Graziano
Emilia Romagna, Italy

I first tasted the wines of Vittorio Graziano in London, England at 40 Maltby St. back in 2019 one evening while waiting for a table. It was only a small glass out of a bottle being poured BTG that night by my friend and kindred spirit Liam, but it contained a profound Lambrusco that I still think about today. Vittorio works five hectares just outside of Modena, and besides the likely Trebbiano and Lambrusco grapes, Graziano doesn’t know the names of most of his grapes that came from cuttings acquired from the old and dying generation of contadinos, original Lambrusco makers in the area, when he first started making wine at a young age. These are examples of real and wild, deceptively simple, exquisite Lambruscos, and not the bastardized cheap versions drank on bad dates. Iconic to the ones who already know, Graziano is pretty much what I want to be drinking on most days this summer.
Rosato Smilzo 2021
Lambrusco, Malbo Gentile, Mystery Grapes
$30
Ripa di Sopravento 2021
Trebbiano, Mystery Grapes
$30
Fontana dei Boschi 2021
Lambrusco, Malbo Gentile, Mystery Grapes
$30
Sassoscuro 2019 (still red)
Lambrusco, Malbo Gentile, Mystery Grapes
$41