About Sardinia and Sardinian Wine

Sardinia, Italy’s second largest island, has a rich and fascinating history. Over many centuries, it has survived invasions by Phoenicians, Carthaginians, Romans, Arabs, Byzantines and the Catalans, who in the fourteenth century incorporated Sardinia into the newly created entity - Spain. Sardinians served in the Spanish fleet at the Battle of Lepanto 1571 when the Europeans first defeated the Turks. Jean-Paul Murat, one of the triumvirate leading to the French Revolution, was the son of a Sardinian father. In 1861, Italy was born and Victor Emmanuel II, King of Sardinia, became the first King of Italy. In 1947, Sardinia became an Autonomous Region. Today the only invaders are tourists.

Sardinia and wine are inextricably linked. Prehistoric vases and other equipment related to wine have been found in Sardinia. Grapes were probably imported by the Phoenicians, grape seeds have been discovered dating back 3000 years. The Carthaginians produced wine but following the Punic invasion all fruit trees, including vines, were ordered to be cut down, but vineyards began to bloom again during the Roman Age. Proof of the Sardinians love of wine can be found in the statues of Bacchus-Dionysus discovered in Cagliari.

For a long time, wine remained one of the most important resources of Sardinia’s economy. The Carta de Logu, the first Sardinian law text, protected vineyards with very strict rules, and corporal punishment, which included hand cutting, was set for law-breakers. In the 19th century, wine was sold to France and was used to enrich the local tasteless wines, it was during this period that the Royal Oenological School in Cagliari was created, and marked a turning point in local oenology, providing a stimulus to wine activities.

Between 1883 and 1912, more than 42,000 hectares of vineyards were destroyed following the outbreak of Phylloxera (vine pest). The Cattedre Ambulanti di Agricoltura and the Anti-Phylloxera Co-operative helped reconstruction by introducing a technique where Sardinian species of vine were grafted on American vine shoots, which were Phylloxera resistant. In post-war years, a considerable revival took place but Sardinian wine continued to be a blending wine, used to enrich European and national wines, this meant not only were the wines not very valuable but they gave the farmers little money. The European Community promoted incentives for vineyard explant, the product system collapsed, a recovery resulted, and from the 1970’s the main effort has been to improve the quality of the most famous wines. Today Sardinian wine is an important reality.

Species of vine:
Nuragus is the oldest species, possibly introduced by the Phoenicians.
Nasco & Vernaccia is of Roman origin.
Malvasia & Moscato were introduced by the Byzantine and the Catalan.
Several species of Spanish vine were brought by the Argonese, including Torbato, Bovale, Monica and Carignano.
This influx saw Vermentino, probably from Corsica, enter during the 18th century along with Nebbiolo by the Piedmontese.
Pascale, Trebbiano and Sangiovese were introduced during the early part of the 20th century by the Tuscans.
The last wines to be brought in from the Peninsula were Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.
Most of the imported species of vine have become truly Sardinian and acquired their own peculiar characteristics.

There are no available products under this category.