Podere Sottoilnoce Saldalama 2023

Profile & Story

Podere Sottoilnoce is Massimiliano (Max) Brondolo's small estate on the outskirts of Castelvetro di Modena, in the heart of Emilia-Romagna's Lambrusco Grasparossa country. Founded in 2017 around an old vineyard overshadowed by a large walnut tree, the estate farms 6 hectares biodynamically and is dedicated to crafting refined, unadulterated wines while reviving forgotten indigenous grape varieties historically used for the region's darker, more extracted Lambrusco styles. In the cellar, Max avoids filtration and fining, relying only on racking and minimal sulphites to preserve the wine's natural character. Saldalama is an equal-parts blend of Lambrusco Grasparossa, Lambrusco del Pellegrino, Lambrusco di Sorbara and the native Uva Tosca grape, hand-harvested and vinified with spontaneous fermentation from indigenous yeasts, then re-fermented in bottle using unfermented grape must, with the Pellegrino portion given gentle punch-downs rather than pump-overs.

Pairing Recommendation

Pairs naturally with charcuterie and the rich, savory cooking of Emilia-Romagna.