Versatile, food-friendly, laid back and free of pretense, perfect on a warm or cold day… Really, is there anything not to love about Lambrusco? This is Cinque Campi’s flagship – an honestly crafted old-school Lambrusco from a traditional local clone of Grasparossa complemented by indigenous grapes Marzemino and Malbo Gentile. Grapes are hand-harvested into small crates and destemmed, with maceration on skins in open vats of oak and chestnut. The primary fermentation then takes place in a stainless steel tank for 6 months. From here Vanni eschews the more widely utilized commercial carbonation in tank – secondary fermentation instead happens in the bottle, kicked off by the addition of unfermented juice from the same vintage, before being left to re-ferment for 8 months minimum. No fining, no filtering, no sulfur added at any point, and no dosage. All bottling, riddling, and disgorging is done by hand. Bone-dry, earthy, complex, this Rosso is at once savory and floral with a nose redolent of lush black cherries, juicy plums, violets, and hibiscus, and just a hint of spice. More frothy than overtly sparkling, the velvety texture is cut by bright acidity with a slight tannic bite. This is a killer little wine in its own right but, as all good Lambrusco should, it shines brighter with a plate of the right food. Serve well chilled!