Ep. 2429 Giovanni Giacobazzi from Giacobazzi Vini Winery in Emilia - Romagna | Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon (5StarWines - the Book 2025 Series)

This episode spotlights Giacobazzi Winery in Modena and its award-winning Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro frizzante secco (Giacobazzi 2), a semi-sparkling red that scored 93 points at the 5-Star Wines Competition ahead of Vinitaly 2025. Host Mark Millen interviews Giovanni Giacobazzi about his family’s long history — a winery founded in 1958 that was among the first to export Lambrusco to the United States in the 1960s — and the vineyard care behind this small-production wine grown on a roughly four-hectare plot planted ten years ago. The conversation covers vineyard practices (hand-picked grapes, refrigerated transport), gentle vinification (soft crushing) and the use of the Martinotti/Charmat method to produce a fresh, fruit-forward frizzante. The episode contrasts Lambrusco varieties, explaining the differences between Lambrusco di Sorbara and Lambrusco Grasparossa di Castelvetro. Sorbara is described as pale, high-acid, elegant and ideal for bottle fermentation and long aging, while Grasparossa is darker, fuller-bodied, fruit-driven and notable for persistent perlage. Giovanni discusses traditional bottle fermentation (Metodo Classico and ancestral styles) as well as modern second-fermentation techniques in autoclaves that preserve bright red-berry flavors and floral notes. He highlights how different secondary fermentation approaches influence texture: Martinotti yields crispy, approachable frizzante wines, while Metodo Classico brings toasty yeast notes and aging potential. Tasting notes for Giacobazzi 2 emphasize strawberry, blueberry and sour cherry with balanced structure, smooth perlage and a long finish. Giovanni explains that the aim with this Grasparossa is to reduce aggressive tannin and old-school rusticity in favor of elegance, floral aromatics and ripe red-berry fruit. The episode also explores pairing suggestions: both Sorbara and Grasparossa pair superbly with Emilia-Romagna cuisine — Parmigiano Reggiano, rich ragù, lasagne, and local salumi — while surprising pairings include Sorbara with sushi and Grasparossa with spicy or sweet-and-sour ethnic dishes. Beyond wine, the Giacobazzi estate offers a full hospitality experience: a historic winery established in 1929, a museum of traditional winemaking tools, balsamic vinegar production (including traditional 12- and 25-year varieties), and an unexpected motorsport collection with Ferrari and Maserati exhibits. Visitors can taste wines and regional food together, experiencing a 360-degree snapshot of Modena’s culinary and enological culture. This episode is valuable for travelers planning wine tourism in Emilia-Romagna, wine lovers researching Lambrusco styles, and consumers seeking food-friendly, semi-sparkling red wines from small, family-run estates.