & Spring Onion

6. Venturini Baldini Marzemino Colli di Sandiano e di Canossa 2007; Malvasia Colli di Sandiano e di         Canossa 2007

        Citrus Fantasia

7. 10 Year Old Tawny Port

        Cioccolato e Pane

 

Note that the restaurant required the hosts to serve a Tocai Friulano, a Barolo (sort of unclassic and anonymous, a 2003) and a Port (not a good one).  The Venturini Baldini wines outclassed these by a mile.

The standouts of the meal -- and I'm happy to report that David McDuff agreed -- were the Spumante Rubino del Cerro and the sweet sparkling  Marzemino Dolce DOC.  The Marzemino alone was worth the price of admission because it was unique in the truest sense of that oft-abused word.

The slightly fizzy Lambruscos are earthy and bone-dry.  Their nose is clean and surprisingly nuanced, mingling earthiness (truffles?) and a blackberryish fruit.  They touch no oak and are provided with their fizz by the Charmat method.  The Rubino del Cerro (90% Lambrusco, 10% Bonarda) is more intense than the Rosso and has a longer finish enriched by anise notes. To say that both are "food friendly" is an understatement.  Lambruscos were, as tradition has it, created to cut the fattiness of the rich Emilian cuisine, and these two cut through the at-times overwrought Del Posto grub admirably.

As to the Marzemino, I had never the considered the possibility of a dessert version.  Yet this was a big hit around the table, and not solely because of its novelty.  Weighing in lightly at 6% alcohol, its fizz cut through the creamy fat of the dessert.  Its spice and acidity kept the wine from being too sweet and sticky -- it was surprisingly refreshing. And the low happiness percentage made it easy to ask for another glass, and another. 

I look forward to another conversation with Donata Venturini. And another sip of those red fizzers.

The winery's web site is informative in both Italian and English.

Comments

[AC]

Tocai? why?

[Strappo]

Whai?

Because they had ordered too much of the stuff?

[AC]

whose was it?

[alex]

Just for curiosity, how much did you pay?

[Strappo]

Niente. I was a journalistic freeloader.

[Lisa Qiu]

Wow! Del Posto an everything. You own Manhattan.

[tracie b]

all these questions and nobody asks: when you can have gragnano, who needs lambrusco?

[tracie b]

i mean, where's our fearless pignataro when you need him?

[David McDuff]

Great post, T, in spite of the blurry mugshot. It took me much longer (as usual) to get to mine but it's finally up for all to see. I hope it was just the Philly part of your comment that was meant to be humorous ;-)

[East Village Wine Geek]

Sounds wonderful. I have one Lambrusco at In Vino that I like but this sounds much more fun. You had me at spice. I believe this is one of the most important elements for a good, refreshing Lambrusco. Sometimes people just toss the stuff back not noticing the subtlties of these wines. I would love to find who imports this producer (unless they were at the show shoppping around).

EvWg

[Ambar]

I just imagine that someday Donata Venturini will invite me for having dinner, chatting and taste her famous wines

[Volagratis]

Complimenti per il sito.. ottimo! Un saluto al volo :)