Giamberlano’s panettone, in Lucca for the first time

At our wine shop in Lucca, alongside Calciano panettone, we also have panettone from Giamberlano, the bakery in Pavullo nel Frignano, in the province of Modena. It costs €39 and, as far as we know, this is the first time this panettone has been available in Lucca. It is the panettone we chose as the best: here, we tell you who makes it, how it is made, how to choose between the panettoni at our wine shop, and which wine to serve with it.

Pasticceria Giamberlano in Pavullo nel Frignano

Pavullo nel Frignano is the main town in the Frignano area, in the Modena Apennines, about 50 kilometers south of Modena. Pasticceria Giamberlano has been making sweets here since 1971, for more than fifty years.

The pastry chef is Valter Tagliazucchi. On the bakery’s website, he explains that the dough must be tended to as a farmer tends to his land: rising times must be respected, not rushed, because the work involves a living ingredient. At the heart of this process is the sourdough starter, which the bakery describes as something living, something it engages with every day.

How Giamberlano’s panettone is made

The bakery’s traditional panettone is called Spaziale. It is made with sourdough and a slow, natural rise. LThe dough is soft and rich in butter. Inside are large Chilean raisins, red apricots from Romagna, and candied orange and lemon. Its aroma comes from Bourbon vanilla and a citrus paste made by the bakery.

In recent years, newspapers have written about it too. In December 2023, Linkiesta included Giamberlano’s panettone among the panettoni of the year to try, selected after many tastings, and praised its soft interior and crust, which keeps it fresh for a long time. In December 2024, Quotidiano.net wrote about Panettone Spaziale, created with Cantina della Volta, an Emilia-based winery: a limited edition made with sourdough and a long fermentation, scented with a traditional-method sparkling wine from the winery, made with Chardonnay and Pinot nero grapes.

Calciano or Giamberlano: which one to choose

At the wine shop, you'll find panettone from two bakeries, different in origin and price. Calciano comes from Tricarico, in Basilicata: it's made by the Calciano brothers with a sourdough starter that they've refreshed every day for over forty years. The 1 kg classic costs €29, the lowest price we found in Italy in our comparison in November; peach and apricot is also available for €32, and pear and chocolate for €36. Its story and the wines to serve with it are in the article on Calciano panettone in Lucca.

Giamberlano costs €39 and, in our opinion, is the best. Our advice for choosing is simple:

• for several gifts, or to have more flavors on the table, choose Calciano;
• for an important gift, or for the panettone served at Christmas lunch, choose Giamberlano;
• For the curious, try both: side by side at the table, it's easy to tell which one you prefer.

Both can be bought at a wine shop.

How to store and serve it

While still sealed, the panettone should be kept in a cool, dry place away from sunlight, as the bakery recommends. Cold is not good for it: do not refrigerate it. Before serving, remove all the paper, including the piece attached to the bottom, because any bits of paper left behind will ruin the slice. Then serve it warm or lukewarm.

Those who want a richer dessert can add a cream. Mascarpone cream is the classic choice; an alternative is a spiced cream with cinnamon, vanilla, or ginger, placed in the center of the plate with the slices around it. For cutting, follow the advice we collected for Calciano: use a bread knife and cut the panettone in front of your guests.

The wine: a sweet Mosel Riesling

With Giamberlano, a sweet wine is a must too. This time we recommend a German Riesling: the Riesling Kabinett Bernkasteler Badstube 2011 by Joh. Jos. Prüm, in the €60 to €150 price range.

Joh. Jos. Prüm is a family winery in Wehlen, on the Moselle, founded in 1911 by Johann Josef Prüm. It grows only Riesling, on slate soils, in vineyards such as Wehlener Sonnenuhr and Bernkasteler Badstube. Sonnenuhr means sundial in German: the one that gives the vineyard its name was built by Jodocus Prüm in 1842, and is now featured on every label from the winery. Prüm is best known for its sweet Riesling wines, which can age for a long time.

Kabinett is the first level of German Prädikat wines: fine, light wines made from ripe grapes, with low alcohol. A sweet, light Riesling pairs well with a buttery panettone at the end of a festive meal. You can find more bottles from Germany in the Riesling from Germany collection; other sweet wines at different price points are featured in the article about Calciano.

A Christmas gift

Giamberlano panettone also makes a lovely gift. You can pair it with a bottle, for example one of our gift ideas from 30 to 60 euros: we’ll prepare the wine gift wrapping for you. You can find more suggestions in our guide to Christmas gifts in Lucca.

Where to find it in Lucca

Giamberlano panettone is available at the wine shop at Via Borgo Giannotti 305 in Lucca. We are open Tuesday to Saturday, from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., with no break; we are closed on Mondays and Sundays. In December, we are also closed on the 8th and from the 24th to the 26th; on the 31st, we are open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Directions are on the Where We Are page.

You can also order the bottles on the website, with free pickup at the wine shop or free delivery within 25 km of Lucca, even for a single bottle. All our holiday gift ideas are on the Christmas Gifts page.