July 2026 · Emilia-Romagna · Lombardia
Beyond Prosecco
Discovering Italy’s other sparkling wines
There is something about July that naturally calls for sparkling wine. Long evenings on the patio, weekends at the cottage, meals enjoyed outdoors, and warm temperatures all have us reaching for wines that are crisp, refreshing, and full of energy. Sparkling wines have a way of making even the simplest moments feel like a celebration, whether you’re enjoying fresh seafood, grilled vegetables, charcuterie, or simply relaxing with friends on the dock after a day in the sun.
While Prosecco is often the first sparkling wine that comes to mind, Italy’s sparkling wine story extends far beyond a single style. This month, I wanted to introduce you to two wines that showcase just how diverse Italian bubbles can be. One is elegant and refined, crafted in the traditional method and often compared to some of the world’s finest sparkling wines. The other is vibrant, refreshing, and wonderfully unexpected: a dry sparkling red that surprises almost everyone who tries it for the first time.
Together, these wines highlight two very different expressions of Italian winemaking while sharing the qualities that make sparkling wines so enjoyable in the summer: freshness, bright acidity, food-friendliness, and pure drinkability. My hope is that this month’s selections encourage you to look beyond Prosecco and experience two of Italy’s most exciting sparkling traditions.
Wine spotlight
Righi Lambrusco di Sorbara & Ca’ del Bosco Cuvée Prestige Franciacorta
This month, we’re exploring two sparkling wines that beautifully showcase the diversity of Italy’s wine culture. While most wine lovers know Prosecco, Franciacorta and Lambrusco di Sorbara remain far less familiar, making them exciting additions to WineClub. Even within the wine trade, opportunities to feature wines like these are relatively uncommon.
Sparkling red · Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Righi Lambrusco di Sorbara NV
Our first wine comes from Emilia-Romagna, the culinary heart of Italy and home to Parmigiano Reggiano, Prosciutto di Parma, and traditional balsamic vinegar. Made from the Lambrusco di Sorbara grape, this is a dry sparkling red that surprises almost everyone who tastes it.
Forget the sweet Lambruscos of decades past. This wine is vibrant, refreshing, and exceptionally food friendly, offering aromas of wild strawberry, raspberry, rose petals, and violets with lively acidity and a gentle sparkle. It drinks with the freshness of a crisp white while retaining the character of a red.
Food pairing
Serve lightly chilled with charcuterie, prosciutto, pizza, grilled sausages, burgers, tomato-based pasta, or fried chicken. One of Italy’s great summer wines.
Traditional Method · Franciacorta, Lombardia
Ca’ del Bosco Cuvée Prestige Franciacorta NV
Our second selection comes from Franciacorta in Lombardy, where the cooling influence of Lake Iseo helps produce some of Italy’s finest sparkling wines. Ca’ del Bosco is one of the region’s benchmark producers and a leader in establishing Franciacorta as Italy’s premier Traditional Method sparkling wine.
Crafted primarily from Chardonnay with Pinot Nero and a small amount of Pinot Bianco, the wine spends more than two years ageing on its lees, creating exceptional finesse and freshness. Expect aromas of citrus, orchard fruit, white flowers, fresh pastry, and toasted almonds, with a fine, persistent mousse and a long mineral finish.
Food pairing
Oysters, scallops, seafood, sushi, creamy cheeses, roast chicken, or simply enjoy it as an aperitif.
Together, these wines highlight two distinctly different expressions of Italian sparkling wine, each rooted in its own history, terroir, and winemaking tradition. One is elegant and refined, the other vibrant and unexpected, proving that some of Italy’s greatest sparkling wines are found well beyond Prosecco.
The learning piece
Understanding the Bubbles
Sparkling wines get their bubbles naturally through fermentation. As yeast converts grape sugar into alcohol, carbon dioxide (CO₂) is also produced. In still wines, that gas is allowed to escape. In sparkling wines, it is captured, creating the bubbles we enjoy in the glass.
Our Lambrusco di Sorbara is made using the Tank Method, the same method used to produce Prosecco. After the base wine is made, a second fermentation takes place in a sealed stainless steel tank, allowing the carbon dioxide to be trapped before the wine is bottled. This method preserves bright fruit flavours, fresh acidity, and the vibrant, youthful character that makes Lambrusco such a refreshing summer wine.
Our Franciacorta is made using the Traditional Method, the same method used in Champagne. Instead of fermenting in a tank, the second fermentation takes place inside each individual bottle. The wine then spends extended time ageing on its lees, the spent yeast cells left behind after fermentation. During this time, the wine develops greater complexity, with flavours and aromas such as brioche, toasted nuts, and fresh baked bread, while also creating the fine, persistent bubbles that make Franciacorta so elegant.
Two wines. Two methods. One delicious reminder that Italy offers far more than Prosecco.