2010 Agricola Punica - Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi

2010 Agricola Punica - Montessu Isola dei Nuraghi

In 2002, an extraordinary team of winemakers became convinced of an ideal connection between the land and climate of Sardinia and the Carignano grape. In that year, Agricola Punica was founded in the southwest region of the island and today produces two iconic wines based on this grape: Barrua and Montessu.

Agricola Punica is an undertaking between world renowned names in the winemaking business: Dr. Sebastiano Rosa (with a 40% share), Sardinian winery Cantina Sociale di Santadi (40%), Tenuta San Guido, under the direction of Marchese Nicoló Incisa della Rocchetta (10%), Santadi president Antonello Pilloni (5%), and legendary Tuscan consulting enologist Giacomo Tachis (5%).

The southwest corner of Sardinia is a near perfect environment for the hot-climate traits of the Carignano vine. Winters are mild and wet and summers are dry and, with the fierce scirocco African winds blowing across the Sardinian Sea, among the hottest in Italy. An extraordinary average of seven hours of sunlight daily enables perfect ripeness—the polymerization of tannins begins within the berry while it is still on the vine. Diurnal temperature variation allows aromatic qualities to develop in the fruit.

"It is the amount of light that makes this the perfect region for Carignano-based wines! The sun provides heat and light, which causes grapes to mature very well. The Cabernet and Merlot mature much faster than they would in Bordeaux, for example. And on top of that, the wonderful influence from the sea regulates the extreme heat and stabilizes the climate," says Giacomo Tachis.