Noras Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

This celebrated winery takes its name from the medieval town of Santadi, in the Sulcis peninsula of southwest Sardinia – a landscape of contrasts and dramatic beauty, where the pure white sand dunes of Porto Pino and the greenery of the Pantaleo forest and its centuries-old oak trees, cork trees and holly oaks call home. Founded in 1960, Cantina Santadi began as a partnership between fine local growers, making it deeply rooted in the Sulcis terroir.
The Santadi vineyards cover 500 hectares (1,235 acres) of prime, gently rolling hills reaching right out to the sea. They are all within an eighteen-mile radius from the winery so that the fruit can be moved quickly. The sandy nature of the soil is conducive to the survival of pre-Phylloxera rootstock. In the words of enologist Raffaele Cani, “The parasite does attack the roots, producing small holes in them. These cavities, however, are immediately filled up by grains of sand that heal the wounds, as it were, allowing the plant to thrive in spite of Phylloxera.”
90% Cannonau and 10% Carignano. Cannonau, long believed to be a variety of Spanish Garnacha, was not only recently proven to be ampelographically distinct and native to Sardinia; it may well have been one of the most ancient wines in the western Mediterranean.
Santadi’s delightful version was named after Nora, Sardinia’s very first city, founded on the island’s southern seaboard around 1000-1500 BC, and Norax, a mythical Sardinian hero who came from the sea.
Wine exported to
Bermuda, USA, Canada, Australia
Most recent awards
- 2015 | James Suckling92
- 2016 | Vinous91
- 2014 | Ultimate Wine Challenge91
- 2014 | Wine Spectator90
- 2011 | Wine Advocate91
Grape Varieties:
90% Cannonau, 10% Carignano
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
12-14 days
Type of yeast:
Selected
Fermentation temperature:
24-26 °C (75.2-78.8 °F)
Maceration technique:
Pumpovers
Length of maceration:
12-14 days
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Aging containers:
Barrique
Container size:
225 L
Container age:
Second use
Type of oak:
French bay oak
Aging before bottling:
6 months
Aging in bottle:
6 months
Closure:
Natural Cork
Vineyard location:
Lower Sulcis, Sardinia
Soil composition:
Sand and granite
Vine training:
Guyot
Time of harvest:
Starting in late September
First vintage of this wine:
2008
Total yearly production (in bottles):
35,000 bottles
Tasting notes:
Intense ruby-red color tending towards garnet. Mediterranean aromas on the complex nose, along with notes of ripe blackberry, blueberry, sweet spice, tobacco and chocolate. A warm, velvety palate with unusually intense yet soft tannins.
Serving temperature:
Best served at 14 -16 °C (57.2 - 60.8 °F).
Food pairings:
Structured dishes, roasts, grilled meat and fish, game and cheese.
Alcohol:
15.5 % vol
Winemaker:
Riccardo Curreli - Consultant: Giorgio Marone