Without question, the most unique feature of Emilia-Romagna's wine is how much of it is either frizzante (semisparkling), spumante (sparkling), amabile (semisweet), dolce (sweet), secco (dry), or some combination of all of the above. Altough Lambrusco amabile has roots in antiquity, it wasn't until Americans and Germans went crazy for it in the seventies that it took on any commercial significance. Made by an array of mostly large-scale co-ops - including Riunite, which is not just a co-op but a consortium of several co-ops - the sweet and fizzy style of Lambrusco has obscured the more appealing (and more locally favored) dry version, particularly the type made in the traditional way, with a secondary fermentation carried out in the bottle. The subtle dried-cherry flavors and crisp acidity of Lambrusco secco is a perfect partner to a plate of thinly sliced prosciutto, whereas the sappy, sodalike quality of the sweet stuff makes it more of a confection than a wine. Neither style of Lambrusco is a wine for aging, but when placed alongside a huge plate of fresh pasta, even an amabile has its place.

The rules governing Lambrusco production are wide-ranging. There are currently four Lambrusco DOCs in Emilia-Romagna, whose production disciplines allow for both red and rosato (rose) versions of the wines, which in turn can be either secco, amabile, or dolce, but always frizzante. Further, some Lambrusco is vinified in bianco ("as a white", meaning without skin contact) to produce Lambrusco Bianco Spumante, a dry, fully sparkling white.

The vineyards that produce these wines are concentrated in the broad Emilian plains north of Reggio and Modena, where myriad subvarities of the lambrusco grape grow in the rich, aluvial soils. Among these are lambrusco sorbara, named for the commune north of Modena of the same name; lambrusco grasparossa ("red stalks"), found mostly to the south of Modena; and lambrusco salamino, so named for its salami-shaped grape bunches. Each of these three varieties has is own DOC production zone, with Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro thought to produce the most full-bodied wines and the Lambrusco di Sorbara DOC noted for more elegant styles. Of the four Lambrusco DOCs, however, the quantity leader is Lambrusco Reggiano, propelled by Riunite and its amabile. For better of worse, this is what most consumers know Lambrusco to be.

It's probably worse for small private producers in Reggio such as Medici Ermete, whose "Concerto' Lambrusco Reggiano is an example of how refreshing and flavorful a good dry version of the wine can be...

~ Joseph Bastianich & David Lynch, Vino Italiano, 2005