When we think of Sardinia we usually dream of those great mountainous interiors and sharp sapphire blue seawater. It may be a gourmet’s paradise given the exceptional quality of its seafood, cheeses and meats. When we come to its wines, we should not be disappointed either.
Cannonau di Sardegna DOC ‘Tonaghe’ (Alcohol Content: 13% – 13.5%)
When you require a strong and bold wine then you need the wines of the Cannonau (actually Grenache) grape to give you sufficient punch. This particular Sardinian grape creates vibrant dark mahogany red to tourmaline red vibrancy in the glass. Aging merely reinforces the colouring as the red anthocyanins polymerise (apologies for going a bit techie here). The flavour has been described by many as fruity, Victoria plumminess with raw blackberries and a finish which is warming a few moments into its tasting. It might be thought of as possessing a distinct unique nose and this holds its own with cheeses like Pecorino, also a Sardinian speciality or even Caza Marzu if you can find this maggoty product. I like it with chilli cheese although any spicy cheese fits the bill ! We’ve tried it with pastas and red sauce, grilled or fried meats especially deer and grouse but also barbecued food where it seems to hold its own. I think it works well with certain sausages like salami.
Wines produced on the western side of the island are quite full bodied with a strong aftertaste or finish. This particular wine is fermented in oak barrels for up to 15 days with the crushed skins to allow both colour and flavour to develop. Always served at room temperature (15 – 18 °C) but there is actually no issue with it being offered at 25°C. The wine has a drinking age of between 3 and 6 years.
A notable producer based at Cabras on the stunning Sinis peninsula and near the old Roman town of Tharros near Oristano which is on the mid-Western side of the island is The Contini Farm (Azienda Vinicola Attilio Contini). This family run concern produces these fine kegged wines. The original founder was Salvatore Contini in 1898 but it’s his son who developed the wines we see today. Two generations on, the family has created this exceptional business. It is now one of the oldest wine producers with a long pedigree and high ranking. The vineyards of the Conti family as we mentioned before are situated in Sines, Oliena and Ogliastra. They also produce distinctive wines known as vernaccia and nieddera.
The grapes such as Cannonau which is their name for the variety Grenache benefit from the salty windy weather that hits the coast at less inclement times. The grape is thought to have been brought by the Aragonese who took over the island in the 1400s. The grape variety was known of in Aragon at the time but has developed over the years. In Spain it is known as the Canonera variety.
Cantina Mesa Meno Buio Carignano del Sulcis (Alcohol content- 13.5%)
On the south-western tip of Sardinia in the Sulcis Iglesiente region is a 70 hectare estate that created the brand Cantina Mesa which produces Buio. This wine is carnelian red and full of red fruit flavour with herbal aroma notes. The climate is distinctively Mediterranean for the grape which is Carignano or Carignan.
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Sardinian Dessert Wines
Dessert wines abound in the Sardinian canon of white and red types. If you are lucky enough to be out there hunt down the Moscato di Sardegna which is made with Muscat grapes and must be bottles at three years of age. There is a cloying sweetness balanced out by some acidity. Its alcoholic content is 15 degrees. The others to be looked for are a Cagliari Muscat and the Tempio Pausania Muscat. The Alghero region produces two dessert wines made with semi-dried grapes – Torbato and one that drinks like port called Anghelu Roju which are both produced using the Cannonnau grape. Bosa and Cagliari Malvasia wines are similar to those produced using the Vernaccia grape.
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