Giovanni Montisci, Sardinia

At the heart of Sardinia near the village of Mamoiada, 80 kms from the sea, lies the diminutive 2.5ha estate belonging to local boy Giovanni Montisci and family. Giovanni is a mechanic by trade, turning his hand to the vine on marrying Franzisca during the 1990s. It was only in 2004 that Giovanni started bottling, with production now at approximately 6000 bottles/anno.

‘Barrosu’ means ‘standing out’ in dialect Mamoiada is home to the Montisci family and to the Cannonau (Grenache/Garnaccia) vine, that thrives unaided and unirrigated on the red clay and granitic soils, giving sensual, perfumed wines. Vinification is traditional, by hand, in open fermenters followed by ageing in large slavonian oak botte and used French tonneaux (500litre).

Two Cannonau di Sardegna wines are produced; ‘Riserva’ from 50 year old vines and ‘Riserva Franzisca’ from 80 plus year old vines. These are wonderfully pure, rich and authentic wines, that wear their prodigious alcohol lightly.