Tre Bicchieri 2019 Previews. Sardinia's best wines

A true revolution (the good kind) is underway in Sardinia. The number of producers operating, and the number of awards it’s receiving, are growing, along with the island’s important wine producing territories. And success follows growth, a fact made evident by the Tre Bicchieri awarded this year (13, a record!), but also by the number of wines to reach our finals, and the Due Bicchieri assigned. Awards aside, we’d like to underline the region’s continued evolution in terms of quality, both its small wineries, which are being carried forward by young and determined vigneron, and its important (and historic) producers, who’ve never stopped pursuing innovation and continued renewal. And this isn’t to forget the important role played by the region’s cooperatives, who offer extremely well-made wines at excellent prices. It’s worth noting that despite the great work being done in the cellar and in the vineyard, there’s still a ways to go in terms of communications, marketing and sales. The Doc consortiums aren’t helping - those few that exists (unfortunately) are essentially non-functioning, a fact that the entire regional industry should reflect on. Now onto the wines. 2017 proved to be a great year for Sardinia’s whites, despite the heat, inasmuch as it gave rise to greater concentration, but also nice tension and savoriness, guaranteeing perfect balance. 2016 and 2015 were also good years, with the latter proving excellent for reds, foremost Cannonau. This year saw some six new wines take home Tre Bicchieri. We start with Antonella Corda’s 2016 Cannonau di Sardegna, with the producer also making its first appearance in our guide. For us it’s a wine exemplary of the typology: fresh, graceful, fine and elegant, but also complex and long, with Mediterranean aromas. And this great island red also drove our decision to name Antonella Corda this edition’s ‘Up-and-Coming Winery’. Santa Maria La Palma’s Riserva R is a different wine, but also delicious. When it comes to Sardinia’s reds, Su Entu’s Bovale stood out, a wine made with grapes from the lovely vineyards of Marmilla. Vermentino made its presence felt with Delogu’s Die and Ledda’s Azzesu, a wine made with grapes from a unique plot situated on volcanic soil at over 700 meters elevation. Lastly (but only because it was Sella & Mosca’s most recent creation), we mention Catore, an outstanding wine made with the local grape Algherese.

Alghero Torbato Catore ’17 - Tenute Sella & Mosca

Bovale ’16 - Su Entu

Cannonau di Sardegna ’16 - Antonella Corda

Cannonau di Sardegna Cl. Dule ’15 - Giuseppe Gabbas

Cannonau di Sardegna R Ris. ’15 - Santa Maria La Palma

Carignano del Sulcis 6Mura Ris. ’15 - Cantina Giba

Carignano del Sulcis Sup. Terre Brune ’14 - Cantina di Santadi

Semidano di Mogoro Sup. Puistèris ’16 - Cantina di Mogoro-Il Nuraghe

Vermentino di Gallura Sup. Sciala ’17 - Surrau

Vermentino di Gallura Vigna’Ngena ’17 - Capichera

Vermentino di Sardegna Azzesu Tenuta del Vulcano Pelao ’17 - Andrea Ledda

Vermentino di Sardegna Die ’17 - Tenute Delogu

Vermentino di Sardegna Stellato ’17 - Pala