Sardinian Wine Stories

  • Tasting Note: Deminera 2021 – Sa Defenza – Vino Rosso

    This tasting note is dedicated to Deminera, a distinctive red wine produced by Sa Defenza, one of the pioneers of Sardinia’s emerging low-intervention wine movement. Deminera is an artisanal red wine made almost entirely from Cannonau, interpreted here through a decidedly natural lens. Its name means “from the mine” in Sardinian, a tribute to the…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Deminera 2021 – Sa Defenza – Vino Rosso

  • Tasting Note: Zojòsu 2022 – Tenuta Masone Mannu – Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

    This tasting note is dedicated to Zojòsu, a varietal red wine made from Cannonau (Grenache) by Tenuta Masone Mannu, a renowned estate based in Monti, in the inland heart of the Gallura region (north-east Sardinia). While both the area and the estate are particularly well known for the production of crisp and mineral Vermentino di…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Zojòsu 2022 – Tenuta Masone Mannu – Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

  • Tasting Note: Ottomarzo 2016 – Tenute Dettori – Romangia Rosso IGT

    This tasting note is dedicated to Ottomarzo, a truly distinctive red wine and one of the very few examples of a varietal Pascale wine. Pascale is a Sardinian black grape variety that has traditionally been used in blends, very rarely bottled on its own, most likely because of its challenging viticultural and enological profile. When…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Ottomarzo 2016 – Tenute Dettori – Romangia Rosso IGT

  • Vermentino: the Sardinian White Bewitching the World

    Vermentino is Sardinia’s leading white grape variety — and one of the most talked-about Mediterranean grapes today. Plantings keep rising, not only on the island but across the globe, and its name is increasingly replacing long-standing synonyms like Rolle in Provence. Versatile, expressive, and unmistakably Mediterranean, Vermentino offers an impressive range of styles depending on…

    Read more: Vermentino: the Sardinian White Bewitching the World

  • Tasting Note: Su’nico 2022 – Cantina Su’entu – Marmilla Bovale IGT

    This tasting note is dedicated to Su’Nico, a varietal Bovale produced by the innovative Cantina Su’Entu. Bovale is another hidden gem among Sardinia’s native grape varieties — capable of yielding tannic, structured, full-bodied wines of great elegance, aromatic intensity, and personality. While Bovale’s historic heartland is northern Campidano (centre-western Sardinia), Su’Nico comes from the slightly…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Su’nico 2022 – Cantina Su’entu – Marmilla Bovale IGT

  • Cannonau or Garnacha: What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

    In a previous post, I introduced Cannonau, the most widely grown black grape variety in Sardinia — the cornerstone of the island’s red wines. I also explained that Cannonau is genetically identical to Grenache (France) or Garnacha (Spain), one of the world’s most abundantly planted high-quality grape varieties. A natural follow-up question then arises: where…

    Read more: Cannonau or Garnacha: What Came First, the Chicken or the Egg?

  • Tasting Note: Tiu Paolo 2019 – Cantina Depperu – Colli del Limbara IGT Nebbiolo

    This tasting note concerns a rather unusual Sardinian red wine: a varietal Nebbiolo, the world-famous Piedmontese grape behind Barolo and Barbaresco, two of Italy’s most iconic wines. Tiu Paolo is produced by Cantina Depperu under the IGT Colli del Limbara designation. This inland area of Gallura, in north-eastern Sardinia, is better known for its stunning…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Tiu Paolo 2019 – Cantina Depperu – Colli del Limbara IGT Nebbiolo

  • Sardinian Wine in Numbers: A Closer Look at the Main Varieties

    In a previous post, I provided an overview of Sardinia’s wine production in terms of volumes and quality, offering some broader context within Italy and Europe. However, there is much more to say about Sardinia’s wines from a quantitative perspective — and as a numbers geek, I can’t resist delving deeper into the data. In…

    Read more: Sardinian Wine in Numbers: A Closer Look at the Main Varieties

  • Beyond Wine: Mirto – The Spirit of Sardinia

    A Broader Look at Sardinian Traditions. Although Wine of Sardinia is mainly devoted to wine in all its cultural and sensory richness, Sardinia’s drinking traditions extend far beyond the vineyard. The same deep connection between land, plants, and people that shapes the island’s wines can also be found in its liqueurs. Among them, none embodies…

    Read more: Beyond Wine: Mirto – The Spirit of Sardinia

  • Tasting Note Comparison: Two Expressions of Vernaccia di Oristano — Silvio Carta Riserva 2008 vs. Attilio Contini Flor 2007

    Two aged expressions of Sardinia’s iconic Vernaccia di Oristano — Silvio Carta’s rich, oxidative Riserva 2008 and Attilio Contini’s elegant, saline Flor 2007. With this post, I’d like to explore two remarkable expressions of Vernaccia di Oristano — a wine that embodies the depth and complexity of Sardinia’s winemaking heritage. Both wines come from iconic…

    Read more: Tasting Note Comparison: Two Expressions of Vernaccia di Oristano — Silvio Carta Riserva 2008 vs. Attilio Contini Flor 2007

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