Giovanni Montisci Vino Rosso 'Barrolu', Nebbiolo, Sardinia 2020

Giovanni Montisci is a fiercely independent grower in Mamoiada whose tiny estate and deeply traditional methods—organic farming, spontaneous fermentations, and minimal cellar intervention—have made him one of Sardinia’s most compelling artisan voices. “Barrolu,” born from a handful of Nebbiolo rows discovered among old Cannonau vines, offers a singular meeting of Alpine grape and Mediterranean mountain terroir.

• WINEMAKER: Giovanni Montisci

• FARMING: Practicing organic, natural vineyard management with very old vines cultivated in granite soils and worked with minimal mechanization.

• VARIETY: 100% Nebbiolo 

• TERROIR: High-elevation vineyards around Mamoiada rooted in decomposed granite, lending structure, minerality, and aromatic lift to this rare Sardinian expression of Nebbiolo.

• VINIFICATION: Fermented with indigenous yeasts following a low-intervention philosophy, without clarification or filtration and with only minimal sulfur use.

• AGING: Aged for approximately two years in large Slavonian oak botti, allowing gradual evolution while preserving purity of fruit and site.

• TASTING NOTES: Intensely aromatic with red fruit, wild herbs, and Mediterranean scrub, the palate is fresh and savory with vibrant tannin, mineral tension, and layered notes of berries and spice that convey both Nebbiolo’s structure and Sardinia’s rugged landscape.

• FOOD PAIRINGS: Roast meats, game, aged cheeses, and traditional Sardinian pork dishes complement the wine’s tannic frame and savory depth.