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SardiniaJohny Goerend / Unsplash
Italy

Sardinia

Curated by Michele Edington, Certified Sommelier

Sardinia feels like its own little wine world in the middle of the Mediterranean. Vineyards stretch from the granite hills around Gallura to the warmer southern coast, surrounded by olive trees, wild herbs, rocky mountains, and brilliant blue water. The island has an incredible collection of native grapes, and drinking locally here can take you from crisp coastal whites to fragrant reds in the same meal. I’d pair the whole experience with grilled fish, pecorino, handmade pasta, roasted meats, and plenty of Sardinian olive oil.

Grapes

white: Vermentino
red: Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano, Monica

Wines & pairings

Vermentino di Gallura
Starters
  • Mazza frissa with fresh fava beans — Fresh cream and semolina are worked together into a soft, rich Gallurese specialty that becomes especially good with spring fava beans. Vermentino di Gallura brings lemon, pear, and herbs beside the creamy texture, while its salty mineral character gives every bite a beautiful little lift.
  • Cozze di Olbia with parsley and lemon — Mussels from the waters around Olbia need very little beyond parsley, lemon, garlic, and olive oil. Vermentino’s citrus and sea-salt character feel completely at home with the shellfish, while its floral side brings out their natural sweetness.
  • Ricotta mustia with Sardinian flatbread — Smoky, salted ricotta served with crisp Sardinian bread gives Vermentino di Gallura plenty of savory flavor to play with. The wine’s pear and citrus brighten the cheese, while its herbal and almond notes fit beautifully with the gentle smokiness.
Entrées
  • Chiusoni galluresi with wild boar ragù — These thick handmade Gallurese gnocchi are wonderful with a slow wild boar and tomato ragù. Vermentino di Gallura has enough body for the pasta and meat, while its herbs and ripe citrus bring a fresh contrast to the rich sauce.
  • Puligioni galluresi — These fresh ravioli are traditionally filled with ricotta and a touch of sweetness, giving them a personality all their own. Vermentino’s flowers and ripe pear fit beautifully with the creamy filling, while its citrus and mineral edge keep the pasta feeling lively.
  • Capretto with wild fennel and olives — Kid goat slowly cooked with wild fennel and olives brings together so many flavors of the Gallurese countryside. Vermentino’s herbal character picks up the fennel, while its citrus and salty finish work beautifully with the tender meat and olives.
Desserts
  • Acciuleddi with honey — These braided pieces of dough are fried until golden and finished with warm honey, sometimes with a little citrus zest. Vermentino’s pear and flowers bring freshness beside the honey, while its citrus feels especially pretty with the orange and lemon aromas in the pastry.
  • Formaggelle galluresi — These little Easter pastries are filled with ricotta, raisins, and lemon zest. Vermentino di Gallura picks up the citrus immediately, while its floral and orchard-fruit notes fit beautifully with the creamy cheese and sweet raisins.
  • Cucciuleddi di meli — These traditional Gallurese sweets are filled with honey and often scented with orange, giving them a rich, fragrant center inside crisp pastry. Vermentino’s citrus and flowers echo the orange and honey, while its gentle almond character brings out the pastry’s warmer side.
Cannonau
Starters
  • Panadas Sarde — These little Sardinian savory pies are exactly the kind of thing I’d want beside Cannonau, especially when they are filled with lamb or pork. The buttery pastry and roasted meat bring out the wine’s ripe cherry and plum, while the herbs pick up its more Mediterranean side.
  • Pecorino Sardo with pane carasau and myrtle honey — Aged Sardinian pecorino, crisp pane carasau, and just a little myrtle honey make such a good first plate with Cannonau. The salty cheese loves the wine’s ripe red fruit, while the honey and wild-herb flavors bring forward its spice and herbal character.
  • Salsiccia Sarda with olives — Sardinian sausage is packed with savory flavor, fennel, and spice, which makes Cannonau feel completely at home beside it. Add a few olives and some bread and the wine’s cherry, herbs, and peppery warmth all seem to come alive.
Entrées
  • Porceddu (Sardinian spit-roasted suckling pig) — Porceddu is one of the dishes I’d specifically save for Cannonau. The suckling pig is slowly roasted until the skin turns crisp while the meat stays incredibly tender, often with myrtle adding its own aromatic touch. Cannonau’s ripe cherry, herbs, and warm spice fit beautifully with every smoky, savory bite.
  • Malloreddus alla Campidanese — These little ridged Sardinian pasta shapes are traditionally served with sausage, tomato, saffron, and pecorino. Cannonau works so well here because its juicy red fruit meets the tomato while the wine’s herbs and spice echo everything happening in the sauce.
  • Zuppa Gallurese — This traditional Gallura dish layers bread, broth, herbs, and plenty of melted cheese into something almost like a Sardinian savory bread pudding. Cannonau brings bright red fruit and spice to all that rich, deeply savory flavor, especially when the top gets golden and crisp from the oven.
Desserts
  • Seadas — Seadas are one of the Sardinian desserts I’d absolutely try while you’re there. Crisp pastry surrounds warm pecorino before everything gets finished with honey, giving you this incredible combination of salty, sweet, creamy, and crunchy. Cannonau’s ripe red fruit and herbal character make the honey and cheese taste even more interesting.
  • Pabassinas — These traditional Sardinian cookies are filled with raisins, almonds, walnuts, citrus, and warm spices. All those dried-fruit and nutty flavors line up beautifully with the riper side of Cannonau, especially a bottle showing plum, dried cherry, and spice.
  • Pan’e Saba — Pan’e saba is made with cooked grape must along with nuts, raisins, citrus peel, and spices, so it feels almost designed for a wine pairing. The concentrated grape flavors echo Cannonau’s fruit while the nuts and spice bring out the wine’s warmer, earthier side.

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Common questions

What wine is Sardinia known for?
Sardinia, in Italy, is known for Vermentino di Gallura, Cannonau, made from grapes such as Vermentino, Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano, Monica.
What grapes are grown in Sardinia?
Vermentino, Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano, Monica.
What food pairs with Sardinia wines?
Classic local pairings include Seadas, Porceddu (Sardinian spit-roasted suckling pig), Panadas Sarde, Acciuleddi with honey, Chiusoni galluresi with wild boar ragù.