TRAVEL: SARDINIA niaci Strait N ILALLA AALA 1 Capichera Winery 2 Cantina Giogantinu 3 Vigne Surrau 0 5 10 15 133 4 Cantina Gallura kilometres 5 Siddùra aa 6 Mura 7 Sienda LA COSTA SMERALDA 125 oo eo CORSICA 133 aaoe aena niaci onao Strait ananaeo ooano a aaana AIIA ALLA di on ia Tyrrhenian Sea a aa aanan Airport E840 Maps:Maggie Nelson My perfect day in Gallura Morning Isola della Maddalena national park Die BildagenturDie derFotografen GmbH/Alamy; Levy/Alamy.Maps:MaggieY Nelson - At Antica Dimora La Coronoa (www.anticadimoralacorona.com), wake up to a breakfast of Sardinian pastries and sheep’s ricotta in a Photograph:Look handsomely restored 18th-century Above: on the Costa Smeralda, Porto Cervo’s house in the village of San Pantaleo. From there it’s a short drive across Genoa Adriatic Sea The Decanter travel guide to exclusive hotels attract a well-heeled crowd the hills to Capichera winery (www. Ligurian ITALY Sea capichera.it) near Arzachena and IA Cudacciolu, run by Emanuele Rome ‘Gallura’s stunning coastline Ragnedda with his father and uncle. Sardinia, Italy ‘My family has been in Sardinia for AIIA is never far away from the 300 years, and was the first, in Tyrrhenian Sea 1980, to make single-varietal park, an unspoiled, seven-island One of the world’s most popular skinned white Vermentino has links to Liguria vine-growing slopes’ Vermentino,’ he says. Make sure archipelago close to southern holiday spots, this Italian island – where it is known as Pigato – and to the you visit the Giant’s Tomb, a stone Corsica (www.lamaddalenapark.it). FACT FILE Tuscan coast. It’s also found in Provence and intense mineral character,’ says Giampaolo megalith from Sardinia’s Nuragic Planted area 7,000ha, is a haven for those wanting an Languedoc-Roussillon: indeed Sardinia’s Gravina, one of Italy’s senior wine critics. Bronze Age civilisation – more than Evening and overnight of which 66% is DOC authentic food and wine geology has more in common with southern As so often with native varieties, Vermentino 3,000 exist in Sardinia. In the late afternoon stop in at and/or DOCG experience, finds Carla Capalbo France than with its political motherland. has found its ideal habitat through time: it has Vigne Surrau (www.vignesurrau.it), Production (2014) Nowhere does Vermentino express itself been cultivated in Gallura since the 14th Afternoon east of Arzachena. This estate is 502,000hl better than in the province of Olbia-Tempio, at century. The vines have adapted well to the After tasting the wines and some impressive, with a modern building Total Vermentino ITALY’S SECOND LARGEST island has striking the northeastern corner of Sardinia, where it’s extreme growing conditions: cool, dry Maestrale local salumi, head down to Porto for tasting and buying wines, 4,194ha (of which 70% landscapes with unspoiled, rocky coastlines made into Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (with (Mistral) winds coming down from the Cervo – full of cafés and designer sampling local pecorino cheeses is in northern Sardinia) giving way to rugged mountains still sparsely the Superiore category also available for wines northwest, and 300 days of forceful sun a year. shops – to eat lunch in one of Hotel and salumi, and learning about Vermentino di Gallura populated by shepherds and their sheep. with slightly higher alcohol levels). Cervo’s restaurants, such as Il winemaking. They produce five DOCG 1,320ha Almost despite its coastal accessibility, the Vermentino is most often vinified in stainless Into the wilds Pomodoro (www.ilpomodoro- versions of Vermentino, including Main grape varieties island remains closed and introspective at its steel vats to maintain crispness, though some Still, Gallura is not an easy place for vines to esmeraldachurrascaria.com), which one sparkling and a sweet passito. Red Bovale (Bobal), heart; many islanders prefer lamb and goat to barrel ageing is also found. Its lively character grow. The rocky terrain is very uneven, and has the area’s best pizza. There are Meals can be ordered in advance. Cannonau (Grenache), fish. Yet in recent years Sardinia’s better wines and attractive citrus and floral notes – often the hillsides are covered thickly by macchia breezy sea views from the terrace, After that aperitivo, drive west for Carignano, Monica, have progressed from stubborn rusticity to a with hints of ginestra, the local yellow broom mediterranea. Similar to English heath, the mix perfect for people-watching. After 15 minutes to Agriturismo Tenuta White Malvasia, more open, modern approach. flowers – keep it refreshing and dry. of indigenous plants here – including broom, lunch, drive a few kilometres to Pilastru for dinner and an overnight Muscadellu, Nasco, While the big reds of the south, such as ‘The region of Gallura is Vermentino’s euphorbia, holm-oak, buckthorn and myrtle Palau and take the boat around stay (www.tenutapilastru.it). The Nuragus, Vermentino Cannonau and Carignano, reflect the Spanish natural home, where the salty winds and very – are able to survive Sardinia’s parched Isola della Maddalena national food is strictly Sardinian. influence of the island’s past, the light- poor, stony soils of granite and sand give it an summers. It results in a fragrant, evergreen ➢ 94 | September 2015 • DECANTER DECANTER • September 2015 | 95 TRAVEL: SARDINIA Your Sardinia address book Hotels Restaurants Stelle D Stelle, Stelle D Stelle Locanda Conte Mameli, Caffè Cosimino, Olbia Porto Cervo Olbia In Olbia’s town centre of Piazza In summer, this In the town centre, this is a small hotel in Margherita, this wine bar features a restaurant hosts a historic palazzo with some character. huge selection of wines and good food. Italian Michelin- www.lalocandadelcontemameli.com Always open. Tel: +39 0789 21001 starred chefs who prepare their own Li Finistreddi, Arzachena Ristorante Barbagia, Olbia gourmet food. www. Near Arzachena, at Micalosu, this Try some of the hinterland dishes of stelledstelle.com country resort near the vineyards offers pork, wild boar and cheeses in the all the comforts of a summer retreat. spacious Ristorante Barbagia. Shopping www.finistreddi.it www.ristorantebarbagia.com Soha Sardinia, Porto Cervo As well as offering handmade jewellery Hotel Nibaru, Cala di Ristorante Nino, and other accessories, this boutique Volpe Pittulongu makes fine, polyphenol-rich skin creams Stay here to enjoy the Costa Smeralda A few kilometres outside Olbia, in Hotel using an extract of red Cannonau on a budget: great location, a lovely pool Stefania, this restaurant offers local grapes. www.sohasardinia.com and walking access to several beaches. Sardinian dishes, along with lovely www.hotelnibaru.it rooms and views of (and access to) the In Vino Veritas, Olbia sandy Pittulongu beaches. On the Corso Umberto in the centre of Agriturismo Agrisole, www.stefaniahotel.it Olbia, you will find a large selection of Casagliana Sardinian wines to taste and buy, and If you prefer to stay outside the towns, Ristorante Il Tirabusciò, they also serve light lunches. Clockwise from top left: the vineyards at Vigne Surrau, where wine is also available to buy; Sardinia’s this agriturismo is halfway between Calangianus www.invinoveritas.playfun.tv Simply famous seadas cheese pastries are served with local honey; scrubland has been transformed into Olbia and Arzachena, and offers a Inland at Calangianus, in the hills where vineyards at the Siddùra winery; the Cala di Volpe hotel and the terrace of its Il Pontile bar more rustic atmosphere, with local the cork trees grow, this affordable Thursday market, Italian – dishes available for dinner. venue prepares homemade traditional San Pantaleo Great wines and impenetrable scrub. Many trees are also Cala di Volpe (www.caladivolpe.com) charge www.agriturismo-agrisole.com food, with pastas (boiled and fried) and In the small, traditional village of San farmed for their cork (used in wine bottles). prices only moguls can afford, with multi- locally reared meats and vegetables. Pantaleo, there is a fun market every Discover a Wineries here range from small family affairs tiered yachts anchored at its secluded marina. Hotel Nibaru Tel: +39 0796 61849 week where you can find local produce, dazzling selection to large, successful cooperatives such as But either side of high season both tourism crafts, artworks and more. of Italian wines Cantina Giogantinu (www.giogantinu.it) and and hotel prices drop far enough to make its Gelateria da Pasqualina, and meet the Cantina Gallura (www.cantinagallura.net) that splendid seaside accessible in affordable Porto Cervo winemakers specialise in affordable and drinkable wines country agriturismi and smaller hotels. In the Promenade du Port at Porto How to get there behind them. from the local area. All are open to visitors but The food is delicious, with fresh fish and Cervo, this ice creamery makes its own From Olbia’s Costa Smeralda Monday 7 appointments are necessary. local pastas such as fregola served with fabulous ices and pastries from airport, the train station or port, it’s a September 2015, ‘Vermentino is the quintessential intensely flavoured local tomatoes, followed Mediterranean fruits and nuts. 30-minute drive to the wine region. Stationers’ Hall Mediterranean grape: it loves the sun, the sea by roast suckling pig – or porceddu – another of www.lapasqualina.com London, Ave Maria and the wind, and it marries perfectly with the island’s favourites. And save room for Photographs:Carla Capalbo(5) Lane, London EC4 fish, shellfish and seafood pastas,’ says dessert: Sardinian pastries are legendary. Look Consumer tasting Gravina. ‘Despite the region’s climatic for the fabulous seadas, a fried pasty filled and enjoy spectacularly situated vineyards, burning fire over which the milk is cooked. It’s 6pm-8pm extremes, well-made Vermentino di Gallura with fresh sheep’s cheese that’s served warm Siddùra is a short drive under the mountains even listed in Slow Food’s Ark of Taste.