Winemaker Notes
Hillside vineyards, owned by the producer, situated in the commune of Guamaggiore, near Selegas, 200 metres above sea level.
COMPOSITION OF THE SOIL
Good clay-chalk structure, on gently sloping hillsides, with excellent exposure to sun and wind. Annual rainfall not exceeding 550 mm.
VARIETIES OF GRAPE
90 Monica with a blend of Carignano and Bovale sardo; Yield: approximately 1.5 kg per vine-stock.
CLIMATE
Typically Mediterranean, with mild winters, low rainfall and veryhot summers with considerable wind.
HARVEST
Grapes are picked manually during the early morning hours by expert personnel who perform initial rigorous selection.
VINIFICATION TECHNIQUE
The long days of sunshine and soft winds for almost the full period of growth, development of colour, maturation and harvesting ensure that the grapes reach the winery in excellent condition, at full flavour and colour. Vinification takes place by means of normal pressing, cooling of the must to 27 - 28° C and a fermentation cycle of 8 -10 days, including maceration. Since the grapes are usually very rich in tannin andanthocyanin, remontage is limited. Malo-lactic fermentation occurs easily and is brief. Storage is at cool canteen temperature.
TASTING NOTE
Colour: medium intensity ruby red, typical of the traditional Monica grape. Bouquet: pronounced, intense, characteristic. Palate: medium bodied as a result of its low fixed acid content and its well polymerised noble tannins and natural richness. Aftertaste tending to sweet, which is typical of Monica grapes from tree-vines.
Professional Ratings
Beyond the usual suspects, there are hundreds of red grape varieties grown throughout the world. Some are indigenous specialties capable of producing excellent single varietal wines, while others are better suited for use as blending grapes. Each has its own distinct viticultural characteristics, as well as aroma and flavor profiles, offering much to be discovered by the curious wine lover. In particular, Portugal and Italy are known for having a multitude of unique varieties but they can really be found in any region.
Hailed for centuries as a Mediterranean vine-growing paradise, multiple cultures over many centuries have ruled the large island of Sardinia. Set in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea, the Phonoecians, Ancient Rome, and subsequently the Byzantines, Arabs and Catalans have all staked a claim on the island at some point in history. Along the way, these inhabitants transported many of their homeland’s prized vines and today Sardinia’s modern-day indigenous grape varieties claim multiple origins. Sardinia’s most important red grapes—namely Cannonau (a synonym for Grenache) and Carignan—are actually of Spanish origin.
Vermentino, a prolific Mediterranean variety, is the island’s star white. Vermentino has a stronghold the Languedoc region of France as well as Italy’s western and coastal regions, namely Liguria (where it is called Pigato), Piedmont (where it is called Favorita) and in Tuscany, where it goes by the name, Vermentino. The best Vermentino, in arguably all of the Mediterranean, grows in Sardinia's northeastern region of Gallura where its vines struggle to dig roots deep down into north-facing slopes of granitic soils. These Vermentino vines produce highly aromatic, full and concentrated whites of unparalleled balance.
Today aside from its dedication to viticulture, Sardinia remains committed to maintaining its natural farmlands, bucolic plains of grazing sheep and perhaps most of all, its sandy, sunny, Mediterranean beaches.