Wines Unspecified Tenuta Argiolas - Turriga - 2020

Viniou Reviews

The 2020 Cuvée Turriga from Tenuta Argiolas is an iconic red wine that exemplifies the depth and character of Sardinian viticulture. This masterful blend generally brings together native Sardinian grape varieties, most notably Cannonau (Grenache), Carignano, Bovale Sardo, and sometimes Malvasia Nera, meticulously hand-harvested to ensure only optimum fruit makes it into the final cuvée. The care begins in the vineyard, nestled on sun-drenched slopes characterised by a mix of sandy and clay-limestone soils, which encourage low yields and concentrated flavours. Vinification at Argiolas is both traditional and precise, with prolonged macerations and ageing primarily in French oak, both new and second use, imbuing the wine with structure, complexity, and age-worthiness. The resulting wine is deeply coloured, offering notes of black cherry, damson, Mediterranean herbs, sweet spices, and layered with hints of tobacco and cocoa, underpinned by well-integrated tannins and vibrant acidity.

Sardinia itself boasts one of the most distinctive terroirs in Italy. The island’s Mediterranean climate is marked by abundant sunshine, warm days, and cooling sea breezes that temper the heat and protect the vines from disease. The soils, a tapestry of calcareous, clay, and sandy substrates, impart a marked minerality to the wines and allow indigenous varieties to reach full aromatic ripeness while retaining freshness. Sardinia’s wine history stretches back millennia, with influences from the Phoenicians and Romans, and today, producers like Argiolas proudly carry this tradition forward into the modern era.

When considering food pairings, Cuvée Turriga’s depth and complexity make it a fine companion to robust, flavourful dishes. Regional Sardinian cuisine offers ideal matches such as slow-cooked suckling pig (porceddu), lamb with myrtle, or mature pecorino cheese. The wine’s structure also holds up beautifully with hearty Mediterranean stews, grilled meats, and rich pasta preparations like malloreddus with spicy sausage ragù.

For serving, decant the wine one hour before tasting to allow the bouquet to fully unfold. The optimal serving temperature is between 16-18°C, which accentuates the wine's aromatic complexity and texture while preserving its vivid fruit and freshness. This is a wine that can be enjoyed now with proper aeration, but it will also develop gracefully over the next decade.