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| ~ Sardegna ~ |
The Island of Sardinia, off the western coast of Italy is certainly not the first environment that people might mention when listing notable Italian winegrowing regions. However, in this often harsh, rocky, steeply terraced terrain, grapes are grown to perfection by a producer who is clearly a diamond in the rough: Argiolas.
I’ve written about Argiolas before, in documenting the success of their stately red, Korem. This article spotlights a wine inexpensive enough to be enjoyed on a regular basis. That wine, is Costera.
The 2009 Costera is a blend of indigenous Sardinian varietals and includes unspecified percentages of Cannonau, Carginano and Bovale.
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| ~ Mountainside Vineyards of Cantina Argiolas ~ |
In the glass, the wine is a brilliant purple color with a violet reflections at the rim. The taster is immediately struck by the aromas of pepper, crushed black fruits, and a hint of spice. On the palate, the wine presents a medium bodied profile with flavors of anise, crushed black berries, black olive and mineral note. This is very nice and very well balanced despite the warm growing season. Brisk acidity, and with more tannic structure than I suspected, this paired well with a variety of foods from cheese, olives, escarole and beans, bread and sauteed hot peppers. Really nice and an excellent value. What I especially like about Costera, is that this is a nice “change of pace” from central Italian reds. This is distinctly different and well worth seeking out. 90 points, about $12.
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| ~ Just like the slopes of Sardinia, so too, Costera Rises ~ |
Allora!
Great deal John!
Indeed mate. Cheers!