The best places to drink in Sardinia

There’s thick-skinned Cannonau grapes and their powerful antioxidant properties, thought to contribute to Sardinia’s ‘Blue Zone’ status. Crisp and zesty Vermentino di Gallura – currently the region’s only DOCG appellation – that takes on the aromas of northern Sardinia’s granite soil and coastal herbs. And among these grapes, all sorts of mysteries and folklore: the strange Granazza vines (a distant cousin of Grenache, with some genes in common with native Calabrian grapes), planted seemingly at random among historic Cannonau vineyards. The presence of unique indigenous varietals like Torbato, Cagnulari, Monica, and Arvisionadu. And the distinctive minerality imparted by the island's terroir, quite unlike any other European wines.

For a first time visit to northern Sardinia, a trip to Surrau Winery provides an accessible overview to both red and white wines from the region. The family-run vineyard started in 2001 with just a couple of hectares of old Vermentino vines inherited from the Demuro brothers’ grandfather. By 2004, they’d bought up several small wineries and parcels of land across the Surrau valley, and begun growing not only white varietals but also Cabernet, Carignano, Cannonau, Bovale and Mauristeddu.

Despite its youth, this is now one of the best-established wineries in northern Sardinia, producing over 100,000 bottles a year and exporting them all over the world. In the swish, California-esque tasting suite, book in for a wine flight. You’ll start with fresh and zesty Branu and Sciala Vermentinos, moving onto the late harvest Montidimola Vermentino, various Cannonau expressions and three different ‘Isola dei Nuraghi’ IGT blends.

To really gain an understanding of Vermentino di Gallura and its deep connection to this region, however, you have to visit the neighbouring Capichera Winery, founded by cousins of the Surrau dynasty in 1980.

Like many farmers in Sardinia, the Ragnedda family had in reality been harvesting grapes on a domestic scale for generations, selling them to a local cooperative in return for bottles of wine. When the Costa Smeralda was first put on the map as a luxury holiday destination in the seventies, they spotted an opportunity: excellent wines, like those long-appreciated by visitors to Provence or Tuscany or even the Amalfi Coast. After several years of careful experimenting, Capichera was the first winery in Sardinia to age Vermentino in French Barrique to any success.

Tastings take place either in their state-of-the-art new winery or on the lawn overlooking the vineyards. The yield is low, only 35% of what they could get from the space, meaning the quality can be exceptionally high. As you sip your way through their range of whites and a newly launched rosé, test tubes of coastal shrubs myrtle, sea rosemary and helichrysum (said to be the ‘fragrance of Sardinia’) are brought out as scent references. With each wine, a different canape is served: local pecorino cheeses, cured meats, burrata with crispy suckling pork, and the island’s famous pane carasau.