7 of the Best White Wines From Sardinia

Like the red Cannonau that offers a unique, Sardinian take on the grape otherwise known as Grenache or Garnacha, the Vermentino variety — the island’s signature white grape — will also surprise and please you.

And like the Cannonaus, which I reviewed in my last column, Sardinia’s Vermentinos are quintessentially Mediterranean wines from grapes that have found a welcoming home in the island’s arid climate (as well as in Corsica, Tuscany, Liguria, and the south of France, where it’s called Rolle). The grape grows in a variety of soils, most prominently the granite found on much of the island.

In Sardinia, the wine is characterized by a variety of fruit flavors, including pear and apple, peach, citrus, lots of herbs, and a stony minerality. Typically produced without oak aging, it’s a singular aromatic white wine and an interesting alternative to Sauvignon Blanc, Albariño, and even Grüner Veltliner.

Karen MacNeil, author of “The Wine Bible,” calls it “a simple wine to be sure. But the aromas and flavors mirror the wind-swept island itself, and are evocative of wine-whipped dry brush and resinous herbs like wild rosemary, sage and dried lavender.”

You’ll find Vermentino under a couple of denominations of origin, including the island-wide Vermentino di Sardegna and the smaller (and some say more prestigious) Vermentino di Gallura, a DOCG, named for a small region in the northeast part of the island. The Gallura wines tend to be a bit richer in character.

In addition to the Vermentinos below, I’ve also included a fascinating white wine based on the native Nuragus grape, which many consider a more pedestrian variety but which produces a stunning wine in this example.

Here are seven of the best white wines from Sardinia.

Sella & Mosca Vermentino di Sardegna 2023

Reliably consistent and widely available, this under-$15 bargain shows notes of herb-infused pear, apricot, and a touch of honey that add up to good complexity for the price. A go-to wine for broiled fish fillets and sushi.

Price: $13
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Contini ‘Elibaria’ Vermentino di Gallura 2023

Aromas and flavors of honeysuckle, eucalyptus, green apple, lemon-lime, and lots of herbs define this expressive and refined wine from grapes grown organically on granitic soils. Fermentation and aging took place in stainless-steel tanks.

Price: $18
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Pedres ‘Thilibas’ Vermentino di Gallura Superiore 2022

Eighty percent of the Pedres winery’s output is devoted to Vermentino, and this one shines with notes of green apple skins, Mediterranean herbs, minerals, and wisps of orange and butterscotch.

Price: $23
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Argiolas ‘Merì’ Vermentino di Sardegna 2023

This Vermentino has excellent complexity with aromas and flavors of green apple, grapefruit, and hints or orange rind, oregano, and honeysuckle. Also worth considering: Argiolas’s more widely available and less expensive “Costamolino” Vermentino.

Price: $22
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Surrau ‘Limizzani’ Vermentino di Gallura 2023

There’s a nice richness to this wine, with spicy stone fruits, including white peach and apricot, along with a touch of honey and hints of pencil shavings and minerals.

Price: $16
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Santa Maria La Palma ‘Aragosta’ Vermentino di Sardegna 2023

“Aragosta” means lobster in Italian, as depicted by the picture on the label of this wine. It drives home the point that these Vermentinos are made for seafood. This one is citrusy, with lemon, lime, and orange peel aromas and flavors, herbs, and a touch of almond on the finish. The wine is both simple and delicious, and the price makes it a home run. I’m linking to a retailer that sells it for $10.

Price: $10
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Schirru ‘Arkìmia’ Bianco 2022

Made from the ancient Sardinian Nuragus variety, this very dry white wine is marked by flinty mineral and floral aromas followed by notes of Bosc pear, orange, and a hint of honey. This one is all about texture and could be mistaken for an orange wine, though there is no skin contact.

Price: $31
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Next up: Gamay, the up-and-coming wine from Oregon’s Willamette Valley.

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