2022 ChevernyDomaine du Salvard
France | Loire
$22
Producers
To best enjoy this skin-contact dry Moscato from Sardinia, start by throwing out all your preconceptions about skin-contact wines, Moscato, and Sardinia. Made from old vines in sandy granitic soils at high elevation in the heart of the Gennargentu Massif, not far from the island’s four ski resorts, it speaks more to its extreme terroir than to technique or varietal character. The ever-changing aromas and textures recall a juicy cocktail of citrus, apricot, dried herbs, and wildflowers, while the savory finish saturates the senses with salinity, spice, and stony grit. Sea urchin pasta is the ultimate pairing, but it works surprisingly well with chips and guac.
—Anthony Lynch
Wine Type: | white |
Vintage: | 2019 |
Bottle Size: | 750mL |
Blend: | Moscato |
Appellation: | Vino da Tavola |
Country: | Italy |
Region: | Sardinia |
Producer: | Giovanni Montisci |
Winemaker: | Giovanni Montisci |
Vineyard: | 60 years |
Soil: | Sandy granite, clay |
Farming: | Organic (practicing) |
Alcohol: | 13.5% |
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Vino da Tavola
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Vino Rosso
Our first foray into Sardegna is very recent, and it only took one trip to fall in love with the island, its culture, and its wines. Similar to its northerly neighbor, Corsica, there is a strong regional identity here that goes far beyond its official status as one of Italy’s twenty regions. Its people are proud, strong-willed, and deeply attached to their traditions—a distinctive character often seen with island people and accentuated by its long history of invasions and outside rule.
This tumultuous past has resulted in diverse influences—Greek, Roman, Aragonese, Catalan, and Ligurian, just to name a few—that have shaped the island’s culture, language, cuisine, and wines over many centuries. While Vermentino and Cannonau (aka Grenache) reign, Sardegna also boasts a number of indigenous grapes that are capable of expressing something unique in its abundant variety of terroirs.
The Mediterranean plays a major role, providing cooling, salty breezes to coastal areas, while the rugged, mountainous interior is home to high-altitude sites where wines retain freshness in spite of the southerly latitude. The granitic highlands of Gallura and Barbagia come to mind as some of its most qualitative zones, but a range of soils, elevations, and varying distance to the sea mean that the island is capable of producing wines in all styles, from crisp whites to powerful reds and exquisite vini dolci.
The three growers we represent bring something new to the table, something fascinating that is not found elsewhere in Italy or even in nearby Corsica. Their wines evoke the rustic beauty of this fascinating island civilization, and of course, pair perfectly with the local cuisine, be it seafood-based or the hearty, earthy specialties of its interior.
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Vino da Tavola
Deperu Holler Italy | Sardinia | Isola dei Nuraghi
Deperu Holler Italy | Sardinia | Isola dei Nuraghi
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna
Vigne Rada Italy | Sardinia | Vermentino di Sardegna
Vigne Rada Italy | Sardinia | Cannonau di Sardegna
Vigne Rada Italy | Sardinia | Vermentino di Sardegna
Giovanni Montisci Italy | Sardinia | Vino Rosso
Deperu Holler Italy | Sardinia | Isola dei Nuraghi
Great winemakers, great terroirs, there is never any hurry. And I no longer buy into this idea of “peak” maturity. Great winemakers, great terroirs, their wines offer different pleasures at different ages.
Inspiring Thirst, page 312
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