Yet another in a
long list of
verbose and
confusing wine names. In this case, the
red wine is another offering from one of
Sardinia's largest winemakers, based in
Alghero.
Cannonau (which must make up at least 90% of this
DOC wine) is a red
grape grown over much of the
island, and is closely related to
Grenache (also called
Garnacha in
Spain, thought to be the
origin of this type). The "
Riserva" in this case does have a defined meaning, indicating at least three years of
aging in
oak barrels before
bottling. However, the
cork in the bottle I
purchased (for about $11) indicates that the wine was bottled in July 2000, scarcely two years from
harvest. It is possible that my sources are
out of date, and that the rules for
oaking now
mandate only two years (as has become the case for
Chianti Classicos).
With all that said, this still failed to be a good wine.
I was attracted to the variety because I'd thought it would be a full bodied, tannic wine, but I was disappointed. The color was good, reminiscent of a Rhone wine or perhaps a US Merlot, but the aroma was off--lots of oak to smell, but little else. This aromatic impression carried over to the wine's taste: the fruit flavors were marginal at best, being rudely stepped over by a woodiness that was unpleasant. And despite the long period in oak, the wine failed to acquire any real tannic structure. Perhaps it is time for Sella and Mosca to invest in some new barrels that have more to offer.
In general impression, though, I was surprised how much it seemed a cross between an Apulian wine (such as a Salice Salentino) and a Rhone wine (which tend to make great use of Grenache, at least in the southern Rhone valley) from Southern France. Too bad it wasn't as good as wines from either area.
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