Ashley Graham launches Lucci Lambrusco

Model Ashley Graham has released a “modern” expression of the sparkling red, saying she wants to share the classic Italian wine “with a new generation.”

Ashley Graham and her husband Danny Epstien have created a “modern and accessible” new Lambrusco brand by the name of Lucci.

Graham, who has walked the catwalk for designers including Dolce & Gabbana, Tommy Hilfiger and Michael Kors, and fronted the covers of Vogue and Sports Illustrated magazines, said that Lambrusco has been her “go-to wine for years.”

“To know me is to know I love Lambrusco,” the model said. “But over time, I realised the dry, fruit-forward style I discovered in Italy wasn’t readily available in the US. I wanted to share that experience in a way that felt modern, accessible, and true to its roots. That idea became Lucci.”

Lambrusco renaissance

Produced by a fifth generation winemaker in Emilia-Romagna, Lucci offers “a bright, bubbly profile with notes of red and dark berries, and a crisp, refreshing finish”, according to Graham.

Co-founder Epstien also noted that their product fills a gap in the market.

“Sparkling wine continues to grow while the rest of the industry has struggled, so it was time Lambrusco joined the party,” he said. “We are seeing younger consumers migrate to wine in search of fresher, lower-ABV products, which has been reflected in the rise of Prosecco in recent years. Lucci offers a fun, refreshing alternative that aligns with how people are drinking today.”

As db reported, Lambrusco wines have been undergoing an exciting renaissance in Emilia-Romagna, with a slew of maverick producers rewriting the story of the fizz. By far the majority of Lambrusco is made by the Charmat method or, as the Italians say, the Martinotti method, and is brut (less than 12 grams per litre of residual sugar). There is not one single Lambrusco grape variety, but a family of 12 native varieties producing diverse expressions of rosé and red, all sparkling and increasingly dry.

“We are aiming to produce a more contemporary style of Lambrusco, taking residual sugar off the chart and offering crunchier style wines,” said Daniele Artioli, winemaker at Emilia-Romagna cooperative Cantina di Carpi e Sorbara. “Of course we still produce some sweeter style Lambrusco for those markets with a sweeter tooth, but here in Modena and Italy people drink only the dry versions”.

Ashley Graham’s Lucci Lambrusco is 11% ABV and priced at US$19.99 per bottle. The wine is available now across major retailers including BevMo, Total Wine and More, Binny’s Beverage Depot, and Wine.com, as well as select restaurants and bars.

Related news

ZONIN1821 shows where Italy is leading in winemaking innovation

Zonin1821 to showcase Italy’s ageing potential at London tasting

Italy's biggest online wine retailer fined for falsely claiming products were discounted