THE 5 MOST VISITOR-FRIENDLY WINERIES IN SARDINIA

ARGIOLAS

Reach the winery of Argiolas (founded 1938) among hillslopes covered in vineyards, olive trees and hayfields in the small village of Serdiana. Its 230 hectares are scattered over 5 different areas each producing very distinct grapes and wines.

You can opt for a guided tour around the halls where must ferments and those where the wine matures safely stored in oak casks. Or you can go for an aperitif in the vineyard, travelling to the experimental vineyard of Iselis and then stopping at the lovely Romanesque church of S.Maria di Sibiola. There, under the welcoming shadow of olive trees, you can enjoy an aperitif with two wines and local cheese and meat.

Additionally, you can even get tutored by local chefs into preparing Sardinian recipes. After learning how to make traditional food from scratch, how to present it and the special occasions when it was usually served, you can enjoy the result of your work accompanied by excellent wines. And if you like their wines a bit too much to drive, keep in mind return transfers from Cagliari are available.

You’ll need to make a reservation a few days in advance. Check their website for prices and conditions.

Best Wine: Turriga

info@argiolas.it

+39-070-740-606

Argiolas.it

SARDINIAN PEOPLE & THEIR WINES

A beautiful 90 seconds spot by Argiolas shows the strong connection between the people of Sardinia – through their hands, feet, eyes and mouths – and their wines. It’s about textures, perfumes, colours and laughter. Even if you don’t understand Italian, you can check it out here.

SURRAU

Imagine a river crossing a valley among granite mountains covered with cork trees. Surrau lies in one of these valleys, embraced by 36 hectares of vineyards. The smart design of the modern winery enhances the view of the lovely surroundings and provides shade during hot summer days.

Tour the art gallery to get inspired by Sardinian artists then head for some tasting in the main hall overlooking the vineyards. The best part of the day is the sunset when every detail gets tainted in gold and orange hues. In the evening you can then sit at the candlelit tables and taste their wines accompanied by Sardinian food specialities while listening to live music.

The architectural design, the interior decoration, the service and the customers – Costa Smeralda is just around the corner – make Surrau the most fashionable winery in Sardinia.

Their shop is open daily from 10:00 to 20:00 in Winter and 10:00 to 22:00 in Summer. You’ll need to make a reservation for wine tours and tastings.

Best Wine: Sciala

accoglienza@surrau.it

+39-0789-82933

VigneSurrau.it

SURRAU – THE MEN BEHIND THEIR WINES

Feeling curious about Surrau wines? Check out their video here

SU ENTU

Su Entu in Italian means The Wind. It’s the wind that keeps the air pure, that softly blows its warm air and makes the grapes of these gentle hills mature in ideal conditions.

Make your way to the hilltop overlooking the 32 hectares of vineyards to find the modern winery founded in 2011.

In an airy hall kissed by the sun, you’ll be able to taste four different combinations of wines. Take your time and relax while you savour each red and white, and learn about the grapes and the techniques that produce a lingering note or a spicy feeling.

Su Entu opens Monday through Thursday from 09:00 to 13:00 and from 14:30 to 18:30. Reservation required.

Best Wine: Bovale

visita@cantinesuentu.com

+39-070-935-71235

CantineSuEntu.com

SU ENTU

Check out Su Entu as presented by the family who runs it

TENUTE DETTORI

You cannot taste a more organic wine than Dettori’s, which is actually biodynamic certified. All of their wines are also true “cru wines”. That means each vineyard in Dettori’s estate is planted with only one type of grapes, and from those, a distinct wine is produced. So while other wineries might mix different grapes to get smoother results, at Dettori you’ll be tasting 100% Cannonau, Monica, Pascale, Vermentino and Moscato – all typical Sardinian varieties.

Production is limited to between 20 and 45 thousand bottles per year when nature is particularly generous. In 2008, for instance, winemakers were watching all of their fruits disappear on their vines due to a downy mildew attack. They refused to use pesticides preferring to lose a season’s grapes rather than polluting their lands. Production that year was limited to 2.000 bottles.

Now you may be thinking about joining a tasting session. But wait, because there might be a better option. At Dettori, they turned their old winery into a Farmhouse restaurant where you can enjoy their own handmade pasta and bread. You can dine in the candlelit garden looking down to the vineyards and the sea tasting excellent wines and cuisine. How does that sound to you?

Dettori recommends a tour of the vineyards at 19:30 (free of charge) followed by wine-tasting with meat and cheese or a proper meal.

Open daily June through September – and on Saturday evenings and Sunday mornings the rest of the year. Check their website for terms and condition.

info@tenutedettori.it | +39-079-515-511 | TenuteDettori.it |

Restaurant Kentannos kentannos@tenutedettori.it | +39-348-333-0900 | Kentannos