Chalmers Lambrusco 2019

It’s time to challenge your ideas about Lambrusco. Lambrusco is the name of a grape (or technically a small family of Lambrusco varieties) that originates in northern Italy. Usually made in a sparkling style, it scored a bad reputation in the 1970s and 80s as a thin, sweet, red wine. This one is made with 100% Lambrusco Maestri, it is sparkling, but it’s not sweet. Aromas of violets, tangy raspberries and rich black cherries are accompanied by savoury bay leaves. In the mouth it is medium bodied but lightened by a refreshing mousse. There’s blood plum acidity and fine chalky tannins. It is made using the traditional method, with 27 months on lees (ageing on yeast in the bottle). Appasimento, drying the grapes to concentrate sugars, is used to produce the dosage – 6g/L maintains dryness on the palate with just a hint of fruit enhancement. At 11.2% alcohol by volume, this Lambrusco is all about vibrancy and freshness. A wonderful option for when you feel like bubbles but want to pair it with something more substantial.

Nicole Bilson

Wine Critic at Winepilot

Nicole loves wine. So much so that she gave up a successful career in Pharmacy, perfected her spitting technique, and moved from sunny Queensland to the wine-drenched laneways of Melbourne. Stints in hospitality, wineries, retail, sales and marketing filled the next few years while Nicole built her knowledge and searched for the right path. She completed the Wine and Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Diploma in 2016 and became a certified WSET Educator the following year. She now juggles a number of roles including teaching people about wine, curating wines lists for restaurants and bars, judging in Australian wine shows and, of course, writing. In 2016 she won the Negociants Working With Wine writing award and has since contributed to Gourmet Traveller WINE, Halliday Wine Companion Magazine and Nourish Magazine.

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