World Lambrusco Day Date in the current year: June 21, 2024

Lambrusco is a red wine grape indigenous to the Italian regions of Emilia-Romagna and Lombardy, principally four provinces: Mantua, Modena, Parma, and Reggio Emilia. It is one of the oldest types of grape: there is archaeological evidence of Lambrusco being cultivated by the Etruscans, an ancient civilization that preceded the founding of Rome. This grape variety is primarily used to make red wines, but Lambrusco wines are occasionally produced in a rosé and white style (with limited or no skin contact).

Lambrusco wines tend to be light to medium-bodied and low in alcohol, with soft tannins, medium-high acidity, bright fruit notes, and just a hint of bitterness. They usually have notes of blueberry, cherry, strawberry, rhubarb, and violets. Some bolder styles can have notes of blackberry, chocolate, and herbs. Lambrusco wines can have different sweetness levels, ranging from dry (secco) to sweet (dolce).

As we’ve mentioned, Lambrusco can be used to produce a variety of wine styles, but the most popular and highly rated Lambrusco wines are semi-sparkling (frizzante) red wines that are intended to be consumed young. Unlike fully sparkling wines, which are usually produced using the traditional (Champagne) method, frizzante wines are made using the Charmat method, which involves fermentation in a pressurized stainless steel tank.

Thanks to their refreshing acidity and fruity aromas, Lambrusco wines pair well with a wide range of foods. Popular food pairings with Lambrusco include cured meats and hard cheeses (Parmigiano Reggiano, Grana Padano, Pecorino), grilled or roast chicken and other poultry, sausages, grilled tuna, different types of pasta, and pizza. Sweet Lambrusco can be paired with desserts and fruits (peaches, nectarines, cherries, blueberries, strawberries).

Lambrusco wines got a bit of a bad rep in the late 1970s and 1980s, when inexpensive sweet versions of Lambrusco became the biggest selling import wines in the United States. Since then, however, there has been a resurgence in more traditional dry semi-sparkling Lambrusco wines (secco frizzante), and World Lambrusco Day was created to raise the profile of the “real” Lambrusco.

World Lambrusco Day has been observed annually since 2011. It was originally celebrated on the summer solstice in the Northern Hemisphere, which can fall on June 20 or 21, but in 2021, the date was fixed to June 21 to avoid any potential confusion.

There are many ways to celebrate World Lambrusco Day. You can buy a bottle of Lambrusco and share it with a friend, go out to your favorite wine bar or restaurant that serves Italian wines, attend a wine tasting or wine and food pairing class, and spread the word about the holiday on social media with the hashtags #WorldLambruscoDay and #LambruscoDay.