“Korem” Bovale Isola dei Nuraghi IGT 2022

Antonio Argiolas | Sardinia
Argiolas S.p.A. | Via Roma 28/30 | IT 09040 Serdiana

20032722 · 0,75 l · 37,33 €/l · Price (DE) incl. VAT, excl. Shippingavailable immediately

There are grape varieties that wait in the shade for centuries until their time has come. The Bovale Sardo – called "Muristellu" in the Sardinian dialect – was one such forgotten variety, which was once brought to Sardinia by the Iberians around 1300 and for centuries only served as a blending partner to lend colour and strength to other wines. But sometimes it only takes the courage of a visionary to realise that a treasure lies dormant in a neglected grape. Today, Korem is one of Cantina Argiolas' most important wines and a true pride of Sardinian oenology – a liquid testament to the fact that greatness is often hidden where you least expect it. In the vineyards of Tenuta Sa Tanca, where the Sardinian sun beats down on chalky-clay soils between 250 and 300 metres above sea level, the ancient Bovale vines have found their true destiny. Here, where some vines are still trained using the traditional Alberello system – the Sardinian training system that allows the vines to grow like small trees –produces grapes of exceptional concentration. The Argiolas family even allows them to overripen slightly in order to maximise the aroma density and sugar content before hand-picking begins in the early hours of the morning, when the coolness of the night still preserves the precious aromas.

In the glass, Korem reveals the full intensity of its rediscovered nature: a deep, vibrant ruby red heralds a wine of monumental structure. The bouquet unfolds in waves of ripe black fruit – blackberries, amarena cherries and plums –which combine with the scent of rosemary and a hint of lavender to create a kaleidoscopic flavour experience. Notes of dark chocolate, roasted coffee and delicate vanilla from the wood maturation round off this olfactory symphony. A wine of rare perfection unfolds on the palate: velvety and enveloping, powerful yet elegant, with ripe, silky tannins that give the wine structure without harshness. The Mediterranean soul of Sardinia lives in every sip – warm, harmonious and characterised by the deep minerality that only the island of nuraghi can produce. The final is long and memorable, an echoing song of the macchia mediterranea that goes on for minutes telling the story of a grape variety that has finally found its rightful place in the pantheon of Sardinian oenology. SUPERIORE.DE