This week’s indigenous variety is Lambrusco Grasparossa. It hails from the areas around Modena and Reggio Emilia in the province of Emilia Romagna. It is considered to be a tad less refined than last week’s variety – Lambrusco di Sorbara. It makes wines in the frizzante and amabile styles which people usually drink young and fresh. Grasparossa refers to the ruby red color of the stems. One of the most widely sold Lambruscos in the US is from Cleto Chiarli. That winery, founded in 1860, makes a Lambrusco from Grasparossa del Castelvetro as well. I could use a glass of Lambrusco today. I admit, I feel that way many days as I am a big fan. Today however, I particularly need one post-election. When I lived in Bologna in the 1990s, Silvio Berlusconi “e sceso in campo” as he used to say or came into the field. Living in Bologna was amazing, he was horrible. It made me stop reading the newspapers, one of my greatest pleasures in life. He wreaked havoc on the Italian economic and social fabric for 20 years. Americans will have the opportunity to see our own version of Berlusconi in power. Hopefully his reign will be much shorter and less damaging but I fear for what havoc he can do to our democracy even in a short time. He has already frayed it as we have seen in the past 18 months. There is an Italian publisher that no one will mention in print or by name. He has a nickname that people use when mentioning him. They say if you mention his name you will bring bad luck upon yourself. Maybe that is the same with our version of Berlusconi. I think I won’t mention his name but rather allude to him only in the future. Bring on the Lambrusco please….