Cannonau di Sardegna DOC

HISTORY  Cherchi has been a point of reference for many producers in Sardinia on account of Giovanni Cherchi’s contribution to the fame of Vermentino di Sardegna beyond the regional boundary. A long time veteran of the wine business in this region, Giovanni Cherchi started his career in 1970 as a winegrower after inheriting a 2 ha vineyard and selling fruit to other wineries in the region. He started producing his own wine with the 1980 vintage and has since passed the torch to his children Salvatore, Annalisa and Maria, while continuing to oversee the work in both the vineyard and winery. 

Usini is a municipality of the province of Sassari, nestled in the Logudoro hills. These lands have a centuries-old vocation for grape-growing with their alternating limestone hills and valleys clothed by a patchwork of vineyards, olive groves, vegetable gardens and pastures. The particular features of the soil and climate provide full-bodied, fragrant grapes. Sea breezes, due to the short distance from the coast, the wind and temperature excursions enrich characteristics found in the wines.

VINEYARDS & WINEMAKING  The Cherchi family owns approximately 30 ha (74 acres) of vineyards in Usini with 60% Vermentino, 35% Cagnulari and 5% Cannonau. Vineyards lie between 180 m to 200 m above sea level on hilly slopes that contain more limestone on the southeast slope and primarily clay on the northwest slope. The sea breezes provide ventilation to the enriched soils and serve as a natural pest-control. The combination of microclimates, soil types and vineyard management techniques has resulted in a limited need for chemical additives and better health towards the overall grape quality. 

100% Cannonau

VINEYARD: Composed of hilly soils placed at about 200 metres above sea-level.

FERMENTATION: The grapes are destalked and crushed. The maceration on the skins lasts 8/10 days at the temperature of 25/28°C. The malolactic fermentation naturally occurs in autumn or in the spring following the harvest.

AGING: In steel tanks and in big wood casks, for minimum 6 months. It is bottled after a light filtration.