Sardinian Cannonau is a Global Contender: Here Are 3 Wineries that Define this Exceptional Grape

It’s high time we dove into the wonderful world of Sardinian Cannonau. Discover the history of this variety and 3 must try wineries to help you understand what Cannonau is all about.

In a wine world of increasingly high competition, Sardinian Cannonau is a wine that deserves to be on the world stage. To drink Cannonau is to experience Sardinia in a glass. An idyllic island adorned with rolling hills drenched in Mediterranean macchia and colossal mountains of granite and schist. A place where traffic refers to herds of sheep. Unless it’s summer when tourists bombard the island, clamoring to get to some of the world’s most beautiful beaches and bluest seas. Olive trees and vineyards invigorate the landscape. A symphony of bells from a group of sheep grazing nearby hangs in the air. This is Sardinia.

Sardinians are proud of their culture. So proud, in fact, that teenagers get just as excited as the adults to dance the traditional Sardinian ballu tundu. And if you’re one to close down the bar, you’re likely to witness a tenore group enchanting the crowd with the ancestral music of the island. Make your way into a village festival and you’ll certainly witness both. In other words, Sardinia offers a culture that is so rare to find in the world today and Cannonau is an integral part of the Sardinian ethos.

A Bit On Sardinian History

Sardinian culture is influenced by a deep and varied history. Sardinia was first home to the prehistoric Nuragic civilization. The remnant Nuraghe of this culture withstood the test of time, currently illuminating an ancient past of Sardinia. The island sits a distant 200km from mainland Italy. Neighboring French island Corsica is 12km away and Sardinia is 200km from the coast of Africa. Subsequently, throughout history everyone wanted a piece of Sardinia due to the island’s unique position for trade in the Mediterranean. First, the Phoenicians ruled Sardinia. Next, the Vandals occupied the island. Then, the Byzantine Empire ruled Sardinia. Following Arab invasions, the Aragonese from Spain dominated the island for almost 300 years. Finally, in 1861 Sardinia united with Italy under Victor Emmanuel II.

Today, certain Sardinian dialects, the evident Catalan influences on the northwestern city of Alghero, and the cuisine and wine of Sardinia all illustrate traces of this history. However, Sardinia is somewhat of a forgotten province of Italy because of the island’s relative isolation, along with the distinctive Sardinian language and culture. Sardinians feel a “mainland prejudice” from Italy. Though honestly, I think they prefer independence. Sardinians are proud. They’d rather identify as Sardinian instead of Italian.

The History of Wine in Sardinia

Unfortunately, just as Italy set aside Sardinia, the world relatively disregarded Sardinian wines. According to Decanter, Sardinia is fourteenth in size amongst Italy’s wine producing regions. The island’s Sicilian counterpart produces six times as much wine. Moreover, Sicily receives significantly greater international recognition. Sardinian wine deserves to be better known. Take it from someone who has lived on the island. However, if you don’t want to take my word for it, would evidence that Sardinians were the first wine producing civilization in the Mediterranean encourage you to explore Sardinian wines?

Such evidence exists. In 1993, archaeologists discovered an ancient Nuragic stone wine press in Monastir. In recent years, scientists were able to analyze organic matter taken from the press. The results of this analysis indicated that Sardinian civilization has been making wine since the Bronze Age, long before the Phoenicians and the Romans. These results also indicated that the ancient vines used for winemaking were very similar to many varieties cultivated today. In other words, these discoveries make the tradition of wine in Sardinia quite unique. They also provide added value to Sardinian wine in a highly competitive global market.

Where Did Cannonau Come From?

Sardinia claims up to 150 indigenous varieties. But can we count Cannonau among them? Sardinians are as stubborn as the donkeys that roam their hilly terrain. Ask a Sardinian and he will undoubtedly and unabashedly tell you that Cannonau is native to his beautiful island. Then he will pour you a glass from his family’s latest vintage. Perhaps from a plastic liter or gallon sized bottle. And it will likely be delicious.

There is an age-old debate on the origin of Cannonau, a member of the Grenache family. Many believe that Cannonau is an indigenous Sardinian variety. Others claim the Spaniards brought their Garnacha to Sardinia while the island was under Aragonese rule. In Sardinia, the first documented reference to ‘Cannonau’ dates back to 1549. In fact, historical documents indicate that both Cannonau and Garnacha are extremely ancient varieties cultivated for centuries in Sardinia and Spain respectively.

Following the discovery of 3,200 year-old grape pips at an ancient Nuragic site in Sardinia, scientists did a comparative study of the pips. These scientists aimed to prove the autochthonous nature of Cannonau. Additionally, another study analyzed the structure of Cannonau and Garnacha pips, comparing them with pips of ancient, wild Sardinian and Spanish varieties. They were not able to determine that Cannonau derived directly from indigenous Sardinian vines, nor that Garnacha derived directly from native Spanish vines. However, they concluded that clonal diversity and genetic variations generated in the process of cultivating domestic vines makes the process of identifying indigenous varieties almost impossibly complex. Whether or not the variety is of Spanish origin, Cannonau is most certainly Sardinian today.

Cannonau in Sardinian Culture

If you have ever Googled something like ‘health benefits of red wine,’ then you may have stumbled upon the fact that Cannonau is a secret to Sardinian longevity. Actually, Sardinia is one of the world’s five Blue Zones, with a significantly higher number of centenarians (people over 100 years old) than the rest of the world. 

Sardinia has an especially high concentration of male centenarians in the region of Barbagia. Upon further investigation, scientists determined that a daily glass of Cannonau contributes to longevity on the island. Cannonau is particularly high in antioxidant rich anthocyanins and beneficial polyphenols like resveratrol. Consumption of these compounds are linked to heart and brain health. Other cultural denominators linked to longevity include moving naturally, living with purpose, close family ties, healthy social circles, and plant-heavy diets.

In Sardinia, a glass of Cannonau is typically consumed at lunch and alongside dinner. Many families own small vineyards that are passed down for numerous generations. Such vineyards allow Sardinians to produce their own Cannonau wine every year for family consumption. Enoteche and wineries throughout Sardinia also offer wine by the liter at an extremely affordable price. Thus, providing easy access to Cannonau and other wines for those who may not have a family vineyard. Patrons bring their own containers, often empty plastic liter water bottles or gallon jugs, and leave with quality affordable wine for the week. Indeed, Cannonau is engrained in Sardinia culture.

Sardinian Cannonau

While Spanish Garnacha and French Grenache have staked their claim in the world of wine, Cannonau is more apt than ever to capture the attention of the world’s Grenache lovers. Cannonau is the most planted variety in Sardinia, accounting for roughly 20% of vineyard plantings on the island or 8,400 hectares. 

Cannonau di Sardegna D.O.C.

If you’re going to drink Cannonau, seeking out a Cannonau di Sardegna D.O.C. wine will be worth your while. And it won’t be hard because the D.O.C. basically encompasses the entire island. So, it’s best to familiarize yourself with the specific producer and region to understand where true quality lies. 

The Cannonau di Sardegna D.O.C. requires a minimum of 12.5% alcohol by volume for dry reds. For the Riserva designation, dry reds must have a minimum ABV of 13% and an obligatory aging period of two years, including at least six months in barrels. The sweet Passito style requires a 13% ABV minimum, while the Liquoroso (fortified) style offers both a sweet and dry style. The secco (dry Liquoroso) style requires a minimum 18% ABV and a maximum 10 g/L of residual sugar. The sweet Liquoroso dolce must have a minimum 16% ABV and 50 g/L minimum of residual sugar.

Cannonau Characteristics

Most Sardinian Cannonau exhibits extraordinary balance for the Grenache variety. Expect well-integrated, round tannins, medium to high alcohol, bright acidity, and the ideal balance between generous fruit flavors and savory subtleties. In Sardinia, this variety showcases aromas and flavors of juicy red fruits like raspberry or strawberry, ripe plums, Mediterranean macchia, white pepper, and coffee or tobacco aromas from the oak casks in which Cannonau is often aged. Though these characteristics can vary depending on the zone of cultivation within Sardinia.

The provinces of Nuoro, Ogliastra, and Cagliari produce the majority of Cannonau on the island. Though for me, the best Cannonau hails from Nuoro and there are three communes within this province producing standout expressions. Read on to discover where to find them and learn which wineries to turn to for the most exquisite Cannonau wines.