It's Red Wine Season!

Sparkling Red Wine

Sparkling? Yes. Sparkling Red wine? Double yes! At MAWBY, we make two sparkling red wines. We think you need to know more about these unique wines, why they should be in your glass, and how you can best enjoy them.

Lambrusco?

Lambrusco is a style of wine made from a family of grape varieties grown in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Much like the term “Champagne” a Lambrusco can only be labeled as such if it is made in the region in Italy. Fun fact: It’s also where balsamic vinegar and parmigiano reggiano cheese come from. 

Like many wines, Lambrusco comes in a wide variety of styles. It is always red, but ranges in color from rich dark berry to light pink. It is always bubbly and typically made in the cuve close method, where the fermentation happens on a larger scale in stainless steel tanks. Flavor wise, it can be from dry to sweet but always has a fresh, fruity flavor profile. 

Cold Duck?

Some of you may remember drinking Cold Duck back in the day. Sometimes referred to as “Headache Champagne,” this sparkling wine was known for being sweet, tasting like grape soda and cranberry juice, and very inexpensive. 

Fun fact: Modern Cold Duck was invented in Michigan! In 1937, Harold Borgman, the owner of Pontrarchain Wine Cellars in Detroit, created the drink by pouring sweet sparkling wine and  burgundy into the same glass. This tradition came from a German custom where half- empty bottles were combined at the end of the night to keep the party going.  Eventually, these wines were made in larger formats, and included infusing the wines with flavors such as lemon or mint.

Cold Duck was first commercially made in the mid 1960’s by Bronte Champagne and Wines in southwest Michigan, which today is Tabor Hill.

Neither!

While our sparkling red wine offerings at MAWBY have something slightly in common with both of these wines, they are truly unique creations.

Our sparkling red wine, creatively named Redd, is similar to a traditional Lambrusco. It is made in the cuve close method, is best served with a slight chill, and enjoyed with any number of foods – especially Italian foods like pizza, bolognese, or rich, fatty charcuterie.

We use three types of red hybrid grapes in Redd – Marquette, Regent and Chambourcin – to create a fresh, fruit forward wine that still has structure. It’s a semi dry but carries enough soft berry flavors to appeal to a wide range of palates. 

Our Bourbon Barrel Redd (BB Redd) is a seasonal release that comes out every fall. It plays on the idea of traditional German Cold Duck wines by incorporating unexpected flavors. We start with the same fruit as the standard Redd, but the base wine is aged in bourbon barrels for 14 months. We source barrels from local maker Traverse City Whiskey and from Buffalo Trace in Kentucky. To make it bubbly, the wine undergoes its second fermentation in stainless steel tanks before being bottled and labeled. BB Redd is rich, smelling of blackberry jam, vanilla and roses, with a touch of warmth on the finish. It can be served chilled, or at room temperature, and pairs beautifully with desserts. 

Sparkling red wines offer something familiar, yet different.  Surprise your friends at your next bbq or bonfire with these expressive, adventurous wines.