Sardinia has a long history of viticulture, but its reputation within the wine community has only recently borne fruit. The wooded, mountainous island off the west coast of Italy offers a myriad of microclimates conducive to the production of a wide variety of fine pours. It forms one of 20 Italian wine regions and numbers among the most beautiful in the country.

Part of the reason the island’s winegrowers previously flew under the radar is that for many years they made blending wines for other regions, according to Jacopo Bacci of Bacci Wines, a family company with extensive interests in Tuscany and beyond. He says successful wineries have now discovered the potential of the Sardinian terroir and the world is taking notice.

Bacci praises the geographical diversity of the island, believing it offers enterprising producers the potential for picking and developing their wine preference. “What is very interesting about the Sardinian terroir is that you find a large variety of soils and elevation that link to the different exposures, making this land a great place where you can build your wine style,” he reveals.     

Isolation thanks

In Mamoiada, a remote village in the central eastern province of Nuoro, winemaking has been practised for centuries. The locals – many of whom are centenarians in this renowned ‘Blue Zone’ of exceptional longevity – can count the numerous blessings of their location, including the existence of rare heritage vines that date back more than 100 years. The area’s isolation saved it from phylloxera that ravaged the vineyards of Europe in the 19th century.

Among Sardinia’s more than 100 indigenous grape varieties, Cannonau takes precedence here. This red grape flourishes in the rocky granitic soil situated from 400 metres to 900 metres above sea level. There is also a small production of white Granazza.

Bacci echoes the uniqueness of Mamoiada as a hub for winemakers. “It is a small wine area of around 350 hectares located at 700 metres above the sea level. The granitic soil and high elevation give Cannonau a unique finesse and complexity,” he says, while also highlighting the grand old age of the vines.

Individual style

The breadth of offerings even in such a small area means it is difficult to pinpoint a particular taste profile. “From my experience in the region, the Cannonau from Mamoiada doesn’t have a standardised taste; every producer has his own style.” he explains. “Mostly, the wines are produced from a single parcel with natural fermentation, so it is really difficult to describe a flavour profile for all the region.”

One of the wines Bacci has come to appreciate during tastings in the area is Vike Vike Cannonau di Sardegna. “The wine is a little bit closed at first, but after a few minutes you can get the flavours of raspberry and roses with peppery notes,” he notes. “The vintages that I have tried are all full-bodied but not over mature. The taste is balanced with a good long final and very good tannins.”

Age of excitement

The Bacci family produces its own wine in Mamoiada, Blue Zone, an exciting project which he says is now yielding encouraging results. It has presented challenges, particularly the inability to work the vineyards by machine. Every process is done by hand or using cows, and production is limited to 3,000 bottles a year using Cannonau grapes from different parcels of historic vineyards located at 800 metres above sea level.

 “We have decided to respect the old way of cultivating the vineyard, even trying to be more accurate to ensure the vines an extra-long life,” says Bacci. Theirs is a wine style more oriented to freshness, so they harvest early, use spontaneous fermentation to highlight the indigenous flavours, and are light with the wood.  

 “At the nose, Bacci Blue Zone has aromas of violets, peaches, oranges and blackberries. Everything is very fresh,” he notes. “The structure of the wine is medium- to full-bodied with a good component of fresh fruit and light spiciness. The finish is fresh, long and slightly savoury.”