Italy

Santadi

Winemakers: Davide Pera & Giacomo Tachis

Founded in 1960 and closely watched over by Giacomo Tachis, Santadi's superb quality offerings have confirmed it as a Mediterranean star of rare brilliance. The operation covers 400 hectares of prime, gently rolling land reaching right out to sea in the southwestern coastal area known as Sulcis and is unique in that pre-phylloxera vines survive and thrive.

The crisp and minerally Vermentino 'Villa Solais' is matured in stainless steel with short lees contact to give the palate more body and flavour. In Sulcis, the Carignano vines are grown as bush-vines and the wines are made in a warm, embracing style. 'Grotta Rossa' is all about the wild red berry, earthy and peppery fruit of Carignano made without oak in a food-friendly style. 'Terre Brune' is one of the islands 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 barriques for a full-bodied, lush, extract-fraught wine with supple texture and a very long finish. 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.

What's new: Latinia is a late-picked dessert wine made from Nasco, another of Sardinia's indigenous varieties. An intense amber yellow, the bouquet is rich with notes of honey, caramel, and clove, the palate sweet, but not cloying, with a hint of orange blossoms.

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Wines
Vermentino DOC 'Villa Solais'
Carignano del Sulcis DOC 'Grotta Rossa'
Shardana IGT
Carignano del Sulcis DOC 'Terre Brune'
Latinia IGT 375