Santadi Carignano del Sulcis Rocca Rubia Riserva 2018

Drink now or cellar for up to 7 years. No need to decant before serving.

Founded in 1960 by several winemaking families on the Sulcis peninsula, Santadi is located just a few kilometres from the beautiful southern Sardinian coast. For the first decade or so, the winery specialised in producing bulk wines which were sold all over the globe, but with the arrival of Antonello Pilloni in 1970 a new approach was pioneered of bottling and selling quality wines with a distinctive Sardinian personality.

Carignano is one of Sardinia’s flagship varieties and this expression captures the potential of the grape when grown in ideal conditions on the Sulcis peninsula where the hot summer days are moderated cooling breezes from the coast. The fruit used in this bottling comes from ungrafted bush vines grown close to the sea in the lower part of the peninsula. The grapes are carefully picked by hand to maximise quality and fermented in stainless steel tanks. It then spends 10-12 months in small used French oak barrels to add polish and finesse.

The result is an elegant yet complex Carignano with ample blueberry, cassis, and blackberry notes seasoned with hints of vanilla, leather and liquorice. Powerful yet velvety smooth on the palate, the full body and firm tannins make this a great contender for further cellaring or enjoying now with robust red meat dishes.