Issue link: http://digital.copcomm.com/i/599676
3 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t Tear yourself away from the dried, cured and salted meat section of the menu and dive into Chef Anda's crispy rolled pork belly, surrounded by caramelized fennel, tomatillo purée and cilantro. The ten Lambrusco Week pours are divided into sections according to their style: delicate pink options that are almost like rosé, traditional pours with medium body and medium tannin, and full-throttle bottles with black fruit and palate-drying tannins. Kroll deems the Nicchia Lambrusco di Sorbara "training wheels" for Lam- brusco; its light, floral notes sing with preserved lemon and urfa-chili, cotto-style salami. "Unlike the confected style that gives Lambrusco a bad reputation, this is a great introduction as op- posed to a Lambrusco made with Grasparossa." The Fiorini Corte Attimi Sorbara is incredibly delicate and soft, and doesn't overwhelm lightly flavored meats like Greek fennel and lemon verbena salami. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the complex, grippy Chiarli Vigneto Cialdini with bitter and dry black-fruit easily goes with salami made with pig heart, lardo, gar- lic, and Chianti. "It's a classic high-tannin style that stands up to big meats." Fun, funky, and a little bit reminiscent of a sour beer, the Camillo Donati Il Mio Rosso Mastri hails from a biodynamic winery, and proves that Lambrusco is not all sandpaper tongue and black cherries. "This is a great example of a unique winemaker's expression of a classic," muses Kroll. "It has bright acidity and tinges of red berries to counter the decadent smoked-pe- can rillettes, and its sugar content foils heavily flavored and spiced options like Andouille or red menace, a spicy, 'nduja-inspired meat spread. During last year's Lambrusco Week, Kroll had to re-order bottles halfway through the week, and his local distributor was astonished at the number of bottles the restaurant was going through. To put it in perspective, The Partisan sells fifty cases of Lambrusco during the weeklong event, which is half the amount Washington, D.C. sells in a year. But it's not always an easy sell, so he relies on staff, which conveys the wine's uniqueness and versatility while at the same time not overly defending it to the nay-sayers. Emilia-Romagna is said to have been the birthplace of charcuterie, and Kroll recounts the regional tradition of walking around with a cup of meat and a cup of Lambrusco—especially in the summer. The Partisan's Lambrusco Week may elevate the experience, but the lesson is the same: charcuterie and red bubbles work. Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com and on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics. Tear yourself away from Wine Director Brent Kroll dives into the diversity and challenge of pairing Lambrusco during The Partisan's second annual Lambrusco Week. ■cr 3 4 | t h e c l e v e r r o o t The ten Lambrusco Week pours are divided into sections according to their style: delicate pink options that are almost like rosé, traditional pours with medium body and medium tannin, and full-throttle bottles with black fruit and palate-drying tannins. Kroll deems the Nicchia Lambrusco di Sorbara "training wheels" for Lam- brusco; its light, floral notes sing with preserved lemon and urfa-chili, cotto-style salami. "Unlike the confected style that gives Lambrusco a bad reputation, this is a great introduction as op- posed to a Lambrusco made with Grasparossa." The Fiorini Corte Attimi Sorbara is incredibly delicate and soft, and doesn't overwhelm lightly flavored meats like Greek fennel and lemon verbena salami. On the opposite side of the spectrum, the complex, grippy Chiarli Vigneto Cialdini with bitter and dry black-fruit easily goes with salami made with pig heart, lardo, gar- goes with salami made with pig heart, lardo, gar- goes with salami made with pig heart, lardo, gar lic, and Chianti. "It's a classic high-tannin style Fun, funky, and a little bit reminiscent of a sour beer, the Camillo Donati Il Mio Rosso Mastri hails from a biodynamic winery, and proves that Lambrusco is not all sandpaper tongue and black cherries. "This is a great example of a unique winemaker's expression of a classic," muses Kroll. "It has bright acidity and tinges of red berries to counter the decadent smoked-pe- can rillettes, and its sugar content foils heavily flavored and spiced options like Andouille or red menace, a spicy, 'nduja-inspired meat spread. During last year's Lambrusco Week, Kroll had to re-order bottles halfway through the week, and his local distributor was astonished at the number of bottles the restaurant was going through. To put it in perspective, The Partisan sells fifty cases of Lambrusco during the weeklong event, which is half the amount Washington, D.C. sells in a year. But it's not always an easy sell, so he relies on staff, which conveys the wine's uniqueness and versatility while at the same time not overly defending it to Emilia-Romagna is said to have been the birthplace of charcuterie, and Kroll recounts the regional tradition of walking around with a cup of meat and a cup of Lambrusco—especially in the summer. The Partisan's Lambrusco Week may elevate the experience, but the lesson is the same: charcuterie and red bubbles work. Kelly Magyarics, DWS, is a wine, spirits and lifestyle writer, and wine educator, in the Washington, D.C. area. She can be reached through her website, www.kellymagyarics.com and on Twitter and Instagram @kmagyarics. ■cr