Mature, gamey nose, almost Pinot in style but the palate is fuller and much more serious. There is a delicate violet note on the nose followed by attractive, violet fruit. Complex, deep and delicious blend of tarry blackcurrant fruit with underlying richness of dried fig.The nose of this shows ripe blackberry, black cherry, earth and a deep warmth from the very present alcohol. In the mouth, you enjoy a very smooth texture, ripe black raspberry, sweet boysenberry, and black cherry flavors upfront. Some black pepper, a touch of vanilla spice, and earthy, herbal elements appear in the midpalate and stay through the finish. Mild acidity, medium tannins. Finishes with dry black fruit, sweet tobacco, drying tannins — and lasts a lot longer than you might expect from a wine in this price range.
From the Producer
In regular years, the harvesting of carignano grapes starts in the second half of September and ends in the first half of October. The must ferments in the skin at a temperature of 25 to 30 °C. It is regularly pumped up to favour the transfer to the must of the compounds present in the pomace. Malolactic fermentation imparts a distinctive mellowness to this wine, which is then matured for several months in cement vats before bottling. Medium-large goblet with medium rim, serving temperature 16-18 °C.
Santadi’s vineyards are set in prime, gently rolling land reaching out to sea in the south-western coastal area known as Sulcis. It is unique in that the sandy soil allows pre-phylloxera vines to survive and thrive, a key factor in the supreme quality of the estate’s wines. Vermentino Villa Solais is matured in stainless steel with short lees contact to give the palate more body and flavour. Nuragus, of ancient Phoenician origin, is crisp and refreshing with citrus fruit. In Sulcis, Carignano is grown as bush-vines and the wines are made in a warm, embracing style. Grotta Rossa is fruity and food-friendly, made without oak. Shardana was the Phoenicians’ name for native Sardinians when they colonised the island in the third century. The wine, a joint venture between Santadi and Neil and Maria Empson, is a blend of old vine Carignano with 15% Syrah. The nose displays dried flowers and cherry fruit with leather and game laced with subtle spice, the palate elegant, smooth and silky with a long finish. Terre Brune is one of the island’s most acclaimed wines and a worthy regular Tre Bicchieri winner. Made from 95% Carignano and 5% Bovaleddu, an ancient local variety, the rich, ripe fruit is aged 16-18 months in new barrique for a full-bodied, lush, extract-rich wine with supple texture and a very long finish. Latinia is a late-picked dessert wine made from Nasco, another of Sardinia’s indigenous varieties. An intense amber yellow in colour, the bouquet is rich with notes of honey, caramel, and clove, the palate sweet, but not cloying, with a hint of orange blossom.
