Sardinia

Sardinia has its viticultural roots dating back to the Bronze Age. The Nuragic people occupied the island from the 18th Century BC until the Roman invasion of the 3rd Century BC, leaving a legacy of some 7,000 stone towers across the island, with no general consensus what they were used for. It is now thought that the grape variety Grenache was planted here long before it made its way to France and Spain, and still it is one of the important black varieties of the Island, where it is known as Cannonau. In our opinion it is the Carignano grape variety that has the best potential for quality. In France, this variety where it known as Carignan, is a workhorse - used for blending - but in the south of the Island, in Sulcis, it is king. The north of the Island, particularly in the north eastern region of Gallura is where Italy's best Vermentinos come from. The pink granite and cooling maritime breezes bring a particular delicacy to this variety.

The region lives in the shadow of its bigger neighbour Sicily, and there is perhaps, not as much variety in Sardinia, but there are many gems which are worth seeking out. Certainly with tourism increasing, the awareness of Sardinia's delights are becoming more mainstream. The region gained a huge boost in the 2000s when the Incisa della Rocchetta family of Sassicaia fame, formed a joint venture with the best co-op on the island, Santadi, creating Agricola Punica. Noble Grape is a great admirer of these wines, which combine the authenticity of the region with skilful winemaking.