Giovanni Montisci "Modestu" Bianco, Sardinia, Italy 2020

FROM KERMIT LYNCH:

THE WINE: 100% Moscato macerated for 5 days on skins.

THE PRODUCER: Cannonau (aka Grenache) is grown all over Sardegna, but the town of Mamoiada, in the heart of the island’s mountainous interior, could be considered one of its grand cru sites. Planted at dizzying altitudes on soils of sandy decomposed granite, the grape finds a grandiose expression that channels Barolo while rivaling, in its own way, the finest Grenaches from Châteauneuf or Priorat.

With a mere two hectares of vines and a radically artisanal approach to his craft, Giovanni Montisci has established himself as one of Mamoiada’s foremost ambassadors. Unsatisfied in his job as a mechanic, he turned his full attention to cultivating tiny vineyard plots inherited from his wife’s family, ultimately bottling his first wine from the 2004 vintage. He has since earned a cult-like following for his powerful and distinctive Cannonaus from organically farmed old vines grown up to 650 meters elevation. The chilly nights here allow for slow and steady ripening, preserving precious acidity and favoring rich, complex wines perfumed of wild fruit, flowers, Mediterranean herbs, and spices—a truly compelling translation of this extreme terroir, which shines alongside the hearty local cuisine of Sardegna’s mountains.