The land

Sardinia sits in the western Mediterranean, about 100 miles west of mainland Italy and 200 miles south of Corsica. The island is geologically diverse — granite mountains in the east, limestone hills in the central plateau, schist along the coast, and volcanic zones in the southwest. The climate is warm Mediterranean, with strong maritime influence. The wine-growing tradition is ancient — Phoenician and Carthaginian winemaking on the island predates Roman times — and the indigenous grape varieties are some of the most distinctive in southern Europe.

The grapes and appellations

Cannonau (Grenache) is the dominant red grape. Carignano (Carignan) — particularly Carignano del Sulcis from the southwest, often from very old ungrafted bush vines on sandy soils — is one of Sardinia’s specialties. Vermentino di Sardegna DOC and Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (Sardinia’s only DOCG) are the principal whites. Vernaccia di Oristano DOC produces a unique flor-aged white in the Sherry tradition. Cagnulari is a small but interesting red variety in the northwest. Nuragus is the historical white workhorse.

Style of the wines

Cannonau from Sardinian old-vine sites shows red fruit, dried herbs, garrigue, leather, and a distinctive mineral spine from the granite and schist soils — comparable in character to top Provençal Mourvèdre or Châteauneuf-du-Pape Grenache. Carignano del Sulcis is darker, deeper, more structured. Vermentino di Gallura shows lemon, white flower, almond, salt — one of the great seafood whites in Italy. Vernaccia di Oristano (flor-aged, oxidative) is one of the most unusual wines in Italy and rewards seeking out.

Producers we know

Agricola Punica (Tenuta di Argiolas — Barrua and Montessu are the references), Cantina Santadi (especially Terre Brune Carignano), Argiolas, Capichera (the great Vermentino producer), Sella & Mosca, Pala, Vinicola Contini (Vernaccia di Oristano).