Argiolas

Perdera

Argiolas is the foremost wine estate on the island of Sardinia producing archetypal wines from native varietals. The winery was founded in 1938 by Antonio Argiolas and was the first on the island to pursue quality over quantity. Today, the Argiolas family is recognized as Sardinia’s leading producer of wine.

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies roughly 190 miles west of Italy's mainland. The vineyards of Argiolas are located in Serdiana in the Trexenta hills just north of the capital of Cagliari. Argiolas farms 600 acres of native Sardinian grapes including Nuragus, Monica, and Cannonau.

Perdera, meaning "place of many stones," is made from Monica, a grape that grows exclusively on the island of Sardinia and gives soft, easy-drinking wines with ample fruitiness. Some experts believe that Monica came from Spain but a genetic link has yet to be found. Monica is widely planted, easy to drink, and is very popular in Sardinia.

Tasting Notes

Perdera is 90% Monica, 5% Carignano, and 5% Bovale Sardo, aged in neutral barrels and cement vats to preserve Monica’s varietal characteristics. The wine shows red fruit aromas and flavors of cherries and plums with floral notes and spices. Perdera is juicy with bright acidity and low tannins.

Food Pairing

Monica is soft and fruity with low levels of tannins making it an ideal red wine to pair with dark fish. An ideal match would be grilled tuna or salmon with a garnish of herbs or swordfish stewed with tomatoes and saffron. Served chilled, Monica will also elevate an outdoor meal of porchetta.

Argiolas is the foremost wine estate on the island of Sardinia producing archetypal wines from native varietals. The winery was founded in 1938 by Antonio Argiolas and was the first on the island to pursue quality over quantity. Today, the Argiolas family is recognized as Sardinia’s leading producer of wine.

Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean and lies roughly 190 miles west of Italy's mainland. The vineyards of Argiolas are located in Serdiana in the Trexenta hills just north of the capital of Cagliari. Argiolas farms 600 acres of native Sardinian grapes including Nuragus, Monica, and Cannonau.

Perdera, meaning "place of many stones," is made from Monica, a grape that grows exclusively on the island of Sardinia and gives soft, easy-drinking wines with ample fruitiness. Some experts believe that Monica came from Spain but a genetic link has yet to be found. Monica is widely planted, easy to drink, and is very popular in Sardinia.

Tasting Notes

Perdera is 90% Monica, 5% Carignano, and 5% Bovale Sardo, aged in neutral barrels and cement vats to preserve Monica’s varietal characteristics. The wine shows red fruit aromas and flavors of cherries and plums with floral notes and spices. Perdera is juicy with bright acidity and low tannins.

Food Pairing

Monica is soft and fruity with low levels of tannins making it an ideal red wine to pair with dark fish. An ideal match would be grilled tuna or salmon with a garnish of herbs or swordfish stewed with tomatoes and saffron. Served chilled, Monica will also elevate an outdoor meal of porchetta.

Vineyard & Production Info

Production area/appellation:
Monica di Sardegna DOC
Vineyard name:
The Perdera vineyard
Vineyard size:
74 acres
Soil composition:
Calcareous Clay-Loam
Training method:
Guyot
Elevation:
660 feet
Vines/acre:
2,200
Yield/acre:
2.4-2.8 tons
Exposure:
Southeastern
Year vineyard planted:
1975-1980
Harvest time:
September
First vintage of this wine:
1990
Bottles produced of this wine:
210,000

Winemaking & Aging

Maceration length:
6-8
Varietal composition:
90% Monica, 5% Carignano, 5% Bovale Sardo
Fermentation container:
Stainless steel tanks
Length of alcoholic fermentation:
7-8 days
Fermentation temperature:
82-86 °F
Maceration technique:
Racking
Malolactic fermentation:
Yes
Type of aging container:
Barrels and Cement vats
Type of oak:
French
Length of aging before bottling:
6-8 months in wood and 4 months in cement
Age of Aging Container:
One year
Length of bottle aging:
2-3 months
Total SO2:
99

Analytical Data

pH level:
3.65
Acidity:
5.3 g/L
Alcohol:
14 %
Dry extract:
30.9 g/L
Total SO2:
99
Residual sugar:
0.33 g/L