Reggiano DOP

A little history

Mosaics dating back to the 1st century B.C. preserved in the Reggio Emilia Civic Museums testify to the presence of vines in Roman times and numerous medieval contracts attest to extensive cultivation of the famous indigenous “lambrusche” grapes. Vines have always been an important part of life in the Reggio Emilia area, along with the production of a “tart and sparkling” wine, which is reported by many 19th-century accounts. The law of 10 July 1930 recognised Lambrusco as one of Italy’s traditional wines and in the 1960s viticulture in the Reggio Emilia area began to specialise. The first voluntary protection consortium was founded in 1962. The first controlled denomination of origin was created in 1972 and named “Lambrusco Reggiano”, which became the present-day “Reggiano” in 1996.

The area

This denomination’s production area lies in the central-western part of the Emilia-Romagna region, in the province of Reggio Emilia, and extends over a wide plain and a more confined hilly area, which is interrupted by the start of the mountain area.

Wines and grape varieties

There are seven types of wine produced within this denomination: “Reggiano” Lambrusco (including sparkling and spumante), “Reggiano” Lambrusco Salamino (including sparkling), “Reggiano” Rosso (including sparkling), “Reggiano” Bianco Spumante, “Reggiano” Lambrusco Novello (including sparkling) and “Reggiano” Rosso Novello. The denomination’s ampelographic base is made up of a series of grape varieties belonging to the Lambrusco family – Marani, Salamino, Montericco, Maestri, Sorbara, Grasparossa, Viadanese, Oliva and Barghi – and of other grape varieties such as Ancellotta, Malbo Gentile, Lambrusco a Foglia Frastagliata, Fogarina, Sangiovese, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon and Marzemino, whose composition varies according to type.