Wines of Italy Ltd.

Cleto Chiarli’s history began in 1860 when Cleto Chiarli began producing and selling Lambrusco near the town of Modena in Emilia-Romagna. This unique wine’s history often intertwines with the history of the Chiarli winery and Cleto’s hard work was rewarded when his Lambrusco won a prize at the 1900 Exposition Universelle in Paris. In the early 20th century the Chiarli winery became synonymous with Lambrusco wine, exporting to several countries throughout the world. A brief interruption during the war did nothing to stop the family rebuilding and expanding their business and today the 5th generation runs the winery. Throughout the 1970s when mass-produced Lambrusco gave the wine a bad name, the Chiarli family continued to employ the traditional methods and craft award-winning Lambrusco.

Lambrusco is a red grape variety native to the Emilia-Romagna region and is used to make a sparkling red wine that pairs perfectly with the region’s culinary delights including Parmigiano Reggiano, Parma ham and Bolognaise sauce. With low tannins and high acidity, this variety lends itself perfectly to sparkling wines and comes in two versions: a semi-sweet wine that in addition to certain savoury dishes pairs well with desserts; and a dry version.