Paltrinieri 'Radice' Lambrusco di Sorbara
Sparkling Red/Rosé, Secco (Dry), Petillant Naturel (Ancestral Method). · Cantina Paltrinieri. A family-owned estate currently managed by Alberto Paltrinieri and his wife Barbara. They are highly regarded as masters of the Sorbara clone, known for moving Lambrusco away from bulk-sweet styles toward artisanal, high-acid, site-specific expressions.
Vintage: Non-Vintage (NV) / Current Release. While typically based on a single harvest, many Lambrusco producers omit a formal vintage date on the front label to emphasize the style consistency. Sorbara thrives in temperate but humid years that maintain its characteristic snap.
Type
Sparkling Red/Rosé, Secco (Dry), Petillant Naturel (Ancestral Method).
Producer
Cantina Paltrinieri. A family-owned estate currently managed by Alberto Paltrinieri and his wife Barbara. They are highly regarded as masters of the Sorbara clone, known for moving Lambrusco away from bulk-sweet styles toward artisanal, high-acid, site-specific expressions.
Country
Italy. A global powerhouse of wine diversity; the 'Radice' represents the artisanal revival of Northern Italy’s sparkling wine history using traditional and ancestral methods.
Vintage
Non-Vintage (NV) / Current Release. While typically based on a single harvest, many Lambrusco producers omit a formal vintage date on the front label to emphasize the style consistency. Sorbara thrives in temperate but humid years that maintain its characteristic snap.
Region & Appellation
Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC. This is the most prestigious of the Lambrusco DOCs, prized for its pale color and high acidity due to the Sorbara grape's unique flower-drop issues (acinellato), which results in concentrated, high-acid berries.
Grape Varieties
100% Lambrusco di Sorbara. This variety produces the lightest-colored and highest-acid wine of all Lambrusco grapes, often resembling a deep rosé rather than a red wine.
Color & Appearance
Pale salmon or salmon-pink with orange highlights. It features a naturally cloudy appearance due to the presence of lees in the bottle and a lively, frothy mousse with fine perlage.
Aroma Profile
Extremely aromatic and fresh. It leads with primary notes of wild strawberry, pink grapefruit, and pomegranate, followed by secondary notes of bread crust and violet floral tones.
Tasting Notes
The palate is electric and bone-dry. The entry is marked by vibrant tart red fruit and saline minerality. The finish is long, clean, and refreshing, leaving a sensation of citrus zest and wet stones.
Flavor Profile
Crunchy red currant, tart raspberry, blood orange, and a touch of savory herbal saltiness. It lacks the sugary 'grape' flavor of commercial Lambruscos, opting instead for sophisticated citrus and berry layers.
Body & Texture
Light-bodied with a lean, vertical structure. The texture is creamy yet etched by fine bubbles, with a slightly chalky mouthfeel resulting from the sediment (lees).
Acidity & Tannins
High, bracing acidity that is characteristic of the Sorbara grape. Tannins are near-zero or very low and soft, as the wine is made more in the style of a white or rosé wine.
Sweetness Level
Secco (Dry). Residual sugar is typically very low (under 5g/L), making it significantly drier than most international consumers' perception of Lambrusco.
Alcohol Content
11.0% - 11.5%. Low alcohol helps maintain the wine's freshness and high drinkability.
Aging & Oak
No oak. The wine is fermented in stainless steel before undergoing a secondary fermentation in the bottle (Metodo Ancestrale) where it stays on its lees. It is not disgorged.
Food Pairings
Classic Emilia-Romagna fare: Mortadella, Prosciutto di Parma, Parmigiano-Reggiano, or Tortellini in Brodo. It also pairs excellently with fried foods and fatty sea bass due to its high acidity.
Serving Suggestions
Serve chilled at 8-10°C (46-50°F). Use a white wine glass rather than a flute to appreciate the aromas. You can decant the wine off its sediment or gently invert the bottle before opening to integrate the lees for a creamier texture.
Price Range
$20 - $28. It represents an exceptional value for a high-quality, artisanal sparkling wine.
Quality Assessment
91-93 points. It is widely considered one of the benchmark wines of the Sorbara region and a top-tier example of the natural sparkling wine movement.
Production Methods
Metodo Ancestrale: The wine is bottled before the first fermentation is complete, allowing it to finish in the bottle and trap the CO2. Unlike the Champagne method, it is not disgorged, leaving the yeast inside the bottle.
Terroir
Grown in the 'Cristo' vineyard in the village of Sorbara, situated between the Secchia and Panaro rivers. The soil is predominantly sandy and alluvial, which creates the wine's distinct floral perfume and mineral drive.
History & Heritage
Founded in 1926 by Achille Paltrinieri, the estate has spent four generations perfecting the Sorbara grape. The 'Radice' (meaning 'Root') was a pioneering wine in the movement to return to traditional, bottle-fermented Lambrusco.
Interesting Facts
The label features a topographic map of the specific vineyard plots. The crown cap closure is a deliberate choice to signal that this is a fresh, 'farmers' style sparkling wine meant for immediate enjoyment.
Cellaring Potential
Best enjoyed young (within 1-3 years of release) to capture the vibrant fruit and acidity. While it can hold, it does not gain significantly from long-term cellaring.
Similar Wines
Cleto Chiarli 'Vecchia Modena', Vittorio Graziano 'Fontana dei Boschi', or high-quality Growers Champagne Rosé (though at a much lower price point).