Agripunica is a joint venture between the Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia Group, Sardinian winery Cantina di Santadi, Santadi’s President Antonello Pilloni and the legendary Tuscan consulting oenologist Giacomo Tachis. It was really Dr. Tachis who first thought about the Sardinia and Carignano match and he persuaded all the others in order to produce a fantastic Carignano wine.
In 2002, AgriPunica bought a land divided into two estates: Barrua and Narcao, situated in the south western zone of Sardinia, in an area known as “Basso Sulcis”. As everyone knew the real potential of this region, after the first harvesting they all agreed that this, will be a resounding wine.
In 2002, AgriPunica purchased a 370 acres estate divided betewwn two sites: Barrua and Narcao, located in the soutwest region of Sardinia, in the area known as Basso Sulcis. Even though the vineyards are situated in the DOC Carignano Del Sulcis area, the wine falls under the I.G.T. Appelation of Isola dei Nuraghi, a name referencing the ancient stone buildings built by the Nuragic civilization which shaped the island’s development from the Neolithic age until 238 B.C. when Sardinia was brought under the Roman Empire.
AgriPunica vineyards lie inland from the coast and are planted to 65 hectares counter espalier trained vines, comprising Carignano, Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot and Syrah for the reds, while further 5 hecatares are currently planted to Vermentino and Chardonnay white grapes, for an overall of 70 hecatares.
The Southwest corner of Sardinia is a near perfect environment for the hot climate traits of the Carignano vine. Winters are mild and summers are hot and dry, with temperatures sometimes stoked by the fierce Scirocco African winds blowing across the Sardinian Sea, among the hottest in Italy. An extraordinary average of seven hours of sunlight daily anable the fruit to reach a level of ripeness such that polymerization of the tannins begins within the berry while it is still on the vine. “It is the amount of light that makes this the perfect region of 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; on top of that, the wonderful influence from the sea regulates the extreme summer heat and stabilizes the climate”, recounts Giacomo Tachis.
The Carignano quality in the Sulcis is excellent not only for the colour, for structure and alcoholic richness of the obtained wine, but also for the tenderness of its extrative components: from the tannic ones to the acid titrant patrimony which reveals itself temperate and elegant going from the aromatic to the spicey, from the glycerine moods to all the rest.
