My article is reproduced from Year 5, Issue #27 of Spirito di Vino Asia...

Turriga is today an Italian icon thanks to Argiolas' vision, determination, and the valorisation of Sardinian patrimony.

If we must choose one characteristic that embodies Italian wines like no other is undoubtedly the bewildering diversity of its autochthonous grape varieties. Turriga, the iconic wine made by Argiolas, is perhaps one the best expression of this unique feature of the Italian wine reality.

At a vertical tasting going back to 1997 hosted by the Hong Kong Wine Society, participants discovered not only the tremendous quality potential of this legendary wine but also how beautifully the grapes of Sardinia can age.  The 12 wines tasted impressed most by how consistent their quality was throughout, especially since each vintage showed apparent stylistic differences.  This last discovery was another finding we did not expect and we removed from our minds the long-lasting belief that Italian vintages do not mark wines as much as they do in more northern wine regions of Europe. We learned this lesson with wines from a Mediterranean island even more surprising. Overall, the wines showed a delightful freshness of acidity with exquisite balance and proportion.  Each vintage intriguingly expressed a different personality and was equally enjoyed by all.

That such a high-quality wine exists today is a testament to the courage and determination of the Argiolas family, who in the 70s and 80s resisted the urge to uproot their old vineyards when the European community offered them incentives to do so.  But perhaps the roots of such beautiful wines are even older than this momentous period in the viticultural history of Sardinia.  In 1938, when Antonio Argiolas, the patriarch of the family who passed away at the age of 102 years old a few years ago, took over his father's farm, he set out to bring significant changes in how he grew the vineyards.  Independent and autonomous to his last days, Antonio Argiolas had a vision marrying modernism and dynamism with profound respect to the region's viticultural patrimony, which helped transform an area of Sardinia that was low in reputation into a promising future.

Until the 1980s, the family focused on the production of bulk wines.  But when Antonio's two sons, Franco and Giuseppe, took the helm of the winery, they decided to be faithful to their roots, keep each of their native grapevines and varieties, and create their labels to produce wines that would eventually sit alongside the best in Italy.  In 1988, they were ready to focus their efforts on creating a wine of importance.  From the outset at the creation of Turriga, it was decided that it would be a wine with long ageing potential and one that would become an Italian icon and help valorise the indigenous grape varieties of their vineyards.  They sought advice in the person of Giacomo Tachis, a giant of Italian winemaking. The latter himself had been responsible for some of the most iconic wines of Italy, such as Sassicaia, Tignanello, and San Leonardo, among other icons.  Tachis, a student of Bordeaux Professor Emile Peynaud, believed in carefully controlling every step, not using white grapes in making red wine blends, and using small wooden casks and oak barrels to mature wines.  This philosophy suited the Argiolas family perfectly as they wanted Turriga to be a wine of power and finesse.  Working alongside the family's head winemaker Mariano Murru, Tachis sought to create a blend that would represent the patrimony using Cannonau for structure and personality, Carignano for body and roundness, Malvasia Nera for ageing potential and Bovale Sardo for fruitiness. 

Turriga comes from the single vineyard of Selegas, a sub-zone of the area where the family has its roots for several generations a few kilometres from Cagliari, the capital of Sardinia, in the Southern part of the island. Here, the altitude is only 230 meters, and the vineyard receives constant winds from the nearby Mediterranean sea. Planted with a mixture of Guyot and the traditional "Alberello" training systems, the vines in the 15 hectares vineyard (out of the 200 the family owns today) have an average age of 26 years.

The wine's name is intriguing and comes from the site where the oldest Cannonau grapes grow.  It is also the name of a prehistoric sculpture found in the vineyard, dating back 5000 years.  Its image on the label represents a woman, “Turriga de Selegas” (the goddess of Turriga), who would have played a significant role in the history of Sardinia.

Exquisite dinner at Giando Restaurant on Star Street in Wanchai followed our tasting.  Each dish was carefully paired with the wines with traditional recipes and ingredients of Sardinia. Starting with the lovely Is Argiolas, made with 100% Vermentino, the light citrus peel and blossom aromas complemented splendidly the red prawns and its lively acidity lifted the fattiness of the Burrata cheese of our 1st dish. The second dish of homemade Sardinian pasta with sausage and saffron ragout paired with a magnum of Turriga 2012 was an absolute delight.  Here the wine was vibrant and not so happy to have been opened so young.  Yet, it was tasty with our dish, which raised many compliments from the participants overall.  A bottle of Turriga 1997 was served with a braised rump of lamb served with potato purée and rosemary sauce, enchanting and increasing the room's energy to create an electric atmosphere.  The wine showed so much better with the food than during our tasting.  The meal was concluded with a selection of Sardinian biscuits to accompany the Angialis, a little beauty of a wine made with the rare late-harvested Nasco grapes together with a touch of Malvasia di Cagliari (5%), displaying a fascinating bouquet of citrus peel, marmalade, nuts, and spices with a vibrant acidity that left everyone asking for more!

A retrospective tasting spanning 12 vintages

Tastings hosted by the Hong Kong Wine Society are always fascinating occasions for the neophyte and the experienced alike. They are not only an incredibly insightful affair but can help each participant expand their knowledge in sometimes surprising ways. We usually tasted the wines in silence before dinner to establish our scores. We then discussed them in turn, and an appointed officer announced the group score for each wine. Tasters found that it was not easy to rank as the quality was thought to be consistent throughout each vintage even as they interestingly expressed very different personalities reflecting in their ways the characteristics of their respective vintages. This last discovery was another finding we did not expect and we removed from our minds the long-lasting belief that Italian vintages do not mark wines as much as they do in northern Europe. Below are my scores and tasting notes and the group ranking bracket.

Tasting Notes

1997 – 92 – Showing integrated evolution with dried cherries, leather, coffee and chocolate.  Long spicy finish with liquorice. This bottle is at its peak. (GR#10)

1998 – 94 – My favourite of the flight for its readiness. Fresher than ’97 with dried berries, chocolate and plums. Velvety with density and firmness.  Long. With potential ageing remaining. (GR#2)

2000 – 91 – Rapid evolution with ripe red fruits, earthiness, tobacco, and leather. Firm but less dense than ’98.  Long to drink now. (GR#3)

2001 – 91 – Less elegant versus others, however good with dried cherries, chocolate and coffee. Velvety and caressing but lacks acidity. Drink. (GR#8)

2003 – 92 – Fresher and lighter vs others with stewed berries, tobacco and herbs. Firmness and some density suggest ageing potential. Long. (GR#5)

2004 – 94 – Elegant and complex with red and black berries, herbs and exotic spices. Velvety and dense with a long spicy finish.  The most controversial among the group. (GR#6)

2005 – 93 – The group's favourite with red cherries, herbs, chocolate, and a touch of resin. Lovely balance with fresh acidity and is still firm. Long, intense finish. A keeper. (GR#1)

2006 – 91 – The most delicate versus the others with tender red berries, perfumed yet peppery. Density and freshness give it an ethereal quality. Long. (GR#8)

2007 – 93 – Close at first, eventually as ’05. Elegant and well-defined. Red fruits, leather and herbs. Fluid with firmness.  Long, intense finish. Less ageing potential. (GR#3)

2008 – 95 – My favourite in terms of ageing potential. Complex and fruit-driven with dark forest berries, exotic spices, and leather. Balanced, silky and dense, with tension. Long, intense finish. (GR#7)

2009 – 92 – Delicate but seemingly early evolution.  Perhaps the bottle. Red fruits, herbs and coffee.  Silky, tense and fluid. Long finish. (GR#12)

2010 – 93 – Deep and concentrated nose with black forest berries.  Dense and velvety palate with lovely balance.  Long spicy finish with firmness.  Long ageing ability. (GR#11)