Most people know Lambrusco as an oddly sweet, fizzy red wine. While that may have been true one time, it could not be further from the truth now. In fact, I’m here to tell you about a wine you might just want to have stocked in your fridge all summer long: Lambrusco Bianco.

First, let’s rewind. Lambrusco is an Italian sparkling wine hailing from Emilia Romagna. In the 1970’s, a single producer marketed industrially-produced, over-sweetened Lambrusco to the United States with a clever jingle that stuck like glue, cementing Lambrusco’s reputation as soda of the wine world.

Today, Emilia Romagna is experiencing a renaissance charged by young, thoughtful winemakers more concerned with quality than quantity. Their Lambrusco is crisp, refreshing and wildly food-friendly, pairing especially well with dishes that are salty and bold like lasagna or charcuterie. As this region is experiencing a quality revolution, you can find fantastic wines for even better prices. Luigi Barcello of Winebow Imports describes Lambrusco as an “underdog in the wine world,” one that wine-lovers have yet to fully discover.

Lambrusco can be made in any shade from white to red, depending on the grapes and production practices used. If you're already a fan of classic sparkling wines like Prosecco, Cava or Champagne, you have to have White Lambrusco on your radar. Known as Lambrusco Bianco, this wine is lower in alcohol and ridiculously refreshing, making it ideal for day drinking by the pool, when high-alcohol wines tend to feel heavy. It also makes a great base for sparkling cocktails like a Spritz, Sparkling Sangria and my Italian 75. When drinking Lambrusco Bianco, you can expect to find flavors of citrus, ripe peaches and sometimes even toasted nuts. These wines have considerable acidity, meaning they’ll pair perfectly with your salty snack of choice and that box of pizza you order after a long day in the sun. Quite simply, Lambrusco Bianco is a light, fun conversation starter that’ll have everyone coming back for more.

In the words of Alicia Lini, who’s part of the 4th generation to operate the lambrusco winery Lini 910, “We need this light, bright wine to balance out the richness of dishes like creamy pasta or fatty meats. It makes us enjoy the food even more. In my culture, eating and drinking is like a dance, and Lambrusco makes the best partner.”

Tips on Purchasing Lambrusco Bianco:

• For fresh, crisp flavors similar to Prosecco: look for the words “Charmat method,” which utilizes pressurized tanks for fermentation.
• For complex flavors that rival those of champagnes: look for the words “Metodo Classico,” which allows secondary fermentation to occur in the bottle.
• For intensity and richness: look for a vintage year or the words “Millesimato.”
• For sparkling sippers: look for the word “spumante.”
• For dry sippers: look for the words “secco” or "brut."
• For sweeter sippers: look for the words “demi-secco” or "dolce."

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