September’s Wine of the Month is Falco Cannonau di Sardegna, Italy. Wine from the Blue Zone!
Ever heard of a Blue Zone? Neither had we until we went to the Italian Island of Sardinia and met Alberto Loi who produces some rather delicious wines. Apparently, a Blue Zone is an area where its inhabitants have an unusually long life expectancy, and where Alberto grows his grapes in Ogliastra, close to the town of Cardeau in the east central part of the Island, is one of the world’s 5 Blue Zones. Alberto tells me that perhaps it’s a combination of the climate, wine and local diet that keeps its inhabitants in such good shape!
If you have not tried Sardinian wine you are in for a wonderful surprise. The Idyllic Island boasts 2000km of coastline, rugged mountains and an equally rugged interior whose climate is moderated by its close proximity to the ocean. With grape varieties such as Vermintino, Nurajus and Cannonau there are truly exciting flavours to discover.
The grape variety Cannonau (also know as Grenache in France or Garnacha in Spain) makes up roughly 30% of the Island’s vineyards. Wines typically produced from Cannonau are rich and high in alcohol with dark fruit flavours intermingled with spice, maybe even Chateauneuf du Pape in style.
My new best friend Alberto lets me taste his Cannonau which is rich, spicy and earthy in style. This style of wine would be great with game, roast lamb, steak and for the vegetarians amongst us, stuffed baked mushrooms.
I think it’s time for lunch now!
