2020 Agricola Punica Montessu

Agricola Punica (better known as Agripunica) is a collaboration between Tenuta San Guido (Sassicaia), Cantina di Santadi from Sardinia and the celebrated Tuscan oenologist Giacomo Tachis. The idea came from the latter who was very inspired by the quality and possibilities of the carignano grape (carignan) from the Italian island of Sardinia.

As a former winemaker of Sassicaia and an expert in working with cabernet and merlot, he was very interested in experimenting with 'his' Bordelaise grapes on the island. Agripunica was founded in 2002 and vineyards were purchased from the wine estates Barrua and Narcao. Both are located in the Basso Sulcis area, in southwest Sardinia, home to the Carignano del Sulcis area of origin. The ambition that Tachis had with Agripunica – to make top red wines in Sardinia based on the indigenous carignano, supplemented with Bordelaise grapes – quickly became a resounding success. In addition, he also concentrated on making white wine, again drawing inspiration from a local grape (vermentino) and an international grape (chardonnay). Here, too, the enormous expertise of the oenologist soon became apparent. Formed and trained by Tachis in his early years, Umberto Trombelli is a gifted winemaker with a great track record. When Tachis decided to take it a bit easier a few years ago, Trombelli was the logical choice to approach as a successor. Trombelli was happy to continue Tachis's life's work and is now the great man behind Agripunica's success.

The domain makes two red and since 2012 also a white wine. The red 'Barrua', an IGP Isola dei Nuraghi, is on its way to becoming the new icon wine of Sardinia and is made according to the established recipe of 85% carignano with 10% cabernet sauvignon and 5% merlot. The Barrua vineyards are located inland and include 10 hectares of old bush vines from carignano, which gives the wine its complexity. The 'Montessu' - not to be regarded as inferior, but as a completely different wine - is made from 60% carignano, supplemented with syrah, cabernet sauvignon, cabernet franc and finally merlot. The white 'Samas' is made from 80% vermentino, supplemented with 20% chardonnay.