South of Corsica and west of Italy, Sardinia stands prominently in the heart of the Mediterranean. In recent years, its winemakers have been focusing on quality work. Between Vermentino and Cannonau (also known as Grenache) and indigenous grape varieties, let's dive into this charming island.
Sardinia, with its 2,000 kilometers of brilliant blue coastline, has been producing wine since the Bronze Age (3,500 BC). Franco Fronteddu from the Laore agency explains: “Until 1883, just before the phylloxera outbreak, vineyards covered more than 70,000 hectares”. Today, 413 wine establishments, including 67 cooperative wineries, cultivate nearly 27,579 hectares of vines. The average annual production is 500,000 hectoliters of wine, with 52% in white and 48% in red.
After a period of mass production in red wines, Sardinian winemakers are now focusing on producing high-quality wines, with 76% of them being AOP (Appellation d'Origine Protégée). Specifically, there is 1 DOCG (Appellation d'origine contrôlée et garantie), 17 DOC (Appellation d'origine contrôlée), and 15 IGT (Indication Géographique Protégée). These quality labels are often linked to specific grape varieties, such as the DOCG Vermentino di Gallura or the DOC Vermentino di Sardegna for whites, and the DOC Cannonau di Sardegna for reds.
“Over 250 grape varieties are cultivated on the island”, says Lucas Mercenaro from the University of Sassari. Leading the podium is Cannonau, grown on 7,500 hectares. It originates from the old Spanish grape Garnacha, known as Grenache. For whites, Vermentino dominates with more than 5,000 hectares. In terms of tasting, consider the Mustazzo cuvee, 100% Cannonau (AOC Cannonau di Sardegna) from the Sella & Mosca estate, with its black fruit nose and tannic, juicy mouthfeel. The uniqueness of this estate lies in its 520 hectares of contiguous vineyards, making it one of the largest in Europe with this unique configuration of plots surrounding the estate.
In 100% Vermentino, the sparkling Akenta Sub (AOC Vermentino di Sardegna) from the Santa Maria La Palma cooperative winery is a sensory delight. This cantina, as Italians say, is one of the largest in Sardinia, with 300 cooperators producing 6 million bottles annually. This cuvee, made using the Charmat method, is aged underwater at about 40 meters for 8 to 10 months. The result is visually stunning with bottles covered in seashells. On the palate, this extra-dry sparkling wine is definitely pleasant with its airy, fresh mousse.
Among the indigenous varieties representing 23% of Sardinia's vineyards are Cagnulari, Semidano, Vernaccia, Barbera Sarda, and Tajanu, cultivated by the Li Duni estate, which is ungrafted, meaning it is not grafted onto rootstocks. The eponymous cuvee (IGP Isola dei Nuraghi) reveals a lovely peppery and salty nose, though the tannic mouthfeel is quite drying. Another example is the Tenute Delogu estate with their cuvee from the indigenous Cagnulari variety, featuring notes of cherry and tobacco (also IGP Isola dei Nuraghi).
Sardinia continues its focus on quality. With its rich array of grape varieties and the diverse styles of its wines, the Sardinians know they have a magnificent potential, whether in still or sparkling wines.
Anne Schoendoerffer
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