The island of Sardinia (Sardegna in Italian) is one of Italy’s least talked about wine regions. There is a range of appellations grown there making excellent whites and reds.
Girò di Cagliari DOC is a small red wine appellation covering the Girò variety cultivated close to Sardinia’s capital city of Cagliari. There is also a Liquoroso and Liquoroso Riserva style permitted.
Isola dei Nuraghi is one of Sardinia’s popular IGP appellations. There are a number of stunning wines bottled under the name, including Cantina Argiolas’s Turriga.
Malvasia di Bosa is one of the great wine treasures of Italy. Produced with Malvasia di Sardegna in a deliberately oxidised style, it’s capable of being a truly special wine. Sadly, it’s very rare.
Mandrolisai is a small DOC created in 1981 to promote red and rose wines from local Sardinian grapes. They must contain a minimum of Bovale Sardo as well as Cannonau and Monica di Sardegna.
Monica di Sardegna DOC covers red wines produced from the traditional Sardinian Monica variety.
As the name suggests, Moscato di Sardegna covers the production of Moscato Bianco based wines across the island of Sardinia. The sub zones of Gallura and Tempio Pausania can be used, but only for Spumante (sparkling) wines.
Nasco di Cagliari is one of the most interesting sweet wines on Sardinia. The liquoroso category permits a riserva produced from the Nasco variety.
Nuragus di Cagliari is a small appellation surrounding Cagliari covering the once rare but increasingly cultivated white Nuragus grape variety. It is capable of producing excellent wines.
The regional appellation of Romangia incorporates winemaking from vineyards in the municipalities of Castelsardo, Osilo, Sennori, Sorso and Valledoria in the province of Sassari in Sardinia.
The Alghero DOC, around the town of Alghero, grows mainly international varieties such as Sauvignon Blanc and Chardonnay but also Vermentino, and rather curiously the little known Torbato.
The swampy marshlands of Arborea which covered the eastern part of the province of Oristano were turned into agricultural farmland in 1928. Today the area is home to white wines often made with a minimum of 85% Trebbiano Toscano or Trebbiano Romagnolo.
The small Sardinian IGP appellation of Barbagia is rarely used. It covers the mountainous area in the centre of the island. Sedilesu winery has 15 hectares of vineyard here, primarily planted with bush vine Cannonau. The rare white variety of Granazza can also be found.
Cagliari DOC covers red and white winemaking around Cagliari, the islands of Sardinia’s main city.
Campidano di Terralba, sometimes referred to simply as Terralba is a small but special appellation for the Bovale varieties - Bovale Grande and Bovale Sardo.
Cannonao di Sardegna is Sardinia’s key red wine. The best often comes from respected sub zones such as Capo Ferrato, Jerzu and Oliena.
Carignano del Sulcis DOC is one of Sardinia’s key red wine appellations. Made primarily from Carignano the area is capable of giving rich, full bodied wines with impressively complex aroma profiles. Quiet investment from Italian entrepreneurs and the increased confidence of local growers to bottles their own wine has lead to an exciting appellation with modest prices.
The somewhat flexible Colli del Limbara is one of the most used IGP wines on Sardinia. Focussed on the granitic soils that characterise the area around Mount Limbara in the north east of the island, these wines are found in varied styles.
Moscato di Sorso-Sennori DOC, sometimes referred to simply as either Moscato di Sorso or Moscato di Sennori is a sweet wine appellation on Sardinia.
Valli di Porto Pino is an IGP appellation covering the south west tip of the province of Cagliari in Sardinia. It can produce both red and white wines.
Produced around the town of Gallura, Vermentino is among the most expressive white wine on Sardinia. At its best it delivers delicious notes of lemon and coastal herb.
Vermentino di Sardegna is Sardinia’s most important white wine. Produced all over the island from the Vermentino it can take on a number of different styles.
Vernaccia di Oristano is a high quality white wine produced from the grape variety of the same name. It can also be produced in a dry or sweet fortified style.
Cantina Mesa is known for the production of crisp and clean wines from typical Sardinian varieties.
Sella & Mosca is a respected Sardinian estate known for producing wines in some of the island’s less familiar appellations. Vermentino is grown to make Vermentino di Gallura DOCG as well as Carignano for the highly regarded deep red wine of Carignano del Sulcis DOC.
Angelo Angioi farms around one hectare in Salto di Coloras, at an altitude of 180 metres. This small, boutique producers is best known for making Malvasia di Bosa, although some Vermentino di Sardegna is also made.
Founded in 1956, Cantina Trexenta is a cooperative with around 200 hectares at its disposal. Primary varieties are Vermentino, Cannonau and, more recently, Chardonnay, Montepulciano and Carignano.
Cantina Josto Puddu is known on Sardinia as one of the top producers of Vernaccia di Oristano DOC.
Founded by Abele Melis in 1936, the company now farms around thirty hectares of vineyard in Terralbese, of which Vermentino, Bovale Sardo, Bovale Grande and Cannonau make up the majority of plantings.
Cantina Santadi is one of the most recognisable names on Sardinia. Known best for their Carignano del Sulcis DOC.
Azienda Vinicola Attilio Contini is one of the stars of Vernaccia di Oristano.
Capichera is one of the great names of Sardinian winemaking. Overseen by Fabrizio Ragnedda, the company’s Vermentino stands out as one of the best examples of the variety around.
Cantina Giuseppe Sedilesu is a small family run winery in the village of Mamoiada in the centre of Sardinia. The company is known for producing full bodied wines from Cannonau. Utilising the flexibility of the IGP Barbagia they also produce rare varieties such as Granazza.
Agricola Punica produce highly respected wines on the island of Sardinia. Best known for blending local Sardinian varieties with international ones under the Isola dei Nuraghi appellation. Punica is a collaboration between Sebastiano Rosa, the highly respected proprietor of Tenuta San Guido, legendary Italian oenologist Giacomo Tachis and the iconic Sardinian estate of Santadi.
