An Australian Lambrusco from Chalmers

I’ve tasted some ear-to-ear grin/eye-brow raising fizz this month.  In fact, reverse that order!  A Douro Grüner Veltliner and Tejo Alfrocheiro from Portugal.  And this cracking Australian Lambrusco from 21st Century Vino founders, Chalmers, the font of many a fine Italian varietal clone/wine (click here for details).

Chalmers Lambrusco 2013 (Heathcote, Victoria)

This took me right back to a walking holiday in Emilia-Romagana almost a decade ago.  We walked from inn to inn. In and amongst, proper (serious) Lambrusco – a vinous tiramiˈsu – proved a fine pick me up.   This pitch perfect example made from 100% Lambrusco Maestri is crunchy, crisp, cherried and chocolately, with a hint of clove and an edge of cocoa powder (a light touch of tannin) to its black cherry fruit.  Without compromising its vibrancy one iota, it’s a touch riper and rounder than the Italian examples of my memory.  But that’s a good thing – it shows its Aussie thumbprint, though it’s reassuringly sapid and dry – proper serious.    I can see this being popped and not stopped over the festive period Down Under (Chalmers are not yet exported to the UK).  Dangerous stuff!

It really shows that the fruit received a lot of love.  And how.  It was grown on Cambrian soils at Chalmers’ Heathcote vineyard for starters.  Though Lambrusco is usually made by the charmat method (with the second fermentation in a pressurised tank), this wine was made by the traditional method (second fermentation in bottle).  The base wine also spent some time in old oak barrels. The wine was tirage bottled in May 2013, then spent 9 months on yeast lees in bottle prior to being riddled and disgorged with a dosage of 7g/L sugar.