1995 Isola dei Nuraghi Turriga

Turriga is Sardinia’s most famous wine, and also one of Italy’s best reds. A blend of roughly 85% old vine Cannonau (the Sardinian biotype of Grenache), with small percentages of Carignano, Bovale Sardo and Malvasia Nera that vary from vintage to vintage, it is a big, powerful and age-worthy wine that showcases extraordinarily well just how good the wines of southern Italy can be.

The family-run Argiolas winery boasts a long track record that dates back to 1918, when Francesco Argiolas planted his first vines. The estate's formal history began in 1937 under the leadership of Antonio Argiolas, who built the winery's early reputation and ran the property for decades. In the late 1970s Antonio's sons, Franco and Giuseppe, became more involved and gradually assumed responsibility for day to day operations, bringing with them a contemporary approach to viticulture and oenology. Incredibly, Antonio Argiolas remained active until his passing in 2009 at the age of 102. Argiolas makes a wide range of wines, from delicious, entry-level bottlings all the way up to more prestigious selections. I have long considered the estate's wines – at all levels – reference points in Sardinian oenology. This tasting focused on Turriga, the crown jewel of the Argiolas line up, and covered nearly every vintage from the inaugural 1988 to 2004. Turriga was the brainchild of Giacomo Tachis, the consulting oenologist responsible for Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia and a number of other wines that defined an era when Tuscan reds first exploded onto the consciousness of consumers for their ability to stand side by side with the finest wines in the world. The Turriga vineyard was planted in 1975. This limestone-rich plot sits at an altitude of 230 meters above sea level, where breezes from the ocean keep the fruit well-ventilated. Cannonau, Sardinia's version of Grenache, is the principal variety in Turriga and typically accounts for 85% of the final blend. Bovale Sardo, Carginano and Malvasia Nera, all unique, indigenous varieties, play supporting roles and are used for roughly 5% each, although the final blend varies slightly from year to year. The grapes are fermented for 16-18 days and are subsequently aged in new French oak barrels prior to being assembled and bottled. I was frankly surprised by how much time Turriga needs to show the full range of its pedigree. Most vintages are appealing upon release, yet Turriga has built an impressive track record of developing beautifully in bottle. I was also struck by Turriga's consistency from year to year. Even in smaller vintages balance and a sense of proportion are never in question, while the finest years achieve a brilliant combination of power and elegance. Readers who seek to understand the heights Sardinian viticulture and winemaking can reach owe it to themselves to explore Turriga, preferably a vintage with a few years of bottle age.

Argiolas is one of Sardinia's – make that Italy's – most historic properties, with a rich lineage that dates back to 1918, when the first vineyards were planted. The estate makes a large number of wines, including a number of terrific, budget-level offerings all the way to the top-of- the line Turriga, which has long set the benchmark for what great Sardinian reds are and can be all about. This incredible tasting provided an opportunity to taste nearly every vintage of Turriga from the inaugural 1988 to 2004. Turriga is the brainchild of Giacomo Tachis, the consulting oenologist responsible for Sassicaia, Tignanello, Solaia and a number of first-rate Tuscan wines that defined an era when Italian reds first established themselves with consumers as top-flight wines that could match the finest bottles from around the world. The Turriga vineyard was planted in 1975. This limestone-rich plot sits at an altitude of 230 meters above sea level, where breezes from the ocean keep the fruit well-ventilated. Turriga is built around Cannonau, the island's version of Grenache, which accounts for 70-85% of the final blend. Bovale Sardo, Carginano and Malvasia, also indigenous varieties, play supporting roles. The grapes are fermented separately for 16-18 days and subsequently aged in mostly new French oak prior to being assembled into the final wine. One of the most impressive points that emerged from this tasting is that Turriga is a wine that needs considerable time to show its true pedigree. Most vintages are appealing upon release, but Turriga has a formidable track record of improving in bottle. I was also deeply impressed by the wine's consistency from year to year. Even in smaller vintages, balance and a sense of proportion are never in question, while the finest years achieve a brilliant combination of power and elegance. Readers who seek to understand the heights Sardinian viticulture and winemaking can achieve owe it to themselves to explore Turriga, preferably a vintage with a few years of bottle age.