Cocktail of the Summer: The Lambrusco Spritz
One of the nice things about being me is that I sometimes get invited to events that are both social, fun and educational. I always like to go to these types of things, not just for the free food (but also: free food), but also because I like having my horizons broadened. I really enjoy learning new things.
Recently, I was invited to a Lambrusco tasting by Riunite & CIV.
First of all, just to fill in the backstory, Lambrusco is a light, sparkling wine from Italy, primarily out of Northern Italy, or the Emilia-Romagna area. If you were looking at a map, Emilia-Romagna would be near the top of the boot.
One thing that makes all Lambruscos unique is that they are all sparkling wines, and many are sparkling reds, which, for most of us, is not what we traditionally think of when we think of red wine. While the most popular Lambruscos are red, they do come in a whole spectrum of colours, from a deep champagne to a rosé to a red. And while all of them are quite light in texture, they vary in sweetness from very dry to much sweeter, almost like a dessert wine.
We spent a very pleasant afternoon sampling 9 different Lambruscos along with food pairings supplied by the Homer St Cafe. One of my favourites was the Vigna Del Cristo, which was very champagne-like in both flavour and colour, and I also loved the more traditional Ottocentronero Lambrusco dell’Emilia.
One thing that really surprised me, though, was how great of a cocktail these wines make. Not something you traditionally think of when you think of wine. Most of us just drink wine, as is, and this is a great wine, especially for summer, as it’s lighter texture and bubbles immediately make you feel bright and summery. I could easily picture myself on a patio in the sun, sipping any of these effervescent wines.
But why take something great and make something spectacular?
Enter the Lambrusco Spritz. What I love about this recipe is that includes Amaro, which is a bitter spirit, and it perfectly balances out the sweetness of the sparkling Lambrusco. If you’ve ever had an Aperol Spritz, this is its cousin, we’re just swapping out the prosecco for the Lambrusco, though most recipes call for a little soda water, this one is just Lambrusco and Amaro or Campari.
Serve a Lambrusco Spritz in a large wine glass, like a copa or a Pinot Noir glass. By the way, you can find Reunite Lambrusco at any of the private liquor stores in the city.
Light, sparkling and so refreshing, the Lambrusco Spritz will definitely be the drink of the summer.
Lambrusco Spritz
Ingredients
- 3 oz Riunite Lambrusco chilled
- 1 oz Aperol or Campari
- ice
- orange slice for garnish
Instructions
- Fill a large wine glass halfway up with ice.
- Add your Amaro or Campari first.
- Top with the chilled Lambrusco..
- Stir gently to combine.
- Garnish with and orange slice.