Sardinian wines in the “Open Cellars at Christmas”
The Movimento Turismo del Vino re-proposes the event which, throughout the month of December, promotes wine tourism through visits to the associated wineries. Paths in the estates and among the barrels are accessible, wine tasting of different grape varieties together with those who have made oenology a lifestyle, the possibility of doing Christmas shopping after the tastings, often also of oils and other native agri-food products.
The MTV project, of national scope, is to encourage a type of sustainable and experiential tourism linked to the countryside of the various regions and to the cultivation that best represents the culture of Italy: that of the vine. You therefore have the opportunity to make a Christmas toast together with the winemakers, amplifying the pleasant experience thanks to the sensory analysis (visual, olfactory and gustatory) which is carried out and shared by those who know that particular wine best of all. The tasting may involve a supplement, especially if no purchases are made or gastronomic products are paired with the wines.
As far as the Sardinian region is concerned, you can have an oenological experience immersed in the vineyard landscapes, and in the structures where the grapes are processed, in four areas of the island. We find Open Cellars in Gallura (North-East Sardinia), Open Cellars in Cagliari and its surroundings, Open Cellars in the South Sardinia area and Open Cellars in the Sassari area (in the north-western zone), which are detailed in this article.
The wine region of north-western Sardinia
The north-western territory of Sardinia is characterized by low and sandy coasts that alternate with vertical cliffs. This wine region is distinguished by the Cannonau vines which are mainly grown on the terraced dunes on the Gulf of Asinara, and by the Vermentino and Moscato ones, on the clayey soils further inland or on the western slope. There is also Romangia, a historic region that includes the municipalities of Sorso and Sennori and a small part of the municipality of Sassari; it is a wine production area renowned for the high alcohol content of the wines where Cannonau has a specific name (Retagliadu Nieddu, in Italian “black cut”, so called because of the numerous cuts that are necessary during the harvest for the multiple small clusters, peculiar to this ancient, and rare, clone).
How to get to the Sassari area from the Peninsula
A practical and advantageous solution to reach the Sassari area (sub-region of north-western Sardinia, also called Turritano, which has the city of Sassari as its main centre) starting from the Italian peninsula, is represented by the ferries to Porto Torres, a port city which it is just 22 kilometers from the provincial capital.
On the Genoa – Porto Torres – Genoa route, journeys are made daily throughout the year, with departures in the evening and a journey time from city to city of 10 hours. Cabins, armchairs or deck seats can be booked on the Genoa – Porto Torres ferries and the services include a restaurant, self-service, bar, vending machines, cinema and an area equipped for children’s entertainment. By purchasing your ticket online, you avoid having to queue at the ticket office of the maritime station both at the time of purchase and at check-in: in fact, you can go directly alongside with a ticket in digital or printed format and identity documents in hand. Those traveling with a vehicle must show up two hours before departure while if you are on foot you can be at the port half an hour before.
On the Civitavecchia – Porto Torres – Civitavecchia section, a weekly journey is active in December, with night departures when traveling to Sardinia and evening departures when departing from the island, which has a journey time of 8 hours. On the Civitavecchia – Porto Torres ferries you can book a cabin, suite, armchair or deck passage. There are cafeterias, self-service, à la carte restaurant, video games room, disco, children’s play area, shop, gym and spa. The ticket purchased online must be shown when boarding, where you must present yourself an hour and a half before departure, from your smartphone or printed form, together with the passengers’ identity documents: it is not necessary to go to the ticket office for check-in.
Open Cellars in the Sassari area
Poderi Parpinello, on the Sassari – Alghero SS road (Lago Baratz exit), offers, every day by reservation on the telephone 346 5915194, visits to the vineyards and tasting of wines and extra virgin olive oil, accompanied by typical products, in the cellar, where the winemaking process is shared with visitors. The Wine Experience can be associated with an overnight stay in an accommodation facility embraced by the rows of Vermentino and Cannonau and by the Mediterranean scrub, in the name of nature and relaxation. The wines produced are Torbato Brut, Cagnulari IGT Isola dei Nuraghi, Vermentino di Sardegna DOC, Cannonau di Sardegna DOC Riserva and Monica di Sardegna DOC.
Tenute Nuraghe Crabioni is located in the province of Sassari, in the countryside of the municipality of Sorso, in the locality of Su Crabioni, which can be reached via the SS200 road. The most important bottles of the company are those of IGT Romangia Rosso Cagnulari “Sussinku Rosso”, IGT Romangia Bianco “Sussinku” and “Kanimari Cuvée”, Vermentino di Sardegna DOC “Kanimari”, Moscato di Sorso-Sennori DOC Nuraghe Crabioni, Cannonau di Sardinia DOC “Crabioni”. You can book a guided or personalized tasting by calling 3882587721.
In the Li Duni winery, in Badesi, about 40 kilometers away from Sassari, you can have a wine tasting or a visit to the vineyards, to try Vermentino di Gallura with all possible senses and savor the typical local flavors around the ungrafted vines (not grafted) in sandy soils on the Gulf of Asinara. Reservations must be made by calling 079 9144480. Among the house labels there are Cannonau DOC, Vermentino di Gallura DOCG, Isola dei Nuraghi IGT, Vermentino di Sardegna DOC Spumante.
The Santa Maria La Palma winery, in the hamlet of the same name in the municipality of Alghero, offers guests the opportunity to learn about all the stages of the production process, from the place of transformation to the tasting room. Vermentino and Cannonau, Monica di Sardegna, Cagnularu and other wines are paired with a platter of typical local products. The telephone for reservations is 3404831827. Visits are possible from Monday to Saturday morning.
Tenute Sella & Mosca is located in Alghero, in the locality of I Piani; it can be visited from Monday to Saturday, by reservation only on 079997700. You can pay a visit to the historic cellars and taste two wines, Alghero Torbato Spumante DOC and Vermentino DOC; visit to the historic cellars and to that of Villamarina with tasting of three wines, Spumante rosé, Vermentino DOC and Alghero Rosso DOC, accompanied by a taste of local products; or, in addition to the cellars, you can visit the museum and take a walk in the vineyards, combining the tasting of local products with the tasting of Alghero Torbato Spumante Brut Classic Method DOC, Vermentino di Gallura Superiore DOCG, Cannonau DOC and Alghero Cabernet Riserva DOC .
The Costadoria farm mainly cultivates vines and artichokes. The winery is located in the Coghinas valley, in the municipality of Valledoria, in Via Giuseppe Mazzini, on the Gulf of Asinara, and nearby is the company’s agritourism, where you can stay and enjoy traditional Sardinian gastronomy. Visits and tastings can be made by appointment on 079584241. Among the labels we find those of Altubiancu (Vermentino di Sardegna DOC – Vineyard on the Coghinas river), of Marà (Vermentino DOC – Vineyard on the seafront), of Mont’so (Cannonau DOC) , of Sa Ira (Isola dei Nuraghi IGT – red wine) and Li Zinti (Moscato DOC Passito).
Tenute Soletta, in Codrongianos, in the province of Sassari, in the Signor’Anna locality, offers guided tours of the cellar with wine tasting (basic, intermediate or advanced, with explanations on the characteristics of the vines, denominations and vintages) for groups of minimum ten people, by reservation on 079435067; if necessary, you can also stay in the wine resort. The vines are also of imported but above all native varieties (Cannonau, Vermentino and Moscato).
