Italy, Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco di Sorbara
 
Fondatore means "founder," and the name of this wine name bears special significance for Cleto Chiarli. The Lambrusco del Fondatore is a modern version of the same wine Chiarli produced for the customers of his trattoria back in the early 1800s. It is made by the "ancestral" method, by which a still wine was fermented in the fall and left to rest through the winter. It was bottled in the early spring, with no filtration, and once temperatures began to rise, the yeast would continue the fermentation in the closed bottle, creating a fizzy wine. In accordance with the time-honored practices, the wine is not disgorged to remove the sediment. Lambrusco del Fondatore has become the benchmark of the Lambrusco di Sorbara variety.
 
Wine Enthusiast 88 Points
Aromas of framboise, strawberry leaf, violet, and mixed herbs define the nose of this wine. On the palate, flavors of pomegranate and sour cherry intertwine with brambly berries, dried leaves, and a tannic edge that adds avibrant kick to the wine.
 
The Town: Sorbara is a small hamlet within the municipality of Bomporto. It is considered the spiritual home of this specific style of Lambrusco.
 
The Grape: It is also the name of the specific grape clone (Lambrusco di Sorbara) used to make the wine. Among the various Lambrusco varieties (like Grasparossa or Salamino), the Sorbara grape is prized for producing the most elegant, light-colored, and high-acid wines.