Greogorio Brigo is a dashing young man from the countryside north of Modena. Growing up in a family of farmers (growing legumes, grains, fruit trees and a few vines) he learned the catharsis that can come from hard, physical work early in his life, assisting his grandfather and father in their daily routines around the property. Being in such proximity to Modena, he was also exposed to a lot of dynamite Lambrusco (and likely plenty of bad stuff too!). Having emerged in his early 20s as a sought-after agronomist and winemaking consultant for hire, Brigo worked for several farms in and around Modena and Bologna, before making the leap in 2021, deciding to follow his dream: producing his very own Lambrusco! Greogorio immediately ceased selling his fruit to the nearby cooperative wineries, committing himself to the creation of his own small-production wines, modeled on the up-beat and soulful styles he remembered from his younger years. All of his experience farming and living in the region guided the vision of his Lambrusco wines to represent the spirit of his homeland, devoted to friendship, conviviality, and joyful consumption.
All of Brigo’s vineyard work is done organically (he is in the process of becoming certified), yields are limited and natural fermentations and low sulfur additions are key to his production. The ‘Balotta’ (which roughly translates as ‘a chat with friends’) is an uber-classical expression of Lambrusco Grasparossa – the most commonly seen sub-type in the greater Lambrusco family of grapes. Sourced from 25 year old vines, the Ballota is harvested by hand before undergoing natural fermentation in stainless steel and carbonation via Charmat method. Inky in the glass with a bright purple fizz, the Balotta leads with a nose of Concord grape soda, black-berried fruits, Black Forest Cake, bitter cocoa and sweet green herbs. In the mouth, a sweet-tart, almost lactic note driven forth by a ripping backbone of acidity keeps those big, juicy flavors of black berry and cherry on the straight-and-narrow, with a lovely bitter-herbal edge providing further balance to the sweetness of fruit. If you can hold onto this one till Thanksgiving, she will surely win the hearts of the whole family, wine aficionado or otherwise!