The Monte Barello sub-region is renowned for its hillside Lambrusco

With 40 million bottles of DOC and 100 IGT produced each year, Lambrusco is the best-selling Italian wine in the world. The term ‘Lambrusco’, however, refers to a vast and varied range of wines, which can sometimes differ greatly from one another.

To help consumers navigate this wine-producing region, which covers the provinces of Modena, Reggio Emilia, Parma and Mantua, the production regulations for the Lambrusco DOCs were updated in 2024. The main change was the creation of the first sub-zone, Monte Barello, officially recognised to highlight the superior character of the wines produced in this area. For Emilia’s iconic wine, this is not merely a change of label, but a regulatory shift that maps out and highlights the qualitative differences within the appellation.

Monte Barello, the ideal growing area for Lambrusco Grasparossa

Within the Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro DOC, Monte Barello comprises a small, particularly well-suited hilly area surrounding the village of Castelvetro di Modena. The wines produced in this area must meet strict requirements: a low yield per hectare, manual harvesting of the grapes and the exclusive use of 100 per cent Lambrusco Grasparossa.

The introduction of this sub-zone serves to define a wine-producing area that is distinctly different from that of the plains, inextricably linking the wine’s name to its specific terroir of origin. In particular, a number of soil and climate factors contribute to the superior quality of Lambrusco from the hills.

The first factor is the slope of the land, which ensures optimal exposure to sunlight – essential for the proper ripening of Grasparossa, a late-ripening grape variety that requires warmth to fully develop its characteristic tannins. Furthermore, the slope aids water drainage, preventing waterlogging, which on flat land tends to dilute the grape’s aromatic profile.

The greater temperature range is another important factor: the hills benefit from constant breezes and a significant difference in temperature between day and night, which preserves the grapes’ natural acidity and stimulates the synthesis of aromatic precursors and colour, resulting in a visually more intense wine with distinctly sharper and more persistent aromas.

Finally, soil composed of calcareous marl, clay and a high proportion of stone (pebbles and rocks) naturally limits the vigour of the vines: the roots are forced to grow deep into the ground, giving the wine a pronounced savouriness and a more complex structure than that found in the rich, fertile alluvial soils of the plain.

In a nutshell, whilst a Lambrusco from the plains often focuses on drinkability and high yields, the Grasparossa from the hills of the Monte Barello sub-zone guarantees depth, structure and ageing potential, whilst always retaining the great drinkability typical of Lambrusco.

What will change for consumers and the local area?

The recognition of Monte Barello marks a cultural turning point for the Castelvetro area, as it enables discerning consumers to immediately identify a high-quality Lambrusco, the product of viticulture practised under specific conditions.

For our winery, which has always cultivated its own vineyards on the hillsides, this achievement confirms our vision: Lambrusco is a great indigenous wine that faithfully reflects the land from which it originates.