VERMENTINO ETCHED INTO MEDITERRANEAN
ANTONIO ARGIOLAS
The Argiolas winery is located in Sardinia, which is a little village south of Cagliari, in the outback Sardinia region off the Mediterranean. Antonio Argiolas, the founder of this prospering property, in 1938, pioneered planting the first commercially known vineyard on this vulnerable island in the Tyrrhenian Sea. The winery today is successfully managed by three generations of the Argiolas family. The vineyards of Argiolas are located in Sardinia in the Trexenta hills just north of the capital of Cagliari. In keeping with tradition, the Argiolas farms 600 acres of native Sardinian grapes including Nuragus, Monica, famously Cannonau (AKA Grenache), and the sexy Mediterranean white grape, Vermentino of this wine!
FERTILE CITIZENS
Sardinia justifiably has always been overshadowed by Its largest Mediterranean sibling Sicily. Its location in the middle of the Mediterranean on the Tyrrhenian Sea made it an easy target to be overtaken by many global seafaring powers. It is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and looks awkwardly untethered from Italy’s mainland 190 miles west. The
Sardinians are beautiful people aesthetically you would swear they were of noble descent. So much that over the past decade, the Italian island of Sardinia has become acclaimed for being one of the blue zones, regions where people live longer than average. Having said that, Sardinians have been influenced by many cultures, and symbolize a plethora of European ethnicity. However, even though they are distinct from Italians, they are 100% proud to Claim they are Italian. Sardinians live their life like pure Italians because they believe they exist the way they want to. They are uninfluenced today by ANY COMMERCIAL STANDARDS. Sardinia is the definition of an island survived and thriving by valiant citizens.
Presently Sardinia is slowly restructuring a timeless war-torn culture especially their wine culture. Sardinia is more famous than Sicily for its crystal waters and, no surprise, resorts. Ask any locals on the boot and they bleed to be in Sardinia over Sicily. Even the wines produced are like coming from one large vineyard of field blends, you just don’t know what you’re going to get. However, if you’re willing to explore, you’ll be in for something very special. It’s believed the name originates from people inhabiting it during the PRE Roman era, and were called Sardines, living there in abundance. The grapes mirror the abundance of varieties grown, but their celebrities still remain Cannonau and Vermentino. Now that’s an Island I want to retire to!
ISLAND FEVER
There are hundreds of white grape types planted throughout Italy, many of them indigenous to one region or even one small district. Yet, Sardinia is quintessentially associated with Cannonau AKA Grenache, and our alluring wine here, Vermentino. These are the island’s most prolific grapes. Given the Island’s abundance of sunshine and fertile landscape, along with its elusive location resonates a terrain for insane wine production. In addition to the tribe of indigenous varieties, they, unfortunately, were infected by pressure to plant international varieties. Feel free as the locals do and pass these up and focus on the wines made from native grapes greatly shaped by the ancient Phoenicians. They can be seen in bottles that only escape the island occasionally and that means for you a rare wine treasure chest.
ITALY’S SEXIEST SEASIDE WHITE WINE
Vermentino (“vur-men-teeno”) and in France the grape is known as Rolle, is grown in many parts of the world and in SOME parts of Italy. Though in my opinion It exclusively displays its vast unadulterated expression on the island of Sardinia. It was thought for a while that Vermentino originally came from Spain, much like the Spaniard mindset claiming much of their native grape global influence. Though today, DNA confirmed Vermentino to be identical to the Pigato of Liguria and Favorita of Piedmont. Now that the grape has firmly been established of Italian nationality, no one there cares if it’s not as famous as Chardonnay and Sauvignon Blanc.
What’s virtuous about Vermentino is it can be complex, capable of aging, and diverse: It can be vinified from dry to sweet; balanced by its stellar acid, and on that note, an intriguing sparkler! Even though it can have a similar structure to Sauvignon Blanc, it’s specifically rooted with floral aromatics, juicy exotic and typical of Italian varietals, it finishes with a zesty high tone acid and along with a savory bitter almond finish along with dust of sea salt. Argiolas displays all of these characteristics
THE SPIRIT OF ANTONIO ARGIOLAS COSTAMOLINO
The capital of Sardinia, Cagliari DOC, represents a profound area of real estate on the island’s southern half and is most prejudiced towards the western coastline. The dignified sub-region of Cagliari has a library of wines known throughout the world for their historical triangular domination. Costamolino represents the spiritual area from where Vermentino sings operatically. The spirit of the Argiolas family wines continues to live through their Great Nono Antonio Argiolas.
NOTE:
If you’re going to drink like a local, then eat like a local. Sardinia’s signature Culurgiones is sublime with this wine. They are a unique type of stuffed pasta originally from the Ogliastra, a mountainous area on the Eastern side of the island. When I drink this wine I’m immediately transported, now I’m heading into the kitchen to make my Babito me some Culurgiones!!
Has anyone had a Vermentino?????
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