Antonella Corda

Cannonau is a grape varietal that is not widely grown - It's a red grape that is grown almost exclusively on the island of Sardinia. A blue zone, known for distinct food and wine as well as overall happiness of its inhabitants, Sardinia is often overlooked but shouldn’t be. We should all probably think about moving there, but for now we can delve deeper into this awesome bottle. Cannonau as a varietal is related to Grenache, in fact they are pretty much identical, but years of isolation within their respective regions has evolved each into its own thing. Antonella Corda is a total badass. She is a famed viticulturist, who was given the vineyards from her grandfather, Antonio, who was also a famed viticulturist who lived to be 104 years old. Antonella’s style has become her own, but she blends new organic farming techniques with centuries old knowledge that has been passed down to her. The Apple of her Grandfather’s eye! What I love about this red wine is it has a juicy bounce to it. Immediately as you taste it there is the velvety Cannonau-ness that you know to expect, but instead of it being too heavy or downtrodden from the heat it has a snap to it. Lovely and alive, it's perfect for all the spring foods that start coming into season. I actually think this wine would be great with Artichokes if you served the wine a little bit chilled. It’s a notoriously challenging vegetable to pair wine with, so maybe if you have a little kewpie mayo grate in some garlic, salt, lemon juice…ok we are diving into a quick fire challenge but I just love this wine so much!

Serving temp: Cellar temp around 65 degrees, store in a dark and cool spot.
Pairing: Obviously the above, but would also be great with lamb, mushroom risotto, bouillabaisse.