Wine Enthusiast chooses Centenario, our amabile Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro doc

“Italy is the place to search for wines that over-deliver,” says Jeff Porter, a Wine Enthusiast writer-at-large who reviews wines from Italy. “Across regions and styles, producers are going back to their roots and focusing on the historic grapes of their region, a coming full-circle moment.”

Jeff is right. The Cleto Chiarli brand has been about how to achieve the best wines from the historic grapes cultivated in vineyards by the family, since first planted, many well over 150 years ago. Centenario is a particularly important label, because it was the first label produced with the Charmat method, years before any other Lambrusco producer had begun using the autoclave.

Today, the Centenario label represents an amabile, or off-dry, Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro doc.

Jeff Porter describes, “This Lambrusco opens with forward plummy and black-cherry aromas, which take on a more macerated and jam-like quality as the wine develops in the glass. A touch of wild flowers and fresh herbs provide an added dimension to the bouquet, while the palate is delightfully sweet. Despite the sweetness, the wine maintains a good balance, making it a well-crafted example of the style—one that is lifted on the finish with a zippy pop of acidity.”

James Suckling notes, “An off-dry and soft Lambrusco with graphite and sweet tobacco character. Full and flavorful. Round and creamy. Very typical. Energetic acidity gives this form. Served chilled.”

Read the full Wine Enthusiast article here