In learning about Italian wine, I love to share the undiscovered areas and grapes, but it is just as important to talk about the regions and grapes that make a region what it is known for. In Sardinia that grape is Cannonau. If you’ve never had wines from Sardinia the Cannonau grape is a great place to start. It’s the most accessible wine on the market and makes up about 30% of the island’s production with one in every 5 bottles produced from Cannonau.
The Cannonau grape was believed to have originated in Spain and brought to Sardinia by the Aragonese in the 1300s. Although, due to further archaeological studies, there have been 3,200-year-old Cannonau seeds found making it native to Sardinia instead. This would also make it one of the oldest grapes in the Mediterranean.
Cannonau, pronounced cannon-now, is also genetically tied to Garnacha in Spain and Grenache in France. This late ripening, thin-skinned grape creates deeply colored wines that are full-bodied with medium to high alcohol. It displays ample red fruits (strawberries and raspberries) along with some spice and white pepper. Cannonau can be made as a single variety or used in a blend. Depending on where the wine originates from, you can get an array of styles from fruity wines to those with depth, richness and spicy notes.
Sourced from Wikipedia – Nuoro province
The majority of the Cannonau vineyards are in the center of Sardinia along the eastern coastline. Some of the best expressions of Cannonau come from the Nuoro province
This Article was originally published on Vino Travels Italy
