WINE

Discover the typical grapes

For some years now, Sardinian wines have been gaining good recognition and appreciation both nationally and internationally. New wineries continue to emerge, immediately producing interesting wines capable of winning important awards at major wine events. This is a sign that there is a return to traditional vine cultivation and, above all, to the promotion of native grape varieties that had been abandoned due to the agricultural policies of the 1970s, which encouraged uprooting. Below is a list of the main grape varieties grown in Sardinia, considering that the most important in order of prevalence are the famous Cannonau, Nuragus, Monica, Vermentino, Carignano, Sangiovese, and Bovale.

Bovale
Red grape variety from which a wine is obtained that was once used only as a blend in the Campidano area. Today it is also vinified as a single varietal, reaching excellent quality levels, especially in the Terralba area. It has an intense ruby red color, fruity aromas with hints of ripe plum and wild berries. It has good structure, although it is mainly characterized by its rusticity. It pairs well with meat-based dishes.

Cannonau
It is certainly the most important red grape variety in Sardinia and one of the best known outside the island. It is grown throughout the territory, although it presents different characteristics depending on the area of origin. The wine obtained has a transparent, ruby color with violet reflections in its youth, intense and fruity aromas with hints of plums and blackberries. It pairs well with red meats and aged cheeses.

Carignano

It is a red grape variety, resistant to sea winds and grows well along the southwestern coasts of the island. The wine obtained from this grape has an intense ruby red color, a fruity, floral aroma with herbaceous notes that tend to evolve into spicy notes. It pairs excellently with roasted meats and aged cheeses.

Cagnulari
This red grape variety, present for centuries in Sardinia, is grown almost exclusively in the Sassari area. In the past, the wine obtained was often used to blend with other red wines that were less intense and full-bodied. Cagnulari was saved from extinction only thanks to the tenacity of about ten small producers who believed in the grape variety. It generally has a ruby red color and fruity aromas. Low in tannins and with good structure, it pairs well with meats and aged cheeses.

Girò
This red grape variety was widely grown in southern Sardinia, and its origins probably date back to the Spanish domination. Due to its irregular productivity, it was almost completely abandoned in favor of less problematic varieties. Its production has been revived, although only to a limited extent, only recently. It is usually used to produce wines with residual sugar that pair well with desserts and aged cheeses.

Malvasia
White grape variety cultivated throughout Sardinia, although the most renowned Malvasia is produced in Bosa. The resulting wine is golden with amber reflections, with very intense aromas of ripe and dried fruit. It pairs perfectly with almond paste-based desserts. Also excellent on its own as a meditation wine.

Monica
Red grape variety of distant Spanish origin. It is grown throughout Sardinia. From this grape variety, an intensely ruby red wine is obtained, with pronounced, vinous aromas and moderate acidity. Often used in blends to give a soft character. It pairs well with structured dishes.

Moscato
This aromatic white grape variety is grown throughout the island, with a prevalence in the Cagliari area. The resulting wine has intense aromas of honey, dried fruit, dried fig, and apricot. It pairs well with dry pastries or blue and aged cheeses. Also excellent as a meditation wine.

Nasco
This is an indigenous white grape variety, cultivated mainly in the Campidano area. Usually used for the production of sweet wines, today it is also successfully vinified as a dry wine. The sweet type pairs perfectly with almond-based desserts, while the dry type goes well with fish dishes and white meats.

Nuragus
It is the most widespread white grape variety in Sardinia, where it seems to have been introduced by the ancient Phoenicians. The resulting wine is straw yellow in color with delicate fruity aromas (apple, acacia flowers). Fresh and easy to drink, it pairs well with seafood and fresh Sardinian pecorino cheese.

Semidano
It is an indigenous white grape variety mainly grown in the Mogoro area, in the province of Oristano. The resulting wine has an intense straw yellow color, with a fruity aroma and a dry, savory flavor. It pairs well with white meats and seafood soups.

Torbato
This white grape variety definitely has Spanish origins and is mainly cultivated in the Alghero area. It is used to produce dry wines and in some cases is made sparkling. It has a pale straw yellow color, with fruity, floral, and vegetal aromas. It pairs well with dishes based on shellfish and mollusks.

Vermentino
It is the white grape variety from which the only DOCG of Sardinia is obtained. Its cultivation is widespread throughout the island, but it is in Gallura, where it was planted at the end of the 19th century, that it found its perfect terroir, thanks to the granite nature of the soil. Usually, the resulting wine has a straw yellow color, vegetal aromas of Mediterranean scrub, and notes of white-fleshed fruit. Its characteristic finish in the mouth is almondy. It pairs well with fish dishes, even fairly elaborate ones.

Vernaccia
This white grape variety has very ancient origins, to the point of being considered native. The production of Vernaccia is allowed only in the province of Oristano. It is obtained with an oxidative method similar to that of Jerez, using surface film-forming yeasts called "flor." It presents a golden yellow color with amber reflections, with a very intense aroma of dried fruit and spices. In the dry vinified version, it is suitable for aperitifs or fish-based dishes. A traditional pairing is with bottarga. In the version with residual sugar, it pairs well with dry pastries.