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The Cannonau di Sardegna DOC appellation includes the entire island, from Sulcis and Cagliari in the south to Gallura in the north, a distance of about 260 km. The denomination was introduced in June 1972, around the same time as Moscato di Sardegna DOC. This denomination corresponds to a production of about one-fifth of the total Sardinian wines.
The denomination includes both red and rosé wines, a reserve and a liqueur type. To obtain the reserve mention, a Cannonau di Sardegna must have a minimum alcoholic strength of 13% by volume and be aged for at least two years before being released on the market. The wines of the liqueur version are sweeter and richer in alcohol, with an alcohol content between 17.5% (the legal minimum) and 20% by volume. There is also a dry liqueur version.
The wines of the Cannonau di Sardegna DOC appellation have attracted considerable attention in recent years, not only for their quality but also for the longevity of the inhabitants of their production areas. In fact, many Sardinians are well over 90 years old and in many cases reach over 100, with the island’s diet usually indicated as a determining factor. Cannonau di Sardegna DOC wines are rich in anthocyanins and polyphenols, compounds rich in antioxidants, beneficial for heart health.
The Cannonau vine thrives both on the warm, sandy soils of the Sardinian coastline and on the harsh, rocky terrain of the island’s mountainous interior.
The territory of the island never exceeds 300 m above sea level, but it is often harsh and with steep slopes. The climate is that of the Mediterranean region, with hot and slightly rainy summers, mild winters. The average temperature is high compared to other regions and the excursions between day and night are contained. The wind is an almost constant feature, blowing all year round, both on the coasts and in the hinterland.
The best examples of Cannonau di Sardegna are probably those of the south and eastern part of the island, in the provinces of Nuoro and South Sardinia. Within these provinces, three sub-areas have been officially recognized as production areas for Cannonau wines of a particular quality.
The first is Nepente di Oliena (or Oliena), for the wines of the city of Oliena, in the province of Nuoro. The second is Capo Ferrato, with the municipalities of Castiadas, Muravera, San Vito, Villaputzu and Villasimius in the south-eastern corner of the island. The third is Jerzu, for the wines of the municipalities Jerzu and Cardedu.
The wines of the denomination are produced with the Cannonau grape, the local name for Grenache. For a long time, it was thought that this variety arrived in Sardinia with the Aragonese when they conquered the island at the beginning of the fourteenth century (from the region of Aragon, in Spain).
However, in recent years, clues have been found that suggest that Cannonau (and therefore Grenache) may actually have originated right here in Sardinia.
Cannonau di Sardegna DOC wines are intensely sweet and savoury that pair well with desserts, especially those with figs, plums, dark chocolate or cooked fruit.
They pair amazingly well even with tasty meats cooked on the grill and on the spit (like lamb and wild boar) or salumi (cold cut appetizers), pasta, fish soups, anchovies, chicken and rabbit stew.
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When was the last time you had dinner in an Italian restaurant in Canada and you thought you were dining in Italy? That’s exactly how “Ospitalità Italiana Certified”restaurants want you to feel when you visit their fine dining establishments.
Ospitalità Italiana is an official certification from Unioncamere, Italy’s federation of local Chambers of Commerce and Industry, that tells you that the food you are enjoying is unquestionably Italian: products are authentic, ingredients genuine and recipes true to the thousand year history of Italian cuisine.
Canada is home to some leading Italian Chefs. Passionate and innovative, many have refined their skills and advanced their knowledge directly in Italy. In addition, Montréal boasts a fabulous cooking school ITHQ where young aspiring chefs learn Italian technic and Italian traditional recipes from the masters.
So the next time you make reservations for an Italian dinner in a Montreal restaurant, ask if they’ve received the Ospitalità Italiana seal of approval. You will enjoy the true Italian taste.
