Sardinia, Italy's Best Kept Secret?
In this post, I publish my notes of a Webinar I presented to the members of the Wine Scholar Guild on Sardinia on 20 April 2022. You can join their membership here.
It was a fantastic opportunity to share my discoveries on a fascinating territory—a place with a rich history and culture, another world altogether.
The ancient Greeks and Phoenicians extensively colonised vast areas of Europe, along the Mediterranean and the Black Sea coasts.
Any study of anything related to Italy must begin with history…
Sardinia is surprising because it was populated during prehistory, as far back as the Paleolithic (the stone age). We know grapes were abundant on the island from the discovery of grape pips dating back to 3,000 BC. The Nuragic civilisation or culture lasted from the 18th century BC (bronze age) to the Roman colonisation in 238 BC. But it is the 8th century BC that is of particular interest to us – a century critical in the history of the Mediterranean basin:
- Around that time, Rome + Carthage was founded.
- The Greeks began to colonise the “Magna Grecia” – the greater Greece.
- And the Phoenicians established trading bases in Sardinia at Tharros (near Oristano) and Nora (near Cagliari).
The Phoenicians profoundly influenced Sardinia – not so much for winemaking but wine consumption.
In fact, by the time the Romans invaded in the 3rd century, there was little viticulture on the island, as noted by Pliny the Elder.
Eleonor of Arborea was one of the most powerful and important, and one of the last, judges of the Judicate of Arborea in Sardinia and Sardinia's most famous heroine.
We must wait until the 6th century of our era before we start to see viticulture of note.
Byzantine monks not only planted and managed vineyards but also introduced wide new varieties to the area.
The island came to be managed under a clever administrative system called the judex provincial, which consolidated and increased viticulture and incentivised the commerce of wine.
In 1297, the island entered the Aragonese sphere, which positively influenced wine production in Sardinia, especially with the publication of the Carta de Logu by Eleonor of Arborea in 1392.
This document was a sort of constitution. A work of great importance in Sardinian history. It established obvious codes, laws, and rules for the island's agriculture.
In the 16th century, Sardinian became a Spanish province, and agriculture suffered a significant decline.
Andrea Bacci's seminal De naturali vinorum historia (On the Natural History of Wines, 1595)
In fact, in the seminal work of Andrea Pucci, a fantastic book on wine published in 1596, he mentions that Sardinia was an island with very little wine of note, with the focus of its inhabitant on the exploitation of its forest for the naval industry.
The positive element of the Spanish period in the 16th and 17th centuries was the introduction of several varieties from Spain, particularly the Monica, Cannonau and Girò. As well, the Spanish introduced the fortification methods of production.
In total, the kingdom of Sardinia was under the aragonite-Spanish influence for 400 years, during which it adopted many traditions, customs, and linguistic expressions.
During the Savoyard era, Sardinia experienced a renaissance in viticulture and wine production. Mainly thanks to the efforts of marchese rivals, who reintroduced the Carta de Logu and made viticulture obligatory in the best zones.
The oidium and phylloxera crisis almost destroyed, and the war nearly killed winemaking on the island entirely.
But in the decades since the 1950s, Sardinia's wine industry came of age, modernised and increasingly reached international recognition.
Sardegna is a fascinating territory.
2nd most significant island in the Mediterranean Sea
180 kilometres from Italy
14% mountains
68% hills
The average altitude of 33 meters – its highest peak, Punta la Marmora, is 1834 meters.
The island boasts one of the oldest geoformations in Europe, dating back 500 million years, with highly complex soils ranging from granite, schists, basalt, sandstone and dolomite.
It has 40,000 hectares of vines, of which only 8.3 thousand are DOC or DOCG – 55% red.
Sardinia has one DOCG and 17 DOC zones.
In this presentation, we will discover 6 of them.
Why those? Because we had to make a choice and because we can learn something fascinating from them.
Vermentino di Gallura is Sardinia's only DOCG area.
Here the style is that s a very versatile wine: a delightful proportion of vivacity and density + fresh with a semi-aromatic nose, and always sapid on the finish—a lip-smacking wine in the true sense of the word.
The wines can be made in many typologies; each must contain a minimum of 95% Vermentino. We can find the dry, Superiore, frizzante, spumante (either from tank or traditional method), Passito and Vendemmia Tardiva
Gallura is where its natural home is; here is why.
The grape is very particular; it needs:
- Impoverished soils (granite in Gallura is best)
- Much sunshine
- Much heat
- An arid climate
- And craves maritime winds
Gallura is perfect because soils are impoverished, mainly granite, with constant winds from the sea.
The exciting part of the story is about the Vermentino. Every book I read states the hypothesis that it might come from Spain. The Vitis international variety catalogue confirms its origin in Italy. As per its DNA, it is the same grape as Favorita in Piedmont and Pigato in Liguria. In France, it is called Rolle and Malvoisie Gros Grains. As it is very little or none in Spain, and its best expression anywhere is in Sardinia, it certainly makes sense that it would originate from the island.
Cannonau di Sardegna is another controversial variety (it is also the name of an Italian DOC).
As per Jancis Robinson & al book on grapes, it seems that, from historical records, it is impossible to tell where the grape is from. Some claims it comes from Sardegna, others from Spain. The now accepted conclusion that it is from Spain is because it is where we find the most significant clonal diversity, including grey and white coloured grapes. This is generally acknowledged as being its centre of origin.
But Ian d’Agata is adamant: although it is the same DNA as Garnacha, he states, “it certainly looks and behaves differently” than in Spain.
For sure, it finds a home in Sardegna because the grape loves:
- Granite and sandy soils (as those we see in Sardegna)
- A lot of heat and sunshine because it is a late ripening
- It has a very high drought resistance
In the Veneto, it is the same grape as Tai Rosso, in Tuscany it is called Alicante and in Umbria Gamay Perugino.
In Sardegna, using a minimum of 85%, can be made dry, Rosato, Riserva, passito and Liquoroso. There is a “Classico” zone in the provinces of Nuoro and Ogliastra.
The style of the Rosso is delightfully fruity with ripe red fruits, violets, and spices. Here the tannins are smooth and the wine, notwithstanding the heat and the sunshine, is relatively well structured and holding itself well. A very sapid finish. An island wine.
Carignano del Sulcis is a surprising wine, something I did not expect.
The style is velvety, smooth, softly tannic and mouth-filling with a beautiful red fruit character with notes of rose and lavender. Here the wine works very well with a touch of new oak.
Although some hypothesis points out that it was brought to Sardinia by the Phoenicians, the winning theory is that it is from Aragon via France and Corsica. The variety is the same as Carignan in France, Carinena and Mazuelo in Spain. Italy is also known under the synonyms Nerello Cappuccio and Bovale Grande, but on this last one, Ian d’Agata is not convinced.
For sure, it does very well in Sardinia because:
- It needs a lot of heat and dry temperature.
- It performs at its best in extreme conditions such as those in Sulcis, where many are planted on their rootstocks thanks to very sandy and volcanic soils.
There is a very high-quality potential from this doc where the wine is made with a minimum of 85% Carignano in Rosso, Riserva, Superiore, Rosato, Novello and passito
I tried 4-5 different red wines from Sardinia, and this appellation is the one that surprised me the most.
Here is another delightful surprise!
The Vernaccia di Oristano is also called “Vino Sardo”, and it is a symbol of Sardinia.
The wine has a style reminiscent of Spain’s Amontillado but without fortification. Yellow amber in colour, the aromas are automatically distinctive of the flora that grows on the surface of the wine during its minimum of 24 months ageing in wooden casks – it can age up to 10 years. The wine is bone dry and smooth with lovely dried apricot, aromatic herbs, and roasted hazelnuts.
The critical point about the appellation is that the oak or chestnut barrels are filled up to 80% to expose the wine to oxygen and let the flor grow on the surface.
The appellation allows for a light wine (even though it is 15% due to evaporation during maturation), a Superiore, and Liquoroso (fortified at 16.5%). After ten years in casks, it can reach 20% in alcohol.
The Vernaccia di Oristano is historical to Sardinia, with its 1st mention in the 13th century. More recently, researchers have found, in Cabras, pips of the grape dating back to 1,200 years before Christ. There is a solid hypothesis that the Phoenicians introduced it via their trading port of Tharros across the bay from Oristano. It is not found anywhere else.
It is a distinct grape from Vernaccia di San Gimignano.
Here is another of Sardinia's little treasures: Malvasia di Bosa.
This is a wine praised by poets and considered noble by the population of Sardinia due to its very close link with its ancient history. Researchers found pips dating back to the 1st century before Christ, and it is believed that the Phoenicians already highly valued the wine.
The style of most wine is Amabile (lightly sweet) or sweet with a beautiful golden colour displaying candied and dried white fruits and floral and spicy notes with a touch of roasted almond.
The requirement is for ageing a minimum of 24 months. A Riserva (if aged at least one year in wooden casks under flor), Spumante, and the Passito are the emblem of the region – a natural “meditation wine”.
The climate in Bosa is arid, but sea breezes constantly keep the acidity to make the wine fresh and well balanced.
The exciting part of the story here is the Malvasia. The appellation call for minimum 95% “Malvasia di Sardegna” which has in fact the same DNA as Malvasia di Lipari. However, Ian d’Agata believes it looks different and indeed behaves and tastes differently and concludes that Malvasia here is a biotype with its particular expression.
It is undoubtedly very ancient and not found anywhere else in this expression.
Of my research on Sardinia, Nasco di Cagliari was the most delightful surprise. I could not get enough of it!
Somehow it reminded me of Viognier or Gewurztraminer but less exuberant in aromatics. Indeed, smooth and opulent in style with a deliciously, if only slightly, bitter finish. A wine I certainly appreciated with food.
It is not surprising. One of the oldest grapes in Sardinia, the ancients there called it “Nascus” from the Latin “muscus”, which means “musky”. The grape is mid in vigour and yield and ripens quickly while retaining its acidity. It is not surprising it does so well in Sardinia: it loves dry and poor soils and needs much sunshine.
The appellation allows the dry style and liquorice and sweet styles, which various international organisations in 1889 recognised as among Italy's best white wines.
Well, that concludes our voyage. Too short, I know…
We have only skirted the subject. I did not have the chance to speak about other fascinating grape varieties we find on the island: Monica, Girò, Nuragus, Semidano and others…
Researching Sardegna for this presentation was a delight. An incredible discovery, and I am shocked that my interest in the region was only in passing.
It was so interesting that I convinced my wife to travel there for our summer holidays. I want to know more about what I think is another one of Italy's best-kept secrets!