Argiolas farms the warm, wind-scoured south of Sardinia, and this is the island in a single bottle: a red built from Bovale, Cannonau and Carignano, the three grapes that have always done the heavy lifting here. Isola dei Nuraghi is the island's own IGT, a wide appellation that lets a Sardinian grower blend across varieties rather than tie himself to one.
- Bovale, Cannonau, Carignano — three Sardinian reds.
- Isola dei Nuraghi IGT, Sardinia, Italy.
- 2019, a warm and generous vintage.
- Full-bodied, dry, 14.5% alcohol.
- Medium tannin, medium acidity.
How it is made
Cannonau is the island's most planted red and the same grape the French call Grenache, grown here since the island was under Aragonese rule. Bovale and Carignano bring colour and grip to the blend. Isola dei Nuraghi was created so Sardinian growers could put a single honest name on a wine that crosses varieties, rather than label it by a village it never came from.
How it tastes
Red cherry and black plum, then dried herbs and a warm, dusty spice that reads more of the island than of the barrel. The tannins are firm but not aggressive, and the alcohol carries the fruit rather than covering it. Medium acidity keeps the whole thing moving.
Where it comes from
Sardinia's south, where the mistral blows hard enough to keep the vines dry and the soils are a mix of granite, clay and limestone. Old bush vines, low yields, hot days and cool nights. The island grows grapes on its own terms and has done for a very long time.
Contains alcohol.
