Wine Tasting in Sardinia: A Two-Day Adventure

Our first introduction to Sardinian wines was a decade or so ago at Branch Line restaurant in Watertown, MA, where Lisa enjoyed a Sardinian rosé in a can. Yes, in a can. But she never forgot it. Dry, delicious, and full of red berry flavors. Over the years, we’ve learned more about the island’s wine culture and its native grapes–Vermentino, Cannonau, Monica, Bovale, and Vernaccia di Oristano, the last one found nowhere else on the planet.

With 365 cellars on the island– one for every day of the year!– we could have stayed forever. With just two full days to explore the region, we couldn’t sample the full complement of native grapes but we did a lot of damage!

The smartest pre-trip move we made was engaging the services of Franco Cerniglia, founder of Sardinia Tourist Guide and a passionate ambassador for all things Sardinian. Franco’s deep wine knowledge, excellent photography skills, and cheerful demeanor were invaluable. Together we crafted a four-winery itinerary that gave us a quick but satisfying taste of Sardinian wines.

Tenuta Olianas, Gergei
info@olianas.it / +39 344 2369837
Our first stop was Tenuta Olianas, a stunning estate [below, left] with a contemporary design and ancient vibe. Co-owner Stefano Casadei pioneered the BioIntegrale method, “a sequence of farming practices and winemaking techniques” that integrates organic and biodynamic methods into every aspect of the operation. And Tenuta Olianas is the first manifestation of the BioIntegrale philosophy. They grow only native varietals, work the land with horse-drawn plows, hand-harvest the grapes, and age the juice in amphorae. No herbicides, chemical fertilizers, or chemical by-products touch the land. A large flock of geese are natural sources of insect control and fertilizer.

We spoke with Mr. Casadei [in plaid shirt] about winemaking in the age of climate change. Not surprisingly, his BioIntegrale method is designed to mitigate its effects, such as allowing grape leaves to shade the fruit (rather than the old method of clipping back over-leafing), applying an inorganic reflective white powder (potassium bicarbonate) to reflect the sun, and leaving grasses to grow tall and then matting them down to retain the soil’s cool temperatures.

All well and good. But how’s the wine? It’s excellent! Alessandro led us through a seven-wine tasting of Olianas’ diverse portfolio, two of which made our “must buy” list. Sadly, the Cannonau Riserva is not sold in the US but the Vermentino is, and a steal at $15.

Our Favorite Tenuta Olianas Wines
Vermentino di Sardegna 2025, $15 at Luekens Wine + Spirits
Medium bodied with notes of peach, green melon, and grapefruit on the nose with plenty of peach and minerality on the palate from the sand and limestone soils.

Cannonau Riserva 2022 , not available in US
Aged for 24 months in large oak casks with some further aging in the bottle prior to release. Aromas of tannery leather with cigar humidor, toasted vanilla, and black fruits. The juice is black garnet and full-bodied in the glass. A delicious, silky smooth wine with full mouthfeel and notes of black fruits, cassis, and licorice.

Is Perdas, Gergei
info@isperdas.it / +39 347 061 7836
Next, it was time for lunch. Franco brought us to Is Perdas, a peaceful country resort and spa surrounded by lush hills and ancient relics. The owners treated us to a traditional Sardinian meal in their farmhouse kitchen, with standout pastas including Malloreddus [aka Gnocchetti Sardi] with sausage and saffron ragu and Su Succu, [below, right] a saffron and sheep’s cheese tagliolini in a mutton broth with sun-dried tomatoes and woody herbs [per Taste Atlas].

Is Perdas photos by Franco Cerniglia at Sardinia Tourist Guide / info@sardiniatouristguide.it / +39 349 4558367

Giuseppe Lecis Viticoltore, Soleminis
agrilecis@tiscali.it / +39 389 605 9374
If Tenuta Olianas was teeming with staff and visitors, our second stop was a one-man miracle of a winery. Situated at the top of a dirt road up one of Sardinia’s many hills, Giuseppe Lecis Viticoltore is the pride of the man whose name is on the label. Mr. Lecis works the land with his family and, at harvest time, a few seasonal workers. He grows native grapes like Vermentino, Naragus, and Cannonau, along with such “noble grapes” as Chardonnay, Merlot, and Cab Sauv. We toured a small part of his 24-acre vineyard then sat down in the winery’s kitchen/tasting room for a six-wine tasting with abundant homemade snacks and treats.

There wasn’t a soul in the building except us, but apparently all Giuseppe Lecis winery needs is Giuseppe Lecis! Unfortunately, his wines are not available in the US, but they’re so good, we think it’s worth ordering directly from the winery, shipping costs be damned.

Our Favorite Giuseppe Lecis Wines
Sedha Vermentino Di Gallura 2024, €35 at the winery
Tasted right from the barrel, the wine has an appealing organic nose with floral undertones. The white pear flavors intertwine with the minerality to deliver a perfect wine to pair with shellfish or delicate white fish.
Isparas – Isola dei Nuraghi 2021 [Carignan], €40 at the winery
A dark, brooding wine of medium weight in the glass. Notes of vanilla/toasted oak and blackberries/blueberries on the nose. The palate is full, with velvet tannic structure, black fruit mineral notes, and a long satisfying finish. Perfectly aged and a special wine!
Giua Cannonau 2021, €45 at the winery
Aged 2 years on cement, one year on oak barrels. and an additional year in the bottle. The nose delivers pleasing notes of red fruits with a hint of tanned leather. This full-bodied wine was a joy to taste with its smoothness, deep red fruit notes, and a long, dry finish.

Contini 1898, Cabras – Oristano
info@vinicontini.com / +39 0783-290806
Day 2 began with a visit to Sardinia’s oldest winery. Contini 1898 was founded in …wait for it… 1898 and today produces 2 million bottles a year on 540 acres, by far the largest stop on our tasting tour. We were initially herded into a giant barrel room with a group of elderly German tourists. Thankfully, we were able to persuade Alberto, our excellent guide, to set up a separate tasting for us. Blogging about wine does have its privileges.

Contini photos by Franco Cerniglia

In a quiet tasting room Alberto set out eight wines, from a sparkling rosé to a deep gold Vernaccia, complemented by a tray of locally produced cheese and meats. We were grateful for the opportunity to give Contini’s portfolio of wines the time and attention it deserved.

Our Favorite Contini 1898 Wines
Attilio Contini ‘Karmis’ Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2024, €10 at the winery
70% Vernaccia di Oristano, 30% Vermentino
A deliciously refreshing white blend. Made on 100% stainless steel, aromas of honeydew are accompanied by a zesty citrus-limestone mineral backbone.
I Giganti Bianco 2023,€14 at the winery
70% Vernaccia di Oristano, 30% Vermentino
An Intensely flavored food wine with a good, long finish. Not a summer sipper! Works with a variety of food, from salads to Asian cuisine.

Cantina Del Bovale, Terralba
info@cantinadelbovale.it / +39 346 057334
The final winery on our whirlwind trip to Sardinia stood in sharp contrast to Contini 1898. Cantina del Bovale was founded in 2007 and produces just 70-80,000 bottles a year on 50 acres of land, largely clay and pebbles across three vineyards. Owner Marcello Martis and his family run a small-scale operation that turns out big-time delicious wine. Son Christian treated us to a six-wine tasting, served with a variety of homemade snacks. We flipped for three of Bovale’s wines and shipped home a mixed half-case.

As with Giuseppe Lecis, Cantina del Bovale wines are not available in the US, but we think it’s worth ordering directly from the winery, despite the shipping cost.

Our Favorite Cantina del Bovale Wines
Sabbie D’Oro Vermentino of Cagliari 2023, €11 at the winery
Sabbie means Golden Sand, which is a perfect description of this wine’s color in the glass. Hints of white peach and honeydew on the nose accompanied by a zesty lemon/grapefruit/mineral palate. The perfect wine for summer seafood dinners.
Sinnos Isola dei Nuraghi 2024 [Cannonau], €10 at the winery
Pale pink/salmon rosé with a beautiful raspberry-strawberry nose. The palate is dry-ish with good berry fruit notes over limestone and bramble minerality.  This worked well with meats and cheeses.
Arcuento Terralba Bovale Superior [Bovale Terralba], €20 at the winery
Bovale is a tough, waxy-skinned black fruit that makes outstanding red wines. The almost-black juice gives off toasted vanilla notes with hints of black cherries and blackberries. Velvety smooth tannins, black fruits, and some undertones of minerality from the volcanic soils. A full-bodied wine that delivers a Napa Cab-like experience, at a fraction of the price.

Two days, four wineries. We barely scratched the surface of Sardinian wines and can’t wait to return to this gorgeous, surprising island. Next time we’ll check out the beaches, hike some of the 7 hills, and visit many more wineries. Can’t wait to get started!