Riunite on ice, so nice! Those of us well-seasoned enough to remember that jingle from the 70s and 80s have an appropriate aversion to the Lambrusco category. Lambrusco has an ancient history in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy, however, and the traditionally styled versions of it bear little resemblance to the sweet plonk that was the most popular imported wine in America throughout the 70s and 80s. Lambrusco is made mainly from 4 related grapes of the Lambrusco family, with Lambrusco Grasparossa being the most tannic and deeply colored. This is a wine that is properly called a sparkling red wine, unlike the deep rosé colored and lightly tannic wines that are typical of Lambrusco, and the Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC is considered the finest of the Lambrusco denominazioni. La Battagliola (bot-eye-OH-la) is a family-owned winery in the Modena province, near the city of Modena, farming sustainably and fermenting in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks with native yeasts. The second fermentation takes place in sealed tanks and the sparkling wine spends 4 months on the lees to achieve the characteristic creamy flavors. The “15 Dosage” refers to the amount non-fermentable sugars added at bottling (15g/L) which would classify it as “extra dry” in Champagne, (AKA off-dry) and this is the style of Lambrusco that is predominant in Italy, with the touch of sweetness balancing the bitterness of the tannins. Violets, red and black berries with a pleasant black tea note round out the profile. I have never had Lambrusco’s equal for pairing with a charcuterie and cheese plate.