2020 Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco di Sorbara 750 ml

Lambrusco is the best-kept secret in the world of sparkling wine, and the Paltrinieri family has been leading the charge for generations. While some may furrow their brow at the thought of the sticky-sweet Lambruscos of yesteryear, modern takes on the varietal—especially from Sorbara—are, according to Vinous, “lighter and more delicate, elegant expressions.”

A fantastic centerpiece to any meal or event, the 2020 Paltrinieri Radice highlights the excellence in Lambrusco. A sparkler that has an exhilarating and celebratory mouthfeel with excellent acidity, this is, as one of our members put it, “a party in a bottle.”

Vinous called it “silky-smooth and textural,” an enticingly dry frizzante thanks to its in-bottle fermentation—take note, all you Pét-Nat lovers!

Lambrusco is crafted throughout Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, and few appellations there are as respected as Sorbara. Decanter has praised wines from the Lambrusco di Sorbara DOP as “ethereal” and almost Champagne-like. Over the past decade or so, these dry, deeply terroir-specific sparkling wines have become some of the best values in all of Europe, and Decanter singled out Paltrinieri as one of the most important producers. 

The Paltrinieri family has been a leader in Emilia-Romagna since 1926. Now under the fourth-generation leadership of Alberto and Barbara Paltrinieri, the wines are as delicious as ever.

The Paltrinieri Radice Lambrusco di Sorbara is crafted in the método ancestrale, so unlike wines made in the Champagne or Charmat methods, this one is bottled during its one and only fermentation. The result of this ancient and rustic method is a fresh and generous bubbly—one that’s easy to enjoy on its own or accompanied by anything from fresh pasta to fried foods to sushi.