Wines

Santadi

Winemakers: Davide Pera & Giacomo Tachis

Santadi is from Sardinia’s southwestern coastal area known as Sulcis and is one of the finest wineries not merely of Sardinia, but Italy. Founded in 1960 and closely watched over by Giacomo Tachis (of Tignanello/Sassicaia fame), its superb quality offerings have confirmed it as a Mediterranean star of rare brilliance. The operation covers almost 400 hectares of prime, gently rolling land reaching right out to sea and is unique in that pre-phylloxera vines survive and thrive.

The Carignano-based wines, grown as erect shrubs, 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 is a joint venture between Santadi and Neil and Maria Empson and the wine is named after the Phoenicians’ (who colonised the island in the third century) name for native Sardinians. A blend of 85% Carignano and 15% Shiraz from seafront vines, some over 100 years old and many pre-phylloxera, aged in semi-new barriques. 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: Vermentino ‘Villa Solais’ is a blend of Sardinia’s two native white varieties, Vermentino 85% and Nuragus 15%. Matured in stainless steel with short lees contact, it is fresh and crisp with mineral notes, perfect for summer. Latinia is made from Nasco, another of Sardinia’s rare white varieties. Following several passes through the vineyard, select bush vines are late picked and the sugary must ferments slowly in stainless steel previous to a few months in third-passage barriques. 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.

Visit the wine-maker's website

Wines
2007 Vermentino DOC ‘Villa Solais’
2006 Carignano del Sulcis DOC ‘Grotta Rossa’
2004 Shardana IGT
2004 Carignano del Sulcis DOC ‘Terre Brune’
2004 Latinia IGT