Cannonau wine: the Sardinian red, explained
Cannonau is Sardinia's signature red grape. Here is what it actually is, without the folklore.
What is Cannonau wine?
Cannonau is the most widely planted red grape in Sardinia and gives a full-bodied, warm red with firm tannin, ripe red fruit and Mediterranean scrub aromatics. It is the same grape as Grenache in France and Garnacha in Spain. Sardinian growing conditions — granite soils, heat, wide day-night temperature swings — give it more concentration and higher alcohol than most Grenache.
Is Cannonau the same as Grenache?
Genetically, yes. The names differ by country: Cannonau in Sardinia, Grenache in France, Garnacha in Spain, Garnatxa in Catalonia. The wines differ in style. Sardinian Cannonau is typically denser, darker and higher in alcohol than a southern Rhône Grenache, because of the island's climate and its old, low-yielding bush vines.
Why do people associate Cannonau with Sardinian longevity?
To be clear first: no wine extends anyone's life, and alcohol carries health risks at any level of consumption. Drink in moderation, or not at all. The association is a cultural one. Sardinia is one of the regions studied for its number of residents living past one hundred, and Cannonau happens to be the everyday table wine of those inland communities. Researchers have looked at diet, physical activity, altitude and social structure as factors. The wine is part of the picture people describe, not a cause of anything.
How long does Cannonau age?
An entry-level Cannonau is meant to be drunk within three or four years. A Cannonau with extended oak ageing will hold for ten years or more and improves for the first several. The grape's tannic structure and natural alcohol are what allow it to age; most producers do not wait, because holding stock is expensive.
What is Immortale?
Immortale is a Cannonau di Sardegna produced in Gallura, in northeastern Sardinia, by Immortale Srls of Olbia. The blend is by winemaker Angelo Angioi. Ageing runs roughly six years in total: six months in steel, three and a half years in oak barriques, and two years resting in bottle before release. The first vintage was bottled in 2,280 units.
Why age a wine for six years before selling it?
Because Cannonau's tannin needs time to lose its edge without the wine losing its character, and because two years of bottle rest integrates what the oak has done. Six years of capital tied up in stock is a cost that volume producers cannot carry. It is the main reason most Cannonau on the market is released within one or two years of harvest.
What does Cannonau taste like?
Deep ruby with garnet reflections. Ripe red and black fruit, Mediterranean herbs, spice, and — in oak-aged examples — vanilla and balsamic notes. On the palate it is full, warm, with firm but polished tannin and a long dry finish. Alcohol is typically between 13.5 and 15 percent.
What food pairs with Cannonau?
Red meat, roasts, game, cured meats and aged sheep's-milk cheese such as pecorino. In Sardinia the classic pairings are suckling pig and roast kid with potatoes. It also handles braises and long-cooked meat dishes well.
What temperature should Cannonau be served at?
Serve at 18 °C, around 64 °F. An oak-aged Cannonau should be opened at least an hour before serving or decanted. Once opened, a structured Cannonau holds two to three days if resealed and kept cool.
How much does good Cannonau cost?
Industrially produced Cannonau di Sardegna DOC sits between 8 and 15 euro. The premium band — small producers with oak ageing — runs from 25 to 50 euro. Above 50 euro you are in limited-release territory, where the price reflects years of ageing and small bottle counts rather than the cost of the fruit.
Can Cannonau be shipped internationally?
Within the European Union, yes, directly, with destination taxes payable by the recipient. Outside the EU, wine shipments require country-specific customs documentation and, in some markets, additional import formalities. We confirm feasibility, cost and timing for non-EU destinations before an order is placed — write to us and we will tell you exactly what is possible.
Sold to adults only. Immortale Srls · Corso Umberto I, 173 — 07026 Olbia (OT), Italy · VAT IT02907200907