On September 4, 2023, the time had come: We harvested our white grapes. For the last 4 – 5 weeks we have regularly measured the sugar content of the Vermentino grapes. A few days ago, the sugar content reached the magic limit of 20 Babo or 100 Öchsle – the sign of the harvest. However, the right sugar content is only half the battle, and phenolic ripeness must also be present. In each bunch it has 2 seeds. If these
The left scale shows the Oechsle grades, the right scale shows the value in KMW or Babo, below is a refractometer to determine the sugar content. The Klosterneuburg cider scale was introduced to Austrian viticulture in 1861 by the first director of the Oenological-Pomological Institute in Klosterneuburg (Higher Federal Educational Institute and Federal Office for Viticulture and Fruit Growing), Baron August Wilhelm von Babo, and later adopted by Italian viticulture as Babo-Grad. That’s why today everyone in Italy speaks of
In the coming months we will try to describe the most important grape varieties known in Sardinia and to share our knowledge a little. Let’s start with the most important white grape variety, Vermentino: Historically, not everything has been clarified, but we now know that the varieties Favorita (Piedmont), Pigato (Liguria) and Vermentino (Corsica and Sardinia) are the same. It is believed that it came to the Mediterranean from Madeira via Spain many hundreds of years ago. Synonyms There are
The Italian wine is based on the European. Thus, the same rules apply in all European countries where wine is grown, with a few local exceptions. In some cases, the terms are different. If the customer wants to buy a bottle of wine, the decision for which bottle is not easy. What should he focus on? On the beauty of the bottle or the etiquette?On the seller’s arguments?On his experiences in the same field?or by the information on the label?
At the beginning of July, the 7 most important producers in our region joined forces to form a Consorzio in order to strengthen the autochthonous grape variety Bovale (the most important grape variety in the Terralba region – i.e. with us) and to work to ensure that it receives DOC status . You can find out what DOC status means in Italy in another article at this link. These are the 7 producers: Cantina del Bovale, Terralba – Marcello MartisCantina
It is no secret that the writer loves wine. He started an apprenticeship a year ago and is now on his third. But first things first. It is not easy to do a wine training course in Sardinia. There are probably many cantinas to taste wine, there is also the Sommelier Association, but there are also the distances to Cagliari to the course bars. That’s when the online training at the Académie du Vin in Switzerland came at just the
Fregula, as it is called in Sardinian, has been around for a long time, for a very long time. The first documents proving this are around 1,000 years old. This product is said to have spread with Phoenicians and Punics, others claim that it is a Sardinian creation / invention. Fregula was supposedly mentioned as early as the 14th century in the statute of the millers of Tempio Pausania, which limited the preparation of fregula to Monday to Friday in
On December 17, 2022, we tasted the new Vermentino for the last time, then we were able to give the go-ahead for bottling. Already at the first tastings with friends it became clear that it was well received. Tasting notes: S’Arena etichetta biancha, IGT 2022, Vermentino: light yellow hue, fruity notes of stone fruit and apricots on the nose, only a slight acidity, medium body, nice finish. We now know many Vermentinos on the island and are convinced that our
Shortly before Christmas there was a small Christmas present, so actually even 3: One of the chickens hatched her eggs and 3 happy chickens were born. Vreni has created a high-security wing so that they can grow protected from many new enemies (such as mice) for the first week and benefit from the warmth of their mother. It is still unclear whether the offspring are male or female conspecifics. We already have two Güggel, so we hope for an all-female
So far, we have only been able to document our home in Sardinia with pictures on the ground. Thanks to a friend and his drone, we present you here the first overflight over Sa Contissa. https://vimeo.com/783554829 The first seconds show beautiful places by the sea, then the situation in June 2022 in Sa Contissa. The two new houses are already finished, the garden and the pool are not yet. But it gives you a first impression of our little paradise.