Lambrusco di Sorbara is the palest and most delicate of the Lambrusco grapes of Emilia-Romagna. It makes light, sparkling, very dry red or deep rosé wines with red berries, violets and sharp acidity, and many wine lovers consider it the finest Lambrusco.
It takes its name from Sorbara, a village north of Modena. Lambrusco is an old name for wild vines, and the Lambrusco grapes are a family of distinct varieties. Sorbara has an unusual flower that pollinates poorly, so its bunches set few berries; growers traditionally plant Lambrusco Salamino nearby to help pollination, and the two are often blended. Low yields are one reason for the wine's concentration of aroma.
Lambrusco di Sorbara grows on the flat land north of Modena, between the Secchia and Panaro rivers, around Sorbara, Bomporto, Nonantola, Carpi and Soliera. The soils are sandy and silty river deposits, which give light, fragrant wines.
Three methods are used: the tank method (Charmat), for most wines; the ancestrale method, refermented in the bottle and often left cloudy with its sediment; and the traditional method (metodo classico), as for Champagne.
Lambrusco di Sorbara is best young, served cool, around 10–12 °C. Bottle-fermented versions are more savoury and complex.
Look for a Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC labelled secco (dry). Producers worth knowing include Paltrinieri, Cantina della Volta, Cleto Chiarli, Zucchi, Fangareggi, Cavicchioli and Medici Ermete. Try a bottle-fermented ancestrale or a metodo classico to see how serious the grape can be.
Sorbara is blended with Lambrusco Salamino; the darker, more tannic Lambrusco Grasparossa grows in the hills south of Modena. Read our best Lambrusco wines, the best Emilia-Romagna wines, the best Italian sparkling wines, or browse the grape varieties index.