Podere Sottoilnoce, Saldalama Lambrusco 2022

Producer: Podere Sottoilnoce
Region: Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Varietals: Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco Sorbara, Lambrusco Fiorano, Uva Tosca
Viticulture: Practicing organic & Biodynamics
Category: Sparkling Red 
Size: 750ml

Podere Sottoilnoce is a 7-hectare wine estate located in the picturesque village of Castelvetro di Modena, at the very heart of the Lambrusco Grasparossa DOC. The proprietor and winemaker, Max Brondolo has been applying biodynamic principles since 2016, with the goal of maintaining the balance between monoculture (vineyards) and surrounding nature. 

 Podere Sottoilnoce is a first-generation winery. While Max started this project from zero, his family still had some experience with wine as his grandfather was also a winemaker, but in Asti, in Piedmont. That's where he built his first memories of wine as a kid - sparkling barbera. Very discreet about his previous professional life, he regrets he didn’t start with winemaking earlier in his life. Interestingly, Max invested in buying vineyards before the cellar, or an actual winery. He is still a bit of a nomad winemaker. He collaborated with Gianluca Bergianti, where he started to make his wines. He uses another winemaker's facilities where his tanks are. His storage is at another place near Modena and his tasting room and office is at another very lovely small house by the vineyard. 

Max harvests by hand and is intensely detail-oriented in order to allow himself to minimally intervene during the winemaking process. All grape varieties are vinified separately and once the alcoholic fermentation is complete, they are assembled following Max’s interpretation of depending on the vintage and vessels. Sulfur addition is done in minuscule quantities (between 10 to 15mg/L) immediately after the end of alcoholic fermentation. The final blend is then bottled together with must from the previous vintage or grape sugar, without added yeast, in order to undergo the second fermentation in bottle. All sparkling wines are therefore refermented in bottles, unfiltered and without disgorgement.

A very dark pink red wine like you often expect from Lambruscos. Sorbara wines is unusual for the hills, it is usually more used in the plain. Max grafted these wines over from the vineyard from the most respected Gabriele Ronzoni at Tenuta Casalpriore.  Dry yet juicy, fresh and taut, with hints of wild strawberry and bread crust.

Unfiltered, Minimal SO2, Unfined, Hand harvest, Native yeast, Vinnatur, Méthode traditionnelle (champenoise), Frizzante., aged in stainless steel.