Cannonau, the oldest grape of the Mediterranean.

I had completely forgotten about this news, about Cannonau, the oldest vine of the Mediterranean. It all happened a few days ago, while I was reading a wine magazine. These are the kinds of stories that reopen the memory of your past studies, like when you talk wine with an expert, or open a book, or read news from various websites covering the world of Wine Business. From excavations carried out a long time ago, begun in 2002 to be precise, such as at Borore at the nuragic site 'Duos Nuraghes', grape seeds were found dating from 1300 BC to 300 AD – more than 3,000 years ago!

The seeds were carbonized and fossilized, but in a good state of preservation. They were sent to oenological laboratories for analysis and the result was surprising: the seed belonged to a grape that was, to all intents and purposes, Cannonau – dating back to MUCH earlier than when the Spanish, around 1500, arrived on the island importing (as many still believe) the first grape to be cultivated there, which as everyone knows was Garnacha.

During that period, the ancient inhabitants of the island, who sailed throughout the Mediterranean, would have helped spread Cannonau into Spain, particularly in Seville where it is called Canonazo and in Aragon where it takes the name Garnacha, and finally in France where it is known as Grenache. Worth noting is that in the great complex of Nuraghe Arrubiu in Orroli, a certain quantity of fossilized grape seeds was also recovered, found to belong to a variety still cultivated on the Island, known depending on the locality as «Bovale sardo» or «Muristellu».

Re-studying certain information is always a pleasure, "a warm shower" for the memory. But let's describe Cannonau a little.

From an ampelographic point of view, Cannonau has a smooth leaf of a fairly vivid green color with an irregularly serrated shape. The cluster is conical in shape and medium in size, the berries are small to medium in size, with a violet color and a juice that tends toward an intense rosé. The harvest usually takes place at the end of September. Speaking of productive capacity, Cannonau is a fairly vigorous variety and adapts very well to climatic and geological conditions, which justifies its spread across very different areas. However, excessively calcareous soils or those with steep slopes, soils derived from recent alluvial deposits, and hydromorphic soils in coastal areas affected by alkalinization and salinization phenomena are not suitable for its cultivation.

The regulations state that vino Cannonau must be produced as a varietal wine or with a maximum of 10% of other permitted grape varieties added. Cannonau can be produced as a table wine, as a fortified wine, or as a dessert wine. Its color is a more or less intense ruby red, tending toward orange-garnet with aging. On the nose: red fruit (wild berries, currant, strawberry, cherry) and licorice, while on the palate it is dry and characteristically savory.

It must have a minimum total volumetric alcohol content of 12.5%. The sugar content of the must is rather high, while the fixed acidity is modest. Its aroma is particularly pronounced in heavy lowland soils and in the sandy soils of coastal areas, while it is more delicate and refined in granitic soils, as well as when the grapes are harvested earlier than the standard across all of Sardegna.

Disciplinare: Superiore Naturally Secco – 2 years of aging, maximum sugar content of 10g/l and a natural alcohol content of no more than 15%. Superiore naturally amabile – Sugar content between 10 and 25 g/l and a minimum alcoholic strength of 14%. Superiore naturally dolce – Minimum sugar content of 40 g/l and minimum alcoholic strength of 13%. Riserva – Minimum aging of 3 years. Cannonau food pairings: it pairs above all with typical local dishes, meat-based and well-structured (game, braised meats, or the classic Chinghiale al Cannonau). It is also very much appreciated with cheeses, especially aged ones.

Now that I've developed quite a craving to taste some good Cannonau di Sardegna, I'm almost tempted to take a little trip to the wine and spirits shop on 23rd Street, here in New York, and treat myself to a nice bottle. Any recommendations?