Alanna LaGamba seems to be constantly in motion. It’s no secret that many small-scale winemakers are not only farmers, but frequently turn their hand to bookkeeping, marketing, pallet-packing, the art of vinification itself and the flurry of wine fairs. It’s a skill in itself to reach simultaneously in so many directions, yet somehow Alanna finds the time for interviews, export logistics, and marathons. Alanna was on the road, homeward-bound from France, when she called Marto, her partner in life and wine. It was April, and temperatures had dropped to a worrying extreme, bringing the threat of a late frost to the vineyards. By the following morning, the young shoots on the vines were silver in the cold. The yield was decreased, but not the amount of work required over the following months; the stunted vines still needed to be sprayed and the small quantity of fruit carefully picked. At harvest, it became clear that Alanna and Marto had lost 50% of their grapes, and little wine would be made. Since her first steps into winemaking, Alanna has been creative and, although she and Marto make many decisions together, she carries a firm independence. Initially she had her sights set on Pinot Noir, but with these grapes already allocated to Marto’s wines, she began working with Dornfelder. In 2019, Fraunpower was born, a German take on Lambrusco inspired by Alanna’s Italian heritage and love of bubbles. Since then, she’s rolled out a series of sparkling wines, working with different grapes from the range of varieties across their 10 hectares, and creating different blends year to year as her style evolves.
With fewer grapes than usual, Alanna focussed on a single, new wine, in the place of the previous rosé and red. Pinot Noir, Dornfelder, Müller Thurgau, and Riesling were harvested, vinified, and aged separately in an assortment of barrels before blending into a brand new sparkling: Frauenpower Fusion. A juicy, fruity rosé with strawberry undertones, chill it down and drink with your next Sunday brunch.