Historical Sella&Mosca Cannonau Di Sardegna

Cannonau di Sardegna DOC is red wine made on the island of Sardinia. The DOC region covers the entire island of Sardenia. The island is located off of the west coast of Italy and is the 2nd largest Mediterranean island. The island has belonged to many different empires over time which is evident in their architecture, languages and grape varieties. The climate is hot, dry, coastal influences and mountainous terrain of granite, schist, sandstone and limestone soils all make it a hidden gem in terms of winemaking. Cannonau is the Italian term for Grenache or Garnacha. It is the most planted red varietal, Vermentino (Rolle) being the most planted white varietal. Similar to Tuscany, it has both plantings of indigenous and international varietals except instead of planting Sangiovese, Montepulciano, Barbera, Trebbian) it has Grenache/Cannonau, Carignan/Carinena and Vermentino/Rolle, and Cabernet Sauvignon. In terms of industry winemaking is rather small percentage in Sardinia. Therefore there are a handful of producers are creating high-quality wines, which are gaining popularity & momentum globally. The majority of Sardinian DOC vineyards are located on the western side of the island. In order to be classified as Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Riserva, the wine must be a minimum of 13% abv, aged for at least two years before release to the market, which includes 6 months of oak (or chestnut) barrel aging.

Sella&Mosca formed the winery over a century ago with a mutal love of the region. The estate is run by the 5th generation. They make premium wines are made exclusively indigenous varieties such as Vermentino, Torbato, and Cannonau as well as Cabernet Sauvignon. The average age of the vines for this wine is 18 years. The grapes are harvested in late autumn and undergo fermentation on the skins in stainless steel vats a controlled temperature between 64-82°F.

This wine, Sella & Mosca Cannonau di Sardegna 2017 vibrant wine, smooth tannins, full of tart cherry, raspberry, smoke, tobacco, violets, tomato leaf and pepper. Pair with smoked pancetta & tomato pappardelle, grilled vegetables, pork rib ragu or sheep’s milk cheese. Oh so heavenly!