Picnicking with Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco #ItalianFWT

Stepping into June, it's time to line up some chilled wines for summer activities. Be it picnics in the park, outdoor concerts or BBQ gatherings by the beach, I sometimes struggle with what wine to bring. Cavas from Spain, Rosé from Provence and Proseccos from Italy are my safe go-to’s. As prompted by Jennifer Gentile Martin from Vino Travel Italy's invite for bloggers to share their experience with Lambrusco wines via #ItalianFWT, the fizzante Lambrusco wine is no doubt another brilliant summer wine option that most people forget. Thinking also a little bit outside the bottle, I planned to write this post with a picnic theme and wanted to find a canned wine. 

Effortlessly, I found Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco which may very well be the only canned Lambrusco in the US. Well as expected, I enjoyed the Frico Lambrusco as well as the convenience of a can in the picnic. Something unexpected did, however, result from the Instagram/Twitter I posted on this wine. Before I get into the little controversy, let's not be sidetracked and first focus on learning this wine region. 

Lambrusco wines come from the Emilia-Romagna region in north-central Italy. The region borders with Marche (at its east), Tuscany (south), Liguria (west), Lombardy (northwest), Veneto (northeast), and with the city of Modena in the center. The five most notable appellations that produce Lambrusco wines are:

•Lambrusco di Sobrara DOC

•Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC
•Lambrusco Reggiano DOC
•Lambrusco Salamino di Santa Croce DOC
•Lambrusco Mantovano DOC

In addition to the DOCs, there is IGT Emilia where Lambrusco wines can also come from. Indicazione Geografica Tipica (IGT) Emilia is a designation that was established officially in 1995. Under the Italian wine laws, wine producers in IGT Emilia have more freedom to innovate and can break loose from the tradition quite a bit to produce wines that particularly cater to international markets. Wine producers all over Emilia have joined the bandwagon and embraced IGT Emilia, which has provided an economically viable way for this region to develop beyond its traditional portfolio of wine styles. Having a bird’s eye view of IGTs - there are 118 IGTs all over Italy, forming an integral part of the wine domination system of the country. They bear significance in the wine industry especially in the context of exports to global markets and diversification in wine styles and help generate wine revenues to the Italian government. IGTs should not be generalized as areas for only inexpensive and mass-produced wines, as some of the wines like Super Tuscany from IGT Toscana are of superb quality and fetch top dollars from the customers.  The Frico Lambrusco is a wine that's from IGT Emilia. 

Lambrusco also refers to a collection of grape varieties indigenous to Emilia without any cloning. The most commonly found six Lambrusco varieties are Grasparossa, Maestri, Marani, Montericco, Salamino, and Sorbara. Most Lambrusco wines are made from a combination of these Lambrusco varieties with or without an additional blending as per the permission of applicable wine laws and the winemakers' styles. 

The Frico Lambrusco is made from three Lambrusco grapes: Grasparossa, Maestri, and Salamino. The color of the wine is a deep purplish ruby. It's frothy with tiny bubbles that doesn’t have a very lasting foaming effervescence. With an alc of 9.5%, it is light to medium body. While it has a butterfly touch of sweetness and a light hint of smokiness, this wine is dry like brut. The crushed red berry flavors are prominent as you sip, finishing with a long tart finish. It's lively, colorful, and refreshing, and after all, it dares you to take anything so seriously. In a 250ml can form, which retails for $3.99, this wine chills fast in the fridge and remains chilled in a thermal bag. 

To pair this wine, I grilled some home-made thick-cut pork belly/bacon on the BBQ, making a hearty BLT sandwich. I also added a bag of yuca chip and a huge slice watermelon to the picnic basket. It was a delicious and happy picnic basket that has the fizz and fun Frico Lambrusco and juicy bacon plus the warm sun and a picture-perfect scene that anyone wants to emulate!

Let's get to the controversial part of the story. I heard about the stigma associated with Lambrusco consumed in the US back in the '70s and '80s and stayed away from the brands that caused the bad rap. Having a thorough read-up on the tech sheet of the Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco, I decided this wine can reflect the fun spirit of a Lambrusco wine, especially in its casual yet effective form of a can for my picnic. Why not give it a try! 

@iLambrusco, probably a Lambrusco enthusiast/expert, saw my Twitter post of this wine and countered that a Lambrusco wine must be red, 10.5% alc or above, secco (bone dry or dry) with a maximum of 15 g/l sugar, and is never in a can. The Frico Lambrusco is what locals consider as an industrial grade wine as its alc is only 9.5%. I reached out to Scarpetta and got a reply from Bobby Stuckey M.S, one of the owners of the company, "Technically if you are one of the 8 DOC's of Lambrusco you must be a min of 10.5. With saying that there are many delicious Lambruscos that may be lighter and more refreshing and not looking for DOC status. As you noted, we are using a can and traditional varieties. I truly think a wine like Lambrusco does wonderful in a can and makes it perfect for Picnics, Hikes, or just using in a restaurant in a single serving size." Given the source of this wine is from the IGT Emilia where looser Italian wine rules apply, I think it is absolutely great that Scarpetta, a new brand of Lambrusco, taps into a new generation wine drinkers' needs by introducing a new wine packaging. Judging by the extensive distribution network this wine reaches in the US, Canada, and Mexico, it indicates that somehow something is working well for this wine. On the other hand, I also genuinely understand @iLambrusco's mission to safeguard the tradition of Lambrusco and appreciate the insight he or she presented that prompted me to research and learn more about IGTs and Lambrusco.

Let’s taste more Lambruscos from my blogger friends…

• Camilla from the Culinary Adventures with Camilla will be featuring "Every Wine Deserves a Second Look: Warmed Brie with Mulberry Chutney + Cleto Chiarli Lambrusco di Sorbara Vecchia Modena 2018"
• Jill at L'Occasion shares "La Collina Biodynamic Bubbles -- Lambrusco!"
• Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm highlights "Lambrusco? Really??"
• Deanna from Asian Test Kitchen will showcase "Top 5 Fast Food Pairings with Lambrusco"
• Jeff at Food Wine Click will share "Lambrusco Shines with Red Fizz and Fun"
• Cindy of Grape Experiences will feature "Italian Old-School Classics: Easy Drinking Lambrusco with Spicy Vegetarian Pensa Romana"
• Marcia of the Joy of Wine will be highlighting "Lambrusco - The Star of Emilia-Romagna" 
• Linda from My Full Wine Glass will be sharing "Drinking Lambrusco in Strawberry Season"
• Pinny of Chinese Food and Wine Pairings  is focused on "Picnicking with Scarpetta Frico Lambrusco"
• Lauren at The Swirling Dervish will be sharing "Revisiting Lambrusco with Francesco Vezzelli Rive dei Ciliegi"
• Nicole with Somm's Table shares "Cooking to the Wine: Pezzuoli Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro with Antipasto Pizza"
• Gwendolyn of Wine Predator will be showcasing "Bugno Martino's Organic Lambrusco Defy Expectations"
• Susannah of Avvinare will be featuring "Sparkling Lambrusco from Vitivinicola Rota"
• Jennifer of Vino Travels shares "Over 150 Years of Dedication to Lambrusco with Cleto Chiarli"