Cannonau - The Miracle wine from Sardinia

Ever since the "French Paradox" was featured on 60 Minutes in the early 1990's, people have focused their attention on red wine.  In France, despite having a diet rich in fat, they also have lower rates of heart disease.  Thus the paradox, and red wine seemed to be the reason.  Red wines have high levels of antioxidants and polyphenols which not only reduce levels of LDLs, but increase levels of HDL.  Basically, they lower the bad fats and increase the good fats.

Since then, it has been discovered that the wine with the highest level of polyphenols, in particular resveratrol, is one called Cannonau from the Island of Sardinia.  Cannonau is also know as Garnacha or Grenache in other parts of the world.  But there is something about the wines grown on this island that have more heart healthy benefits.  Located in the Mediterranean, Sardinia is part of Italy and rests north of the island of Sicily.

Sardinia is considered a "Blue Zone".  These are places where a disproportionate number of people live to be over 100 years. Other know "Blue Zones" are the island of Okinawa in Japan, Ikaria in Greece, Loma Linda in California and Nicoya in Costa Rica. What these places have in common, other than longevity, is their diet.  This is a diet loaded with vegetables, fruits and nuts.

So if you're looking to get your cholesterol down, consider Cannonau from Sardinia.  Some good examples are Santadi Noras (90 points, Wine Spectator), Olianas and Pala i Fiori.

Why not try this with a hearty bowl of Vegetable Soup.

4-5 carrots, diced
5-6 celery stalks, diced
1 small onion, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 red bell pepper, diced
2 Tbs. Olive Oil
4 potatoes, cubed
1 tsp. dried thyme
1 tsp. dried oregano
1 tsp. vegetable base
2 carrots, pureed
1/2 C. lentils
1 orange, juiced, plus half of the zest

1. Saute carrots, celery, shallots, and peppers in 2 tablespoons of olive oil for about 3 minutes.
2. Add broth and all other ingredients except for citrus and parsley.
3. Turn up heat to boil and turn down to low-med to simmer.
4. Simmer for 45-50 minutes.

Finish by squeezing in citrus juice and zest.

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If you don't like lentils, use rice, quinoa, or any other legume or grain.

Domaine Vetriccie

Located on the island of Corsica off the southern coast of France, Domaine Vetriccie produces wallet friendly wines to be enjoyed in their youth. Vetriccie is actually the name of the Corsican wicker that grows near the estate.  The three wines of the domaine are blends of both native Corsican varietals, as well as Continental varietals such as Merlot and Syrah.

The main native varietal is Niellucciu and is the third most planted grape on the island. The origins of this grape are debated, but it is believed to be a clone of Sangiovese, the main grape of Chianti wines. Second is Sciaccarellu, and this one seems to be purely Corsican.  Sciaccarellu is mostly used in blends and rarely gets bottled on its own.   As far as white varietals, Vermentinu is widely planted on the island.  It is also know as Vermentino in Italy and Rolle in other parts of southern France.

The Domaine Vetriccie Blanc consists of 50% Vermentinu and 50% Chardonnay. It is lively on the palate with notes of citrus.  The texture is firm and viscous and filled with its own unique personality.

The Domaine Vetriccie Rose is a blend of 40% Niellucciu, 30% Sciaccarellu, 15% Grenache and 15% Merlot. It comes with a nice review in the Wine Spectator.
 
88 pts Wine Spectator – 2015 vintage “Very pure, with peach, white cherry and bergamot notes, carried by a minerally edge. Everything pulls together nicely on the sleek, unadorned finish.”

The Domaine Vetriccie Rouge is a blend of 40% Niellucciu, 30% Sciaccarellu, 20% Merlot and 10% Syrah.   This one is a fleshy medium body wine with blackcurrant, fresh blackberry, maquis, licorice and a spicy finish.

Tasting notes are provided by www.frenchlibation.com.

These wines are available at Main Street Produce in Littleton, NC

Grillo - Sicily's Most Important White Wine Grape

When introducing new and unusual grape varietals to my customers, I try to avoid the "it tastes like" such and such, or "its similar to" (insert common grape varietal).  These comparisons are inevitable, much like the "it tastes like chicken" when comparing different exotic meats.  Well, if it tastes like chicken, I'll just take the chicken. Its cheaper. However, this is not the case with the wines.  Generally speaking, the unusual grape varietals are less expensive because there is less demand for them.

Without getting into too much discussion of economics, let me introduce you to Grillo.  This is a white wine grape varietal and is the most import one on the island of Sicily.  Historically, it was the grape used in the production of Marsala wine.  The 20th century saw a switch to another native Sicilian varietal called, Cataratto. This, however, resulted in a lower quality Marsala wine and Grillo came back into use.

Grillo as a stand alone still wine has typical island wine characteristics.  The influence of the sea and sandy soil add a touch of salinity to the wine.  Nonetheless, it does not overshadow the tropical fruit and white flower aromas and flavors.

Here are four Grillos I recommend.  Their prices range from $9.99-$14.99.

Stemmari Grillo is light and delicate with fruit forward tropical aromas and balanced on the palate.

Baci Vivaci is also made by Stemmari.  It has a slight fizz or "frizante".  Its lower in alcohol and made perfectly for summer sipping.

Villa Pozzi

Rapitala

With the Villa Pozzi and Rapitila Grillos, there is more structure and complexity.  There is still that presence of tropical and citrus aromas, but they are held together with a good grip of acidity.

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Sicily-Tenuta Rapitala

The island of Sicily lies off the southwestern part of the Italian peninsula .  It has the typical Mediterranean climate found on other islands in the area and the southern part of Italy itself.  The key to growing wine grapes in such a warm climate is elevation.  Some vineyards are 1500-2000 feet above sea level.  So they get warmth from the sun during the day, and the cool nights and breezes keeps the grapes in balance.

Tenuta Rapitala is situated in the northwest corner of the island. The family that owns it has both French and Italian roots, and Rapitala is the first vineyard to introduce non-native grapes to Sicily.
Though they do make a Chardonnay, the rest of the wines are native grapes or continental grapes added to native grapes.

The Piano Maltese is a combination of Grillo, Catarrato and Chardonnay. Grillo and Catarrato are both native to Sicily, the addition of Chardonnay adds some texture and mouth feel.  It is described as "...rich yet fresh with apple, pear, herp and a touch of roasted nut", and it received high acclaim from both The Wine Advocate and Winespectator.

Their 100% Grillo is a wine typical of Sicily.  It has floral, herb and citrus aromas and finishes clean and refreshing, and both these white wines pair well with seafood, particularly mussels, clams and shrimp.

Nero d'Avola is the most widely known red grape in Sicily.  Rapitala's Campo Reale is 100% Nero d'Avola.  It has a deep ruby color with floral and cherry aromas. This is a bold wine and pairs well with lamb.

Wine descriptions are from the importer's website www.frederickwildman.com.  The website also has the latest reviews from the wine critics.

These wines all retail in the$12.00-$15.00 range.

Sardinia

The island of Sardinia is located off the western coast of mainland Italy and is surrounded by some of the world's greatest wine producing regions.  It stands to reason that Sardinia is also a source of terrific wines.  However, these wines are not as well-known as some of their neighbor's wines.

With Tuscany to the east, Spain to the west and France and Corsica to the north, there is a lot of competition among these regions to capture the hearts and palates of people worldwide.  Not to mention the competition within the country of Italy itself.

What distinguishes Sardinia from the other regions is its native grape varietals.  Though they have imported some traditional varietals from France, Spain and Italy, Vermentino (white) and Cannanou (red) take center stage here.  They produce food friendly wines designed to compliment the island's cuisine.

Its proximity to the surrounding seas, and the nature of the soils, makes Vermentino an excellent companion to shell fish and other sea food.  At the same time, with the largest population of sheep per square kilometer in the world, Cannanou is a perfect match to lamb in all its forms.

Sardinia also has one of the highest life expectancy rates in the world.  It shares with Okinawa, the highest rate of centenarians in the world at 22 for every 100,000 citizens.  Now called "Blue Zones", a lot of research is going in to the life styles and eating habits of these populations to understand why this is so.

If you watch and follow Dr. Oz, you will know that he attributes the grape varietal, Cannanou, with this higher life expectancy.  Despite being known as, and genetically identical, to Grenache in other parts of the world, Dr. Oz suggests that Sardinia's version has a higher concentration of the beneficial effects of the grape.

The most widely known wineries on the island are Argiolas and Sella & Mosca.  Argiolas makes a beautiful wine it calls "Costamolino" from the Vermentino grape.  Sella & Mosca's Cannanou was awarded a 91 point score from the popular wine critic, Robert Parker.  Both of these wines retail in the $16.00-$18.00 range and are available in most fine wine shops.  If not, message me here and I'll let you know where to find it.