Dry and fruity with a pretty combination of grapey fruit and graphite. Medium body. Light fizz. Drink now
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The story of Lambrusco is closely intertwined with the Chiarli family of Modena, arguably the most important producers of red sparkling wine in the world. The tale begins with Cleto Chiarli, the proprietor of the Modena restaurant Osteria dell’Artigliere in the mid-1800s. As was common for restaurateurs and innkeepers in those days, Chiarli made his own wine to sell at the osteria. Naturally, the wine was made from Lambrusco, the area’s primary grape variety, and it was well received by customers—so much so that in 1860 Chiarli was emboldened to found Emilia Romagna’s first wine-producing company, the Cantina Cleto Chiarli. The company thrived, and eventually, under the Chiarli 1860 name, it became the largest privately-owned producer of Lambrusco.
The Chiarli family was also instrumental in taking Lambrusco from being just one among innumerable Italian local wines to its status as a popular international phenomenon and one of the country’s primary exports. A century after the winery’s founding, the Chiarli family pioneered the use of the Charmat or tank method of sparkling wine production for Lambrusco. Whereas the customary “ancestral” method always resulted in dry, fizzy, cloudy wines because it continued to ferment inside the bottle after it was sealed, Charmat-method Lambrusco introduced several advantages. It allowed filtration to make the wine clear, offered the opportunity to increase the bottle pressure to the fully sparkling level, and made it possible to bottle a wine that would retain residual sugar. The new Lambrusco—sweet, red, clear, and effervescent—became a sensation, and for a couple of decades, it was the most-imported wine category in the United States.
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LOCATIONWINERY: Tenuta Cialdini, Castelvetro (Modena province), Emilia Romagna VINEYARD: Modena province, Emilia Romagna VIEW IN GOOGLE MAPS REGION DETAILS |
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91
APRIL 2019
Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena Nero" Vigneto Cialdini Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC Brut 2018
Dry and fruity with a pretty combination of grapey fruit and graphite. Medium body. Light fizz. Drink now 90
OCTOBER 2024
Cleto Chiarli "Centenario" Lambrusco di Modena DOC Rosato Demi-sec NV
This Lambrusco opens with forward plummy and black-cherry aromas, which take on a more macerated and jam-like quality as the wine develops in the glass. A touch of wild flowers and fresh herbs provide an added dimension to the bouquet, while the palate is delightfully sweet. Despite the sweetness the wine maintains a good balance, making it a well-crafted example of the style-one that is lifted on the finish with a zippy pop of acidity 92
AUGUST 2022
Cleto Chiarli “Lambrusco del Fondatore” Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC 2021
Beautiful color- medium strawberry/pink; aromas of bing cherry, dried strawberry and a hint of bacon. Medium-full with very good concentration and acidity; dry, appealing finish with impressive persistence. Excellent complexity along with a nice sense of finesse. Enjoy over the next 2-4 years. 92
AUGUST 2022
Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena Nero" Vigneto Cialdini Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC Brut 2021
Medium-intense purple; aromas of black plum, black raspberry and hints of clove and purple iris. Medium-full with impressive concentration, excellent persistence and noteworthy harmony and typicity. This is rich enough for roast chicken, Cornish hen and duck breast. Enjoy over the next 2-4 years. NOVEMBER 2022
Cleto Chiarli “Lambrusco del Fondatore” Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC 2021
92
AUGUST 2022
Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena Nero" Vigneto Cialdini Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC Brut 2020
EDITOR'S CHOICE This delicious, deeply colored sparkler has alluring aromas of violet and blackberry. On the dry, foaming palate, crisp acidity and refined tannins accompany ripe Marasca cherry, spiced blueberry and orange zest before a fennel finish. 93
MAY 2024
Cleto Chiarli “Lambrusco del Fondatore” Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC 2022
This zippy sparkler opens with aromas of freshly squeezed cherries that envelop the senses as floral and herbal aromas slowly come into frame providing contrast to the bright fruit notes. Plump mixed berries jump on the palate as the creamy texture and soft bubbles transport the palate to the next level. 91
DECEMBER 2023
Cleto Chiarli “Vecchia Modena Premium” Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC Brut Frizzante 2022
Best Buy. Wild strawberry, sour cherry, orange zest and fresh thyme aromas open the nose of this fresh and vibrant sparkler. The zingy palate pops with crushed raspberries, roses and a hint of game finishing with electric acidity that keeps the palate fresh and vitalized. Dalla Terra Winery Direct. |