Sardinia is a gorgeous island in the middle of the Tyrrhenian Sea off of the coast of Rome. It’s not often that an island is a featured wine region but the climate of Sardinia is unique and provides a lovely environment for winegrowing.
We already know that Mediterranean climates can be very beneficial for vineyards so being an island in the middle of the Mediterranean really does. Although necessary rainfall can turn extreme, and Sardinia faces severe thunderstorms and flash floods, the soil is thoroughly nourished. As far as temperatures, they’re very moderate, never truly getting that cold or hot at any point in the year.
There is also an immense amount of sunshine every day on this beautiful island, which is hugely beneficial to the grapes, particularly Vermentino. Sardinia’s hidden beauty, Vermentino is a light-bodied white wine similar to Sauvignon Blanc but with more complexity. There’s more of a bitter note from grapefruit plus an intriguing taste of minerality and salt from that sea air.
On the note of gorgeous white wines, there is a rare beauty called Torbato. It’s originally from Spain and is only planted on about 200 acres around the world. This light white is pale in color and refreshing in taste, ranging from sparkling to dry.
Carignano is the primary red wine, grown in the southern end of Sardinia on over 4,000 acres. It has a very deep garnet color and a sweet and spiced aroma. The flavors resemble that of the holidays with licorice, plum, and cherries.
Cannonau is Sardinia’s top wine, and for good reason. This lovely red wine resembles the Spanish Grenache, especially in the way it ages. Cannonau is one to spend a little more money on, as the price does directly correlate to quality. A good bottle will reveal an herbaceous but fruit-filled deep red wine that comes with a satisfying acidity and profound tannins.
Sardinia may not be that big of an island but it’s one of Italy’s main region for wine producing but the bottles that are created are worth searching for. The United States is a large importer of Sardinian wines so you do stand a chance of finding them in your local shops, but you may have to do some research. Trust us, it’s worth it.
