Keith’s Price Point Perfect:

Hooray! M&S are giving ‘proper’ Lambrusco another go …

M&S introduced a Lambrusco Secco Reggiano 11% in summer 2015 (£9, on offer for £6.75), as reported by Fiona Beckett in August that year, and, back in August 2008, Malcolm Gluck was noting they were ‘relaunching’ a Lambrusco for £7.49. 

Do M&S try and relaunch a ‘proper’ Lambrusco every 7 years or so?  It’s a bit overdue then. I see they’ve got in early for summer 2026 as it’s now in stores at the start of March.

In the UK Lambrusco was really popular from the late 1960s to early 80s and then suddenly fell totally out of favour.  We moved on to ‘real’ wines as opposed to the sweet low alcohol Lambrusco that had seduced British diners with Italian cuisine at the time.  And, while we were drinking that sugary 3 or 4% abv confection, Italians in Emila Romagna were drinking the locally-made real deal – a lively dry sparkling red wine around 11% abv!

This new and latest M&S Reggiano Lambrusco Secco 11% (£8.00) is produced by the Medici Ermete winery in Reggio Emilia. It has no ambition to stand in for champagne although its mushroom cork rather than the screw cap of more basic bottles starts to look the part.  I couldn’t resist buying it passing through M&S this weekend. 

On the label it is aptly described as ‘deliciously frothy and fruity’.  Deep red and tending a little towards off-dry, it positively zings with cherry and red fruit flavours. Crisp acidity and a sour edge make it the ideal match to cut through platefuls of salumi and cheeses from the Parma, Modena and Bologna region. The same winery also produces a well-rated LambruscoRosso Reggiano ‘Concerto’ 11.5%, (£14.75 from Hic!) - if you decide to try the next step up.