It's a story of resilience and survival on Sardinia, the Mediterranean's second-largest island—1,200 miles of wild coastline, sandy beaches, forested mountains, and mysterious Bronze Age nuraghi beehive towers.
Nestled dead-center in Sorgono (a remote granite high plain at 600m), three childhood friends—Pietro Uras, Renzo Manca (his face on the "Manca" label), and Simone Murru—reunited mid-2010s to rescue their families' gnarly, hand-tilled centenary vineyards. Nearly sold off due to brutal labor and bulk-grape buyers, these low-yield sites (40-100yo vines of Cannonau, Monica, Muristeddu/Bovale Sardo) now thrive under organic practices. True garagistes, they craft small-batch, non-interventionist wines: full-bodied yet bright/high-acid from pink/white granite soils.
I Garagisti di Sorgono "Manca" 2019 is 100% Cannonau from Renzo's authentic centenary plantings (dodging 1980s Tocai Rosso fakes that flooded Sardinia). Dramatic day-night swings yield powerful brightness. Stainless native fermentation followed by 12 months stainless aging.
Baked CDP character: garrigue, olive tapenade, wild sage, baked plum depth; massive body with mountain lift.
Why You'll Love It
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Century vines on decomposed pink/white granite yields ripeness like a Priorat Grenache with fresh mediterranean salinity
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100-yr old Cannonau—gnarly bush-trained survivors from Sorgono’s high plain, dodging extinction.
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Garage grit: three friends hand-farming 100+yo plots for low-yield concentration without over extraction.
How to Serve It
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Pairs wondrously with Braised lamb shoulder with rosemary and garlic, Charred octopus over gigante beans or simply enjoy with fresh bread and Pecorino sardo stagionato
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Decant for 30 minutes and serve in large Burgundy bowls at 60-65°F
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Drink now - 2032
