Let the record state: Great Lambrusco has always existed. But if your impression of the effervescent red wine, which hails from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region, is less than complimentary, you are forgiven. After all, the painfully sweet versions commonly found in the United States in the 1970s and 80s did a number on Lambrusco’s stateside reputation. Mercifully, superior bottlings are helping to change the modern narrative. “The top wines of Lambrusco have such a verve, energy and happiness that you feel better after a few sips," says Writer-at-Large Jeff Porter, Wine Enthusiast’s resident Italian wine reviewer. “The continued push towards better farming, drier wines and a revitalization of old-school winemaking techniques are creating wines that show complexity and drinkability in equal proportions.” You May Also Like: Lambrusco, Baga Espumante and Other Sparkling Red Wines from Around the World The moment’s best-of-class Lambrusco wines, featured below, have a freshness and character distinctive from older styles. Of course, there remains a wide variety in the category—Lambrusco can range from bone dry to treacly, slightly bubbly to full-on fizzy, bright white to inky purple. This fact alone has helped to diversify and uplift Lambrusco’s one-dimensional reputation. But the category’s ascension is arguably tied to the rise of funky sparklers, itself a trend linked with the popularity of pét-nats. None of this, however, would be possible without producers focused on quality. “Historic families such as Lini [of Lini 910] and Medici [of Medici Ermete] have not rested on their laurels and continue to push and innovate, while smaller farmers such as Vigneto Saetti and newcomer Sebastian Van de Sype look to the past to move forward with integrated farms and regenerative agriculture,” says Porter. All of this and more bodes well for the future of the category. “Lambrusco is the cutting edge of Italian wine.” Why You Should Trust Us All products featured here are independently selected by our team, which is comprised of experienced writers and wine tasters and overseen by editorial professionals at Wine Enthusiast headquarters. All ratings and reviews are performed blind in a controlled setting and reflect the parameters of our 100-point scale. Wine Enthusiast does not accept payment to conduct any product review, though we may earn a commission on purchases made through links on this site. Prices were accurate at the time of publication.