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If anything can bring about decision fatigue, it\u2019s the holidays. This is why I recommend choosing a \u201csignature wine\u201d for the season that you use for neighborhood parties, last-minute gifts, New Year\u2019s Eve mingling, and drinking out of a reindeer mug at 1 a.m. on Christmas Eve while wrapping all the gifts you procrastinated for weeks. This year my go-to has been Cleto Chiarli Brut de Noir Ros\u00e9, a fun, punchy pink bubbly from Italy\u2019s Emilia-Romagna region.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n
When people shop for wine, they often feel under informed, intimidated, and pressed for time (51% of Americans<\/a> open a bottle of wine within three days of purchasing it). This leads people to grab something that looks familiar, like Champagne<\/a> or Prosecco<\/a> from a famous brand. So lesser-known regions and styles of wine that don\u2019t have that immediate shelf appeal are often amazing values.<\/p>\n The wine-growing regions in Emilia-Romagna that make Lambrusco are one such area \u2014 especially because even people who do<\/em> know about Lambrusco often have a negative association with it. (This region became known for sweet, one-note sparkling reds in the early 1980s.) But these regions and their signature grape varieties (there are a few different Lambrusco varieties) make a whole range of delicious sparkling wines, from bone-dry to sweet and from dark purple-red to ros\u00e9 or even white.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n Cleto Chiarli is one of the oldest and most established Lambrusco producers in Modena, the commune in Emilia-Romagna famous for its balsamic vinegar, and its Brut de Noir Ros\u00e9 is full of zingy fruit flavors like tart cherry, raspberry, and watermelon. The texture is almost a bit creamy, and the finish is clean and mouthwatering.\u00a0<\/p>\n Like Prosecco, it\u2019s made using the charmat method, which tends to bring out bright, fresh, crowd-pleasing flavors. It\u2019s made with 85% Lambrusco Grasparossa, the boldest of the Lambrusco varieties, so just a short amount of skin contact is enough to give the wine a bright pink color and lots of flavor, while the balance is Pinot Noir that brings a little acidity and aromatic intrigue to the party \u2014 and at under $20, you can afford to stock up! (Maybe just don\u2019t mention the Lambrusco bit to older relatives unless you want that Riunite jingle<\/a> stuck in your head until New Year\u2019s.)<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n While this sparkling ros\u00e9 is great on its own, like other wines from this part of Italy, it shines with food as well. (Emilia-Romagna is known for cured meats, Parmigiano Reggiano, and rich pasta dishes<\/a>.) It\u2019s got a little more body and tang than a lot of other sparkling ros\u00e9s I\u2019ve tried, so it\u2019s great as an aperitif or stand-alone glass of bubbly; it would also be amazing with a charcuterie board<\/a> or any of those delicious cheese-heavy appetizers we tend to make around this time of year (think: Aunt Kim\u2019s port wine cheese ball<\/a> or sweet and savory baked Brie<\/a>).<\/p>\nWhat\u2019s the Best Way to Drink Cleto Chiarli\u2019s Brut de Noir Ros\u00e9?<\/h2>\n<\/p>\n<\/div>\n