Santadi Rocca Rubia Carignano Del Sulcis Riserva

Description

Santadi Rocca Rubia Carignano Del Sulcis Riserva is a red wine made on the Mediterranean Italian of Sardinia. Carignano del Sulcis wines are known for their robust character, firm tannins, and good aging potential. The grape thrives in the Mediterranean climate of Sardinia, benefiting from the warm sunshine and cool sea breezes. 

Cantine di Santadi was established in 1960 as a co-operative of grape growers co-ordinated by the Land Reform Board of Sardinia. It is located in the south west of Sardinia in the heart of Sulcis. In the 1970s a new board of directors, headed by Antonello Pilloni, who is still chairman, decided to move on from the production low quality bulk wine to the high quality wines that Santadi produce today. To assist them the board employed the internationally famous oenologist Giacomo Tachis, the man behind the great reds of Antinori in Tuscany including Sassicaia, Tignanello and Solaia. Santadi is one of the jewels of Sardinia.

The arenaceous terrain of Sulcis’ coastline is unique in that pre-phylloxera Carignanon rootstock survives and thrives: the finely textured, wind-swept sand naturally prevents phylloxera from depositing its eggs. Carignano can only be produced from the grafts “alberello” vine (“goblet” or bush), which in turn can only be grown on sandy soils such as those vineyards that supply Cantina di Santadi.

After stemming and crushing, the grapes for Santadi Rocca Rubia Carignano Del Sulcis Riserva are fermented and macerated for 12-14 days in stainless steel tanks at controlled temperature of 25-28 °C. During this period, the must is frequently pumped up, thus fully absorbing the noble tannins typical of bush-grown carignano. After malolactic fermentation, the wine is transferred to small, fine grained 1st and 2nd-passage French oak casks for 10-12 months, to further develop its biochemical and chemical-physical properties, aroma and taste. Further aging in the bottle for several months enables early bouquet development.

Santadi Rocca Rubia Carignano Del Sulcis Riserva is vegan and vegetarian friendly.