Wine Region: Sardinia

(2023) Torbato is a real speciality of Sardinia, this example pale gold in colour and with a nose of straw and orchard fruits, nutty apple and ripe pear to the fore. There's a confit lemon hint of richness and sweetness initially on the palate, and a surprisingly full texture. Flavours are punchy, hinting at the tropical but with a blast of grapefruity acidity making sure the finish is clean and crisp.  

(2022) From the indigenous Cagnulari of Sardinia, a variety generically linked to Graciano. Loads of buoyant cherry fruit, plump red berries and hints of wild flowers and scrubland herbs.The palate has fine juiciness too, a firm liquorice backbone to this with firm but quite fine and silky tannins and plenty of cherry-pit dry acidity.

(2021) 100% Vermentino from a small vineyard on the Oristano coast at less than five metres above sea level. Soils are loose sand and clay and the wine is made in concrete and clay amphora. It opens with real energy and freshness, a burst of floral-touched, succulent pear and citrus, a suggestions of mineral salts too. In the mouth there is a deal of initial fruit sweetness, again fresh and bursting citrus flavours, hints of juicy watermelon perhaps, but that distinctive saltiness to the acidity kicks in. It's a concentrated and powerful wine with lots of drive and saline character into the gastronomic and dry finish.

(2021) Made from 30% Bovale sardo, 35% Cannonau, 20% Monica and 15% Carignano and Barbera, vinification is similar to Susu, though the eight months of ageing is in larger oak barrels. Similarly vibrant but medium-density crimson to Susu, more floral aromas, a little more light and a little more perfume, the florals accentuated and again red berry fruit. The palate too has a more vivacious character, bright and edgy cherry fruit, fine acids and very tight tannins

(2021) 100% Cannonau, or Grenache, whole berries undergo a slow ferementation with natural yeasts before eight months ageing in second use barriques. Crimson in colour, though not too opaque or saturated. There's a touch of leather and earthiness, but definite red fruit character then a more floral aspect emerges. The palate is weighty and textured, a cetain rusticity adding grip and a sense of bloodiness that is gastronomic and feels very authentic. There is plum and cherry skin grip and juiciness in a wine that reveals sweet mid-palate fruit more slowly, and is quite different from Mari or Stobi in its power and rustic grip.

(2021) A Mandrolisai DOC wine made from 35% Bovale sardo, 35% Cannonau and 30% Monica. The wine is aged for six months in large, second fill oak barrels. What a lovely nose here, the perfume lifted again, with plenty of cherry and brighter raspberry characters. Such sweet fruit, but again retains that element of natural, mouth-filling rusticity. Fine sour cherry acidity, lots of spice and grip here too, chewy tannins, but the edge of firmness to the fruit and lightly saline acidity gives great freshness.

(2021) This is made from whole berry and whole bunch grapes, 35% Bovale sardo, 35% Cannonau and 30% Monica, and it comes only from bush vines that are 115 years old, with production limited to 1200 bottles. It ages eight months in second-fill barriques. There's a creaminess here, a soft opening and very unforced feeling, the fruit reminiscent of sour cherries and juicy plums, a touch of balsamic and graphite here too, in a complex wine. There's a bloodiness and very tangy character here, a touch of ferrous and meat-stock quality that sits beautifully, and again some briny, saline character. It's a big wine, but has length and layers of complexity. £18 unda £25 Mari £35 Sobi £70 Sus £140 Luna

(2020) From a a seven hectare vineyard sited at 200 metres above sea level, and planted on limestone soils, this is a powerful and intense white wine, yet fragrant too. A little talcumy, quite exotic perfume, almost Riesling-like, then orange peel and waxy lemon rind. In the mouth the substantial 14% alcohol shows in texture and palate weight, with very juicy peach and apricot fruit, a broad mouth-filling presence, sweet, but soon swept up in a rush of zesty citrus acidity. Maybe a meaty fish like halibut or monkfish for this one.

(2020) First tasting of the grape variety Nuragus for me, but apparently it is quite widely planted on Sardinia. Made in stainless steel with no skin contact, and coming from limestone soils, this is clearly intended as a fresh and direct white wine, and the bouquet is of fresh-sliced pear - not the pear drop notes of fermentation, but fruity and delicately summery. In the mouth this has the typical Antonella Corda intensity and concentration, a sweep of very mineral acidity punching through in a Chablislike style. Crying out for some seafood I think. Not in the UK at time of review.

(2020) In some ways I enjoyed drinking this most of all of Antonella Corda's wines Cannonau (Grenache), here made in a very Pinot-like, soft style, the colour pale and warm on the rim and the aromas of sweet damp earth, tobacco spices and savoury dark fruits as well as a touch of pulpy strawberry adding to the charm. In the mouth the fruit is elegant and precise, with a good framework of spicy tannin and keen acidity, but again that open-knit, Pinot-like texture and overall character and balance, it is delicious and charming. Price and stockist quoted is for the 2019 vintage.