Events

Wine festival at Costa Smeralda
www.drinktime.ru, 14 May 2009

Expensive hotels, big yachts, boutiques of luxury brands are the reality of the famous Costa Smeralda in Sardinia.

Since recently this prestigious resort offers not only holidays in style, but also an experience of fine wines.

Hotel group Starwood Hotels & Resorts held first Porto Cervo Wine Festival in its splendid Cervo Hotel in the end of April. Instead of customary millionaires and celebrities, the stars of Italian winemaking were shining at Costa Smeralda. An impressive collection of estates was gathered under one roof — from Allegrini in Veneto to Bellavista in Lombardia, from Luciano Sandrone in Piedmont to Marchesi Antinori in Tuscany.

But as the festival took place in Sardinia, the island’s wines took centre stage. Firstly, they dominated in numbers — of sixty participating wineries half were from Sardinia. Secondly, following a golden rule of origin, wine is best understood in the area of its production.

Winemaking Sardinia is still largely an undiscovered island for the outside world. Various grapes are grown, but flagship varieties are white Vermentino and red Cannonau and Carignano. The island covers a large surface, and wines even from the same grapes can be different. For quick references, best Vermentino is found in the north, in the Gallura area. Cannonau (or Garnacha in Spain and Grenache in France) seldom produces fine wines, but this red grape is the most common in Sardinia. Good Carignano is traditionally made in the south, in the area called Sulcis.

As true for any winemaking region and particularly so for Italy, a producer name serves as the key guarantee of quality. In Sardinia, Capichera (imported to Russia by Grandi Vini) is the main point of reference. The estate’s vineyards are mostly located in the north, half an hour’s drive from Costa Smeralda. Capichera specializes in Vermentino, while also working with Carignano.

At the festival the estate organized a memorable tasting of two aged dry white wines — Capichera 1996 and Capichera Vendemmia Tardiva 1997. Both are made with Vermentino, and Vendemmia Tardiva being a more prestigious label. Grapes are harvested 2 weeks later, yields are very low, wines are aged in oak barrels. Vermentino wines are usually drank young thanks to their expressive aromas of fruit and flowers. It is not commonly known how they develop with time and whether they can develop at all. Vermentino with 12-13 years of age to it is a rarity, but a more important point of the tasting was that Capichera wines can age indeed, and they do it gracefully. I was particularly impressed with Vendemmia Tardiva 1997 which carried fine nuances of minerals, ripe fruit and spice, had an ideal balance, was deep, full bodied and remarkably persistent. Twelve years for this wine if far from the limit of its aging potential.

There were also other estates at the festival whose wines are sold in Russia — Santadi (importer Simple), Argiolas (importer MBG), Sella & Mosca (importer Svarog). Of new discoveries, Masone Mannu wines deserve attention. This is a small family estate that works only with local Sardinian varieties. All wines in the range are attractive, especially red Mannu, a blend of Carignano, Cannonau and other grapes. Its structured, yet elegant character is reminiscent of that of a good Bordeaux, and the wines are bottled exclusively in magnums. We couldn’t go past the Lucrezio R. distillery. Along with traditional and original spirits, the company makes chocolate liqueur with a provocative “Better Than Sex” label. It is quite seductive indeed, but one decides for himself whether it offers more than sex. Masone Mannu wines and Lucrezio R spirits can be bought in Olbia airport duty free zone.

Porto Cervo Wine Festival is planned to be held every year in spring. A three-day event is open bother for wine professionals and lovers. To relax at Costa Smeralda and enjoy good wine is a good excuse to come to Sardinia, isn’t it? At least, that’s what festival organizers bet on.