Winemaker Notes
Samas is named after the Punic God of the Sun. Vermentino and Chardonnay grapes grown in sandy soil are hand harvested at dawn to maintain characteristic varietal notes and freshness. Cryomaceration techniques prevent oxidation, resulting in a bright, vibrant wine. With prolonged fermentation using selected yeasts at controlled temperatures (60° Fahrenheit), the wine remains on the less for approximately 40 days. Vinified separately, the varieties rest in small concrete vats for 3 months once blended. To retain maximum character and freshness, Samas is neither filtered nor clarified.
Vivid yellow straw colour with soft, green hints. On the nose there are tropical fruit and citrus notes. On the palate the wine is silky and well balanced by a moderate alcohol content, good minerality and freshness. Pairs well with pasta dished and shellfish.
Blend: 80% Vermentino, 20% Chardonnay
Critical Acclaim
All Vintages
An undertaking between world renowned names in the winemaking business, Agricola Punica is a joint venture between Dr. Sebastiano Rosa, Sardinian winery Cantina Sociale di Santadi, Tenuta San Guido, Santadi President Antonello Pilloni and legendary Tuscan consulting oenologist Giacomo Tachis. Sebastiano Rosa, oenologist and winemaker at Tenuta San Guido since 2000 and Santadi, the highly respected Sardinian cooperative, represent the majority ownership, with forty percent each. Tenuta San Guido, under the direction of Marchese Nicoló Incisa della Rocchetta, holds ten percent, with Giacomo Tachis and Santadi president Antonello Pilloni equally sharing the remaining ten percent. The ties among these entities are many. In collaboration with Mario Incisa della Rocchetta and his son Nicoló, Tachis was instrumental in the development of Sassicaia, the ground-breaking “Super Tuscan” wine produced at Tenuta San Guido since the 1960s. He continues to act as consultant with oenologist Sebastiano Rosa, Nicoló Incisa’s stepson, and will serve as the technical director for Agricola Punica.
Sardinia is an extraordinary land with thousands of years of unique history dating as far back as 6000 B.C. To look at much of the island today, particularly the Barbagia region in the island’s mountainous middle, one might feel as though one has stepped back in time. From the dusty roads to the tiny towns miles apart from one another to the 7,000 prehistoric stone towers known as Nuraghi (that date back 3,500 years) scattered all over the island, much of Sardinia remains “untouched”.
From the first time Tachis visited the island, he was convinced of Sardinia’s outstanding winemaking potential. In the mid 1980s, he began to consult for the Sardinian regional wine consortium and eventually, more specifically, for Cantina Sociale di Santadi. It was during this time he first began thinking about a joint venture. Dr. Rosa recounts, “It was Giacomo Tachis who turned us on to Sardinia and Carignano. He convinced us that we could make a great Carignano-based wine. We bought the estate in 2002 because we knew what the region is capable of. In fact, we’ve released our first vintage and we all agree, it’s going to be an amazing wine.”