Italian Wine Directory
Regions Denominations Grapes Producers

Cannonau

Red grapeSardinia (the island's flagship red); the Grenache family is widespread in the western Mediterranean
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Also known as Grenache, Garnacha, Alicante.

Cannonau is the Sardinian name for Grenache (Garnacha), the island's most important and widely-planted red grape, grown across Sardinia and central to its identity — some local scholarship even argues for a Sardinian origin of the variety, though its wider Mediterranean history is well established. It anchors Cannonau di Sardegna, with historic sub-zones at Oliena (Nepente di Oliena), Jerzu and Capo Ferrato.

It gives warm, full-bodied reds with ripe red and black fruit, Mediterranean-herb (macchia) and spice notes, relatively soft tannins and moderate acidity, often high in alcohol on Sardinia's sunny sites. Styles run from robust dry reds and rosati to sweet and fortified (liquoroso) versions.

Structure

BodyFull
TanninMedium
AcidityMedium
Colormedium ruby, garnet with age
RipeningMid to late

Typical aromas

red cherryplumMediterranean herbsspicedried fruit