Sardinian Wine Stories

  • Tasting Note: Anastasìa Brut N.M. – Cantina di Mogoro – Semidano

    Today’s tasting note focuses on Anastasìa Brut, a fine example of the growing wave of sparkling wines emerging across Sardinia. Reflecting a global trend, sparkling wine production on the island—traditionally known for its still wines—is steadily increasing, along with the experience of local winemakers and the quality of their creations. Anastasìa Brut is produced by…

    Read more: Tasting Note: Anastasìa Brut N.M. – Cantina di Mogoro – Semidano

  • Sardinian Wine in Numbers: A Primer

    A blog on wine should naturally focus on the fermented grape juice itself. Yet, a numbers enthusiast like me can’t resist bringing in a few statistics. Data, after all, provide context: they help us understand where Sardinia stands within Italy’s and Europe’s broader wine landscapes, what types of wines dominate, and how production is evolving…

    Read more: Sardinian Wine in Numbers: A Primer

  • Tasting note – Terre Vulcaniche 2020 – Vitivinicola Montiferru – Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

    Terre Vulcaniche 2020 is a varietal red wine made from Cannonau (Grenache) grapes by Vitivinicola Montiferru, a small cooperative founded in 2007 in Santu Lussurgiu, in central-west Sardinia. I picked up this bottle on my latest trip to Sardinia, and it turned out to be a fascinating encounter with a very distinctive terroir. The grapes…

    Read more: Tasting note – Terre Vulcaniche 2020 – Vitivinicola Montiferru – Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

  • Cannonau: Sardinia’s red passion

    Cannonau is the Sardinian red grape variety par excellence. With almost 27% of total plantings, it is by far the most cultivated variety on the island and contributes to several of Sardinia’s most well-known wines. However, despite being Sardinia’s signature red, Cannonau is not unique to the island. It is in fact genetically the same…

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  • Tasting note – Juighissa 2013 – Cantina del Rimedio – Vernaccia di Oristano Superiore

    Juighissa 2013: Sardinia’s Answer to Amontillado Juighissa 2013 is the second wine in the premium line of Vernaccia di Oristano DOC from Cantina del Rimedio (also known as Cantina della Vernaccia), and of course, it is a 100% varietal Vernaccia di Oristano. This is a truly unique oxidative wine produced only in Sardinia (I describe…

    Read more: Tasting note – Juighissa 2013 – Cantina del Rimedio – Vernaccia di Oristano Superiore

  • Tasting note – NSC 2021 – Quartomoro – Nasco di Cagliari

    NSC 2021 from Quartomoro is a striking expression of Nasco, one of Sardinia’s native grape varieties currently undergoing a renaissance. As mentioned in my earlier tasting note for another Nasco wine (the Bessìu from Audarya), Nasco was traditionally used to produce sweet white wines, but it is now proving its exceptional character in dry expressions—and…

    Read more: Tasting note – NSC 2021 – Quartomoro – Nasco di Cagliari

  • Beyond Numbers: Why I Don’t Score Wines

    You may have noticed that my tasting notes don’t include any type of wine score. This is intentional. While wine scores are very popular and widely used, I don’t think they align with the perspective I take in this blog. Wine tasting, when performed professionally, should be as objective as possible. But objectivity doesn’t always…

    Read more: Beyond Numbers: Why I Don’t Score Wines

  • Tasting note – Bessìu 2021 – Audarya – Nasco di Cagliari

    Bessìu 2021 from Audarya is a striking expression of Nasco, one of Sardinia’s native grape varieties currently undergoing a renaissance. Traditionally used for sweet white wines, Nasco is now proving its exceptional character in dry expressions, and Audarya’s interpretation stands out as a fine example. Vineyard and Winemaking Audarya, based in Serdiana—like the renowned Argiolas…

    Read more: Tasting note – Bessìu 2021 – Audarya – Nasco di Cagliari

  • Tasting note – CRG 2022 – Quartomoro

    Quartomoro is currently one of the most interesting winemakers in Sardinia. While offering truly distinctive wines from sparkling to sweet, the winery stands out for its project called Memorie di Vite (“Vine’s Memories”), where the producer showcases authentic expressions of Sardinia’s historic grape varieties. This includes Cannonau, Nasco, Bovale, Vermentino, and other lesser-known cultivars. The…

    Read more: Tasting note – CRG 2022 – Quartomoro

  • Vernaccia di Oristano: A Hidden Gem of Sardinian Winemaking

    Vernaccia di Oristano is one of Sardinia’s most distinctive and historic wines, yet it remains largely undiscovered by the broader wine world. This extraordinary wine, made from the grape of the same name, native to the Oristano province, is deeply rooted in the island’s winemaking tradition. It is particularly renowned for its oxidative aging process,…

    Read more: Vernaccia di Oristano: A Hidden Gem of Sardinian Winemaking

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