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Wine Tasting Adventure

2024 Cleto Chiarli, `Vigneto Cialdini` Lambrusco Grasparossa Castelvetro - Liberty

£14.49 GBP
£14.49 GBP

Lambrusco’s history is closely linked to the Chiarli family. In 1860 Cleto Chiarli founded Emilia-Romagna’s first wine-producing company, following the success of the homemade Lambrusco he served at his Modena restaurant ‘Osteria dell’Artigliere’. In 2001 Mauro and Anselmo Chiarli, Cleto’s great-grandsons and current company owners, decided to build a new winery under the founder’s name, Cleto Chiarli.

The Chiarli estate comprises over 100 hectares of vineyards planted on the alluvial deposits typical of the Padana plain. The Tenuta Cialdini is named after General Enrico Cialdini, a famous Italian patriot of the Risorgimento. It lies at the foot of the hills, in the Castelvetro municipality. Here the soils are mainly composed of silt on a gravel substratum, which contribute to the production of excellent, intensely coloured Grasparossa grapes defined by a fruity bouquet. The estate also has seven hectares of Pignoletto vineyards, which are key to producing Chiarli’s best whites.

The Tenuta Sozzigalli lies to the north of Modena close to the Secchia River, an area well suited for the growth of Sorbara grapes. The soil here comprises clayey silt, which lends itself to Sorbara’s peculiar light red colour. Due to its long and scrupulous selection, the vineyards contain the best clones of this ancient grape variety.

The Lambrusco di Sorbara ‘Vecchia Modena’ sees a light maceration followed by slow fermentation with selected yeasts in sealed stainless-steel tanks. The resulting sparkling wine is then aged at low temperatures on its lees for almost three months. It has a deep rosé colour, with notes of strawberry and brushwood complemented by a fresh, mineral palate.

The ‘Lambrusco del Fondatore’ has a traditional vinification, through natural in-bottle fermentation followed by six-months of ageing. Deep ruby red in colour, the nose reveals notes of wild berries and blackberries. On the palate, the wine is characterised by lovely freshness and powerful acidity, with a persistent fruity finish. The ‘Moden Blanc’ Brut is light straw-yellow in colour, slightly aromatic and fruity with a delicate palate. After a soft pressing with both whole and de-stemmed bunches, fermentation takes place in sealed stainless-steel tanks at low temperatures. The Rosé is made of 100% Grasparossa grapes. Soft pressing with whole and destemmed bunches was followed by the first and only fermentation at controlled temperatures with selected yeasts in stainless steel Charmat tanks.

The ‘Vigneto Cialdini’ comes from a 12.5-hectare single vineyard planted about 25 years ago with carefully selected clones of Lambrusco Grasparossa. Nestled in the foothills at around 90 meters above sea level, the vineyard encircles the Cleto Chiarli winery. Its medium-textured clay soils, enriched with small rock fragments that have naturally eroded from the hills above, offer excellent drainage and contribute notable mineral complexity. The vines are trained using a double-curtain system, which enhances sunlight exposure and air circulation throughout the canopy. This combination of foothill location, distinctive soils, and attentive vineyard management creates an ideal environment for producing high-quality Lambrusco Grasparossa.

The 2024 vintage in Emilia-Romagna began with cooler, wetter spring conditions that slowed canopy growth and reduced fruit set across the region. Temperate conditions over summer provided an ideal foundation for grape maturation, with harvest temperatures averaging 18°C and beneficial diurnal temperature variations of 10°C between day and night. While the region experienced significant rainfall throughout the year, harvest conditions remained manageable, resulting in high quality fruit.

The grapes were destemmed and underwent gentle pressing and subsequent maceration for 48 to 72 hours at 12°C. Careful temperature control preserved the delicate aromatics and colour characteristics essential to the Lambrusco Grasparossa style. The must was transferred to stainless steel tanks for clarification and cold stabilisation. The clarified must was fermented in stainless steel tanks using selected yeasts to produce the sparkling wine. The use of stainless steel throughout the vinification process maintained the wine's fresh, fruit-forward profile.

An intense ruby-purple colour in the glass. The nose reveals brooding aromas of blackcurrant and blackberry. On the palate, vibrant black fruit is balanced by crunchy acidity and a refreshing finish.