The UnCorker

2005 Montessu Agricola Punica

January 6, 2009 | In WINE REVIEWS | No Comments

The second wine from Agricola Punica, an undertaking between world renowned names in the winemaking business, Agricola Punica is a joint venture between Dr. Sebastiano Rosa, Sardinian winery Cantina Sociale di Santadi, Tenuta San Guido, Santadi President Antonello Pilloni and legendary Tuscan consulting oenologist Giacomo Tachis.These are giants in the Italian wine world, and they recognized what the Romans already knew two thousand years ago- Sardinia is an ideal place for growing quality wine.Tachis and the winery Santadi have believed in the potential of Carignano, perhaps better known throughout the Mediterranean as Carignan, its French name, or in Spain, Carinena, a major grape in the blends of Priorat, and common throughout the Languedoc, it likes hot and dry, but to achieve greatness it also needs the moderating effects of the Mediterranean and  cool nights to  achieve acidity and aromatic complexity.

Montessu is little sister to Barrua, a blend of Carignano, Cabernet and Merlot- polished and modern, it’s the little sister that we at The UnCorker really love to drink-Carignano at its best is plush and purply, with rich spicy fruit and a lifted aroma that is so warm and fresh, great with beef, lamb or that Sardinian favorite, goat(they eat horses and donkeys, don’t they?) Montessu is all that, with an intriguing blend of baking earth and herbs-