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Lambrusco is our must-try drink of the month. Adobe Stock | scatto
With a firm acidity and a light touch of fruity sweetness, the Lambrusco from Paul Cullen Wines will make your taste buds swoon.
Lambrusco. Photo by Meghan Shupe
Libation of the Month
Lambrusco from Paul Cullen Wines
Where To Find It
DE.CO Food Hall
111 W. 10th St., Wilmington
Don’t let Paul Cullen’s last name fool you. The Buffalo, New York, native loves everything Italian, thanks to his grandmother, Elsie Tagliaferro, who taught him how to cook. The matriarch’s recipes inspired his Lewes-based in-home dining business. Cullen cooks and performs at the events—the guitarist and bassist once toured with Bad Company.
While on the road, Cullen fell in love with wine, and he recently co-founded Paul Cullen Wines. Lambrusco is the latest addition to the Artist Series collection. Wait, what? The fizzy, sweet wine that people drank in the ’70s?
Not quite. That highly commercialized product was overly sweet, which was typical for wine marketed to Americans at the time, and Lambrusco got an unwarranted bad rap. In reality, the ancient grape comes from Italy’s Emilia–Romagna region, northeast of Tuscany. This is the home of balsamic vinegar of Modena, Parmigiano–Reggiano and prosciutto de Parma. In short, it’s a region with a culinary pedigree.
Paul Cullen Wines’ Lambrusco has a firm acidity and light fruity sweetness. The aroma is pleasantly floral, and the sparkle is refreshing, not fizzy. Since the wine pairs equally well with rich and light dishes, it bridges the gap from cold-weather soups to sun-kissed strawberries and asparagus. It’s also great with spicy food (think curries).
Paul Cullen Wines includes Roero Arneis (white), Barbera d’Asti (red), Rockin’ Rose and Rosso di Toscano (Sangiovese).
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