Lini 910
Lini 910, the Champagne of Emilia.
From the New York Times to the local village paper. From Manhattan to Correggio. From Reims, the heart of Champagne, to the heart of Lambrusco: Emilia. A complex web of wine, with threads linking distant parts of the world. The thread’s origin can only be found by interpreting and putting into words a family’s overwhelming passion for their wine. The noble French bubbles, with their elegant perlage and delicate aromas, contrasted with the bold, rustic reds of Lambrusco.
Post-war, late 1950s, with Europe and Italy still under reconstruction. Those deep red wines from Emilia, with their purplish foam, were often one of the rare pleasures of the day for working men in the fields. Wines with substance, able to cut through the richness of hearty, greasy meals created to fuel farmers for the long day ahead. Champagne was not even a dream—it was too much. Something for the wealthy and glamorous women, not for ordinary people, not even on special occasions. At best, a sparkling wine for New Year’s Eve.
Oreste Lini’s Sundays in early 20th-century Correggio always looked the same: wine research and experimentation in his cellar. A mission to bring the méthode traditionnelle to Italy, to Emilia. Decades of trials. Continued by his children with the same passion as their grandfather. A dream that began to take shape in the 1950s, after years of study, travel, and collaboration with prestigious Champagne houses in France. Pinot Noir selected from its Italian cradle of excellence, Oltrepò Pavese. Powerful, dominant grapes—not easily tamed by the demanding method that is classic fermentation, especially in its Emilian interpretation. A true artisanal winemaking lab, open to experts far beyond the Alps.
The 1970s and 80s marked a period of upward mobility in Italy, when sparkling wine became a symbol of prosperity and success. Spumante and Prosecco ruled the tables, with Champagne standing three steps above—reserved for the lucky few. *Wine Spectator*, the global wine authority, recently ranked the Lini winery among Italy’s top 100, thanks to one of its flagship wines: the Metodo Classico Rosso Millesimato 2004, made from Lambrusco Salamino grapes. Twenty-five hectares in the heart of the Reggio Emilia plains, trusted suppliers from the Oltrepò Pavese, and a strong artisanal approach have built a versatile cellar—from Charmat to Metodo Classico, vintage Lambruscos, Cuvées, and Blanc de Noirs made with Pinot Noir.
The U.S.—a land of meritocracy, where you’re only someone if the market says you’re “cool.” Lini 910’s beautifully designed bottles are often easier to spot on display in New York’s top wine bars than in those across Italy. “Emilian Champagne,” beloved by international celebrities, a local pride that, as often happens with excellence, receives little attention at home. Sundays filled with passion, sacrifice, and countless French oenology books read by Mr. Oreste—all captured in one number. But it’s more than just a number: 910.