2009 Isola dei Nuraghi Tuvara

The Alberto Loi estate is one of the island’s very best and most traditional, so it might come as a surprise that the labels of the “Tradizione” line of wines are about to undergo a restyling. And just to show that reflection and innovation are not limited simple to the labeling of the wines, the estate is also thinking of harvesting its Vermentino grapes for the Theria bottling earlier in the future, in order to accentuate the wine’s freshness and crispiness. By contrast, they remain adamant that most Cannonau wines do not show their best when released too young, although some examples, such as their own Sa Mola Cannonau, already offer plenty of fresh fruit and vinosity upon release. For the most part, though, the Cannonau wines from Loi are released after many years in large oak barrels, making them some of the most historically accurate of the region. Theirs are also wines that speak clearly of the Jerzu sub-area of Cannonau production, in my mind a real grand cru for the variety.