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If you are in the US and you love fashion, then you probably know that the Nordstrom anniversary sale is happening this week. I love shopping for wine, but my love for shopping doesn't end there. I am very excited to check out all of the hot sale items that Nordstrom has for this summer and fall. But I'm not a fashion blogger, so I'm not going to give you any details about the sale or the top items I'm hoping to purchase. Nope, we are here for the wine folks! So instead, I am going to tell you what you should be drinking as you do hours and hours of shopping!
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So when you're shopping a long sale, it means spending a few hours online, right? You're perusing dozens of pages of items, reading hundreds of reviews, and adding items to your wish list. So it can take some time and you want to stay focused. You don't want a high alcohol wine that is going to make you crash and need a nap. You want something you can sip all afternoon or evening as you fill your virtual shopping cart. You also want something light and refreshing, but still fun and flavorful.
My recommendation is 10/10 Lambrusco. Lambrusco is a light red wine from Italy that comes from the region of Emilia Romagna, which is in North Eastern Italy. Lambrusco is known for being fruity and acidic, but even better, most Lambrusco is frizzante. Frizzante is the Italian term for fizzy. It's not enough bubbles to be considered sparkling wine though, so it isn't like Prosecco or champagne. It's just slightly....well, fizzy!
Lambrusco can be dry or sweet and in both cases, the fizz keeps the wine nice and refreshing. With flavor notes of strawberries, blackberries, and flowers this wine makes for an easy summertime red wine, especially when you chill it to around 50F degrees.
Because of Lambrusco's acidity and fizz, it's also a great food pairing wine. Naturally, this wine is a home run with Italian classics like pizza and pasta, but it really shines with the local Italian products from the Emilia Romagna region like prosciutto and parmigiano reggiano cheese. You've heard me say it before, but an easy way to ensure a great food and wine combo is sticking to regional pairings. This is no exception as Lambrusco is a heavenly pairing with prosciutto and parmigiano.
But if cheese and salami isn't your preferred snack as you shop, try a little chocolate! Lambrusco's light and fruity flavors make it an amazing combo with milk chocolate.
There are 3 levels of sweetness descriptors for Lambrusco wines and various winemakers across the region will produce theirs differently. You will often find these terms on the wine label so you can know if you're purchasing a dry, semi-dry, or sweet version of Lambrusco.
Secco is the term for dry
Semi-secco is the term for off-dry (slightly sweet)
Dolce is the term for sweet
I recommend pairing the Secco and Semi-secco versions with savory foods and pair the dolce with sweets and chocolate.
Lastly, I think it's important to note that there are technically 13 different Italian grape varietals with the name Lambrusco in it. All of these grapes are grown in Emilia Romagna and they all make up the family of wines known by the name Lambrusco. Although they are technically different grapes (some are clones of these grapes), they all have the same main flavor profile and they are grouped under the same term "Lambrusco". If you were to taste a few of these side by side, you might be able to determine slight flavor nuances between these grapes, but for the most part, they taste very similar and are all low in alcohol, light in body, and low in tannins. But if you come across some additional names on a wine label for Lambrusco, now you know why! (Three of the most common names you might find are Lambrusco di Sorbara, Lambrusco di Salamino, and Lambrusco Grasparossa).
And it's this unique flavor profile of being a light and fruity red wine with low alcohol and fizz that makes it a perfect wine to drink as you shop! But don't drink it as you try your clothes on......no one wants to fight to get red wine stains out of a brand new dress!
Below are a few of my favorite Lambruscos that you can look for in your local wine shop:
- Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco
- Ceci Otello Lambrusco
- Riunite Lambrusco
Hope you learned something new about Lambrusco and happy shopping!
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Website: thewineceo.com
Email: Sarah@thewineceo.com
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