Oh, Lambrusco: the deep red Italian sparkling wine that, by most accounts, hit its popularity peak roughly 40 years ago. However, in recent memory, many have speculated that Lambrusco will make a comeback, pointing to America’s love affair with all things Italian and the category’s versatility as an any-occasion wine. But we’ve yet to see it.
Could deft marketing and branding be enough for Lambrusco to enjoy another era of stateside glory days, or does it simply straddle too many popular wine styles to truly stand out?
On this episode of the “VinePair Podcast,” Joanna and Zach discuss Lambrusco — once America’s most popular imported wine. Can it reemerge as an unlikely favorite as both chilled red wines and sparkling wines are on the rise, and as the nation’s love for cured meats, cheeses, and all things Italian shows no signs of waning? Or can something that was once so popular, then unpopular, never be cool again? Tune in for more.
Zach is reading: A Decade In, Cadet Wine + Beer Remains the Vanguard of Downtown Napa’s Evolution
Joanna is drinking: On ‘Real American Beer,’ a Real American Bummer
