2024 Impromptu, Sardésco, Cannonau, ‘Inu Nieddu, Vino Italia Rosso, Sardinia, Italy.
The all new deep garnet/ruby hued Sardésco bottling from Giuseppi Cóssu at Impromptu Wines, technically a Vino de Tavola or Vino Italia Rosso is native varietal blend of 90% Cannonau (Grenache) and 10% Bovale is a full bodied raw natural beauty with loads of earthy dark fruits to enjoy, along with uniquely Sardinian character. Coming from 10 year old vineyard, cordon spur trained, set on decomposed granite soils with a south-west facing at 2000 ft. of elevation in the municipality of Mamoiada this wine shows off the regional terroir with brambly berry, plum, strawberry and dusty cherry fruits, a nice sense of mineral, bay leaf, truffle, tobacco, cedar spices, anise, tar and crushed lilac flowers. The origin of Cannonau’s name, known as Grenache or Garnacha, as Còssu tells it, is because of a peculiar characteristic of the grape, which can have a reluctance to release it color into the must. So to achieve its deep purple/ruby hue the ancient Sardinian winemakers stirred the must with a large wood cane that looked somewhat like a big wooden spade, stopping when they had achieved the right color. It is well documented that In the local dialect, this somewhat unique tool was was called “Su cannone” and the action of using it for stirring (from the bottom and middle of the tank to the edge) is called “Cannonatura”, hence the name “Cannonau”. I was able to go through the latest from Giuseppi and was highly impressed by his efforts again and while the other 2024s, from cask samples show huge potential, I kept coming back to this Sardésco Rosso, and can’t wait for it to get to the States, which hopefully will be later this year. The reason, this wine is not a DOC Cannonau, is because, Giuseppi says, the vineyards are not registered and rated with the DOC administration, hence the Vino Italia Rosso, which is the modern equivalent of the old table wine classification.
Winemaker Giuséppi Còssu, with the help of Gostolai, a well respected local producer based in the Nepenti di Oliena appellation, has had access to sustainable old vine hillside grapes, to craft his Impromptu wines, which he started producing in his native Sardinia in 2019. Impromptu, named after his love of jazz improvisation, and as mentioned in my prior review, Còssu is a noted musician, a jazz drummer mainly, (a) native of Sardinia and now living on the central coast of California in Monterey part of the year that doesn’t get in the way of making his wines. Còssu is an admirer the natural wine movement, especially from Beaujolais, like the wines of Dutraive, Lapierre and Foillard, as well as some of the Loire Valley biodynamic legends, but is without a fanatical dogma in his own wines. Giuséppi has long history in wine both in his homeland where he was a sommelier and bistro owner, he also helped his grandfather make homemade wines as a kid. More recently in California, where moved back in the ’90’s, he was a Italian wine specialist from many importer, and he completed his extension enology degree in winemaking from UC Davis. His itch to make wine in his native land led him to find vineyard sources close to where he grew up and to craft wines in the old world traditions, with Cannonau being his chosen grape. The winemaking is simple, non intervention and rustic in style with 100% whole-cluster and full stems in the maceration and fermentation process with daily hand punch downs with lasted about 18 days in this vintage and the wine was matured 14 months in ancient 225L barrels, a mix of neutral French and Slovonian oak, to promote transparency and allow for a gripping nuanced profile. Impromptu has some thrilling offerings in the pipeline, including the second series of ancient vine whites, one of which was done with skin contact, as well as single varietal Monica and Carignano, to go along with the set of three Cannonau bottlings. This Sardésco Cannonau, at 14.5%, is a supple and ripe that perfect captures the island’s independent passion, Mediterranean sun and raw natural beauty in the glass.
($45 Est.) 94 Points, grapelive