From: Emilia-Romagna, Italy
Blend: Lambrusco
Taste: This delectable red sparkler captures the essence of stylish sipping. Dominant flavors include fresh red fruit, violets, and blood orange, making it incredibly drinkable. Share a bottle with friends and savor the experience. Hailing from Italy's Emilia-Romagna, Lambrusco is a semisweet, lightly effervescent red wine (not always, but in this case, yes), ideal when served chilled between 45-55 degrees Fahrenheit. In partnership with Lambrusco producer Cantine Ceci, Raekwon of the Wu-Tang Clan introduced the Licataa Lambrusco brand. As Raekwon to Wine Spectator describes, Licataa offers a velvety, smooth taste with a gentle sparkle, striking a perfect balance between dryness and fruitiness.
Pairing: Originating from the gastronomic region of Emilia-Romagna, this Demi-sec red sparkling wine is crafted from 100% Maestri grape. Traditionally paired with delectable foods like Parmesan cheeses, olives, and Prosciutto, Lambrusco enhances many dishes:
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Complements charcuterie selections, especially Prosciutto di Parma and mortadella.
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Pairs well with roasted turkey and cranberry sauce, as well as rich pasta dishes like lasagna.
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An excellent choice for BBQ occasions, it goes splendidly with grilled chicken, lamb, pulled pork, burgers, steak, and even Korean BBQ (check out the recipe below!).
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Elevates first courses, such as tortellini in broth or pasta seasoned with meat sauce.
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Suits main courses like boiled meats, including zampone and cotechino, best served with lentils or stewed beans.
- Perfectly caps off a meal, accompanying desserts from the homely bensone cake to the refined amaretti of Modena.
Chicken Wings With Gochujang, Ginger and Garlic
By Mark Bittman
From Food& Wine, "Raekwon Launches His Own Brand of Lambrusco" Nov. 30 2018 by Mike Pomranz. Wu-Tang fans in New York have gotten a special sparkler to pop just in time for the holidays: Clan member Raekwon has released his own brand of Lambrusco called Licataa.
Though Lambrusco – an Italian sparkling red wine that is significantly less well-known than its white cousins like Prosecco – might seem like an odd choice, Raekwon said he believes it was a logical next step. “As my career continues to evolve becoming involved in the world of wine, this was something I felt was a perfect fit,” he said at a launch event according to HipHopDX. “What I choose to deliver here is an affordable luxury. Wine gives people a different feeling than ‘the liquor.’ It’s got a grown vibe. But I don’t believe you need to go into debt just to get a bottle of wine — I still want to reach those people who were with me from the jump — but I still want people to get an authentic experience of the high life.”
Raekwon reportedly took a very active role in developing the wine, which retails for $35, traveling to Italy and joining in on tastings to determine the final product. “We went to seek a vineyard and a manufacturer to make, and import, the wine,” Rashida Walter, Raekwon’s business partner and manager, was quoted as saying. “The wine community is elated … because we’ve taken the correct approach. Raekwon sat down with a sommelier to be critiqued and guided.”
To that end, the rapper knows his tasting notes. “It's a velvety, smooth taste that still has a little sparkling feeling to it,” Raekwon told Wine Spectator. “Licataa won't be something that you feel like is a little too dry, or too fruity; [it's] right in the middle.” The name also is true to the wines roots, coming for a Sicilian town that Raekwon says was “where a lot of people that were immigrants to America came from.”
