Last Tuesday, Divine Offering, Québécoise, and I attended Aperitivo at Metrovino ($15), a casual tasting featuring Alessio Altariva of Fattoria Moretto. The event sold out quickly, which came as no surprise. Let’s listen to “Come On-a My House” for this post.
The tasting offered a very different picture of Lambrusco from the sweet, fizzy, mass-produced wine many people know. Alessio’s family makes small-batch Lambrusco from organically farmed grapes grown on just under 11 hectares, with a focus on Grasparossa, a variety native to Castelvetro in Emilia-Romagna.
Divine Offering and I arrived five minutes early and spotted Richard Harvey, one of Metrovino’s founders. He recognized us, too, and warmly welcomed us in. After lurking in the aisles trying to spot wines from the previous tasting we attended, we moseyed over to Eva Hudson’s station, where she was carving three ages of Parmigiano-Reggiano and serving them with fresh, crusty bread. Nearby, plates of cheese and charcuterie were laid out.
Over the course of the tasting, we moved between Eva and Richard to sample and repeatedly revisit the winery’s flagship Lambruscos, Tasso ($35) and Semprebon ($35).
As Richard poured, he called Lambrusco “the most Italian wine”, soulful, friendly and distinctive, with countless regional foods to pair with it. The wine’s soft bubbles refresh the palate between rich, salty bites. The region where Lambrusco is made, Emilia-Romagna, also gives us Parmigiano-Reggiano and Prosciutto di Parma as natural companions for the wine.
The Lambruscos I had tried before this tasting reminded me more of sangria. Fattoria Moretto’s versions were different. They had the character of red wine but with a bright, juicy freshness. The gentle bubbles made each sip refreshing without stealing the show.
Tasso was the drier of the two, with a little more structure, while Semprebon was softer, fruitier, and a bit sweeter. Eva told us customers are almost evenly divided between them.
I was particularly interested in Québécoise’s verdict. Earlier this month, she had taken a sip of Cirelli’s “Orange,” pointed to the grapes we were eating and declared, matter-of-factly, “It tastes just like these.”
She preferred Tasso, while Divine Offering leaned toward Semprebon. I changed my mind with nearly every taste before eventually settling on four bottles of Tasso and two of Semprebon. Whether that was my own decision or Québécoise’s influence is still up for debate.
Throughout the evening, I noticed people stopping to chat with Alessio. Meanwhile, the three of us stood off to the side asking one another, ‘Do you think that’s the winemaker?’ then quickly looking in the opposite direction. We were fairly certain it was. However, agreeing that it must be Alessio seemed much easier than walking over and saying hello. It was like high school all over again.
I’m leading a member-led wine tasting at Eau Claire Athletic Club this month, and these Lambruscos will be among the bottles I bring. They’re an excellent conversation wine, easy to share and pair with cheese and charcuterie, yet different enough to challenge what guests think they know about Lambrusco. If their reactions are anything like mine, I suspect a few will be bringing a bottle from Fattoria Moretto to their next party. Hitting the Sauce gives Metrovino’s Aperitivo tasting two phat thumbs up.
For a regularly updated list of tastings and special events, visit my Calgary Wine Tastings & Events Guide.
Hitting the Sauce 