Denny Bini Lambrusco dell’Emilia ($17.99)

Denny Bini Lambrusco dell’Emilia is deep reddish-purple in color with a garnet edge; it pours up with a foamy pink mousse that falls back quickly. A pleasant scent of black plums shows first, joined by dark berries, then earthy notes of leather and damp clay. Tart-sweet black fruit fills the palate in a dry, tart flavor, with soft tannins building structure and a soft but distinct bitter note showing up in the long finish. 11% alcohol. U.S. importer: PortoVino, Buffalo, N.Y. (May 13, 2025)

FOOD MATCH: Good to quench on its own or enjoy with simple fare without worrying about making a fancy pairing. The standard pasta-and-pizza match or a salumi-and-cheese plate would be natural with a good, artisanal Lambrusco. We enjoyed it with a simple dish of spaghetti with garlicky fresh-tomato sauce.

WHEN TO DRINK: Best enjoyed young and fresh. There’s no vintage on this Lambrusco, but look for fresh stock from a trustworthy merchant or store with high turnover.

VALUE:
Wine-Searcher.com’s listed $31 average U.S. retail price appears to be the result of a statistical error, an average skewed by overpriced offerings. Many merchants, including my local source, offer it as a good value in the middle to upper teens.

WEB LINK:
Here’s a fact sheet on this wine from importer PortoVino. The importer also offers this page featuring Denny Bini and his wines.

FIND THIS WINE ONLINE:
Check prices and find vendors for Denny Bini Lambrusco dell’Emilia on Wine-Searcher.com.

Read about Emilia IGT in Central Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region and browse wines of the region at this Wine-Searcher link.

Follow this Wine-Searcher link to read about Lambrusco wine and check vendor and price databases.