The VITIVINICOLA AMAR winery has a total cadastral area of about 7.6 hectares, of which about 2.6 hectares are planted with vineyards and with about 1.5 hectares of native vines certified DOC Mandrolisai. The vineyards fall in the territory of the municipality of Sorgono in the locality of Serratzargiu and in that of Meana Sardo in the locality of Genn'e Ilixi. a
The entire farm area has been subjected to the Organic Production Activity Control Regime as stipulated in Reg. CE 834/07 e 889/08.
The Serratzargiu vineyard has a slightly undulating lay of land with EAST/ SOUTH/EAST exposure, a decided slope of the land and is at an altitude of 503 to 524 meters above sea level.
It is destined for DOC Mandrolisai and the vines present are those of Bovale sardo, Cannonau and Monica planted in 2006 using the traditional sapling/spurred cordon system supported by iron wires on poles. These are fresh soils of excellent fertility with medium tillage frankness and medium skeletal content; the texture is sandy resulting from granitic disintegration.
It is a soil with high macro porosity, soft, draining and easily mineralizes organic matter, has a fair water capacity due to the presence of clays in the deeper horizons, which is why these are soils suitable for growing vines even in dry conditions.
The vineyards of Genn'e Ilixi are located at an altitude between 694 and 722 meters with undulating lie and WEST and NORTH exposure. Bovale sardo, Cannonau, Monica and Nuragus vines are present with traditional sapling planting dating back to 1970. These are fertile soils with medium-low frankness and high skeleton content resulting from the disintegration of parent rock.
The texture is coarser, and these are soils suitable for vine cultivation even in dry conditions due to good exposure. The vineyard is surrounded by arable land and pastures, but natural tree cover consisting of Mediterranean scrub evolved to oak forest prevails on most of the areas around it.
The average annual temperature in the vineyards is around 13°C with an average minimum temperature in January of 5°C and average maximum temperature in August of 22°C; snowfall and frost events can occur in the winter months.
Cultivation techniques are carried out, in an alternating mode, with mechanical surface tillage of the soil and periodic inter-row chopping to reduce weed competition; no chemical herbicides are used.
Pruning is done with a brown intervention in winter, before vegetative recovery, and some green pruning, depending on the course of the season, in the spring/summer period, followed by possible tying.
The grape harvest is carried out, depending on the course of the season and the type of wine to be obtained, in September and October, strictly by hand with selection of the best grapes and discarding unsuitable ones, using ventilated crates which are transported and processed in the winery within a very few hours.
The Amar Winery
The winery's premises are located in the municipality of Sorgono in the geographic center of the island, which is the historical capital of Mandrolisai subregion.
The cellar, in addition to possessing a large outdoor courtyard, has two main rooms. The former is used for receiving, processing, fermenting and vinifying grapes in stainless steel tanks and bottling finished wines.
The second, on the other hand, is intended for aging the wines in French oak barrels, where they will remain to age for several months depending on the type of wine, and also, as a reception and tasting room reserved for visitors.
The rooms, thanks to the thick walls, have a temperature and humidity conducive to wine storage without the continuous use of air conditioners, except for a few short periods of the year, especially in the summer.
The wines of the Amar Winery
At this time we produce exclusively Mandrolisai DOC wines according to the specification approved by Presidential Decree 06.06.1981 and subsequent amending DMs.
Our wines are made entirely from grapes from our own vineyards. This approach is fundamental to making our mark and expressing the best of our experience and knowledge to the final product.
The wine line is totally organic, as the vineyards and grapes are the derivative of careful organic farming that respects the environment and unspoiled landscape that our predecessors have handed down to us over the centuries.
We take equal care of the bottles as well, the glass is solid and prestigious, so is the closure with high-quality one-piece cork, sealing is done manually for each piece with natural shellac and hot-stamped with the company logo.
The Mandrolisai
Sardinia has a centuries-old tradition of heterogeneity and a truly rich variety of native grape varieties. The island and wine have such a deep connection that the area planted with vines is now vast, and for years now the correlation between this beverage and the longevity of the Sardinian people has been studied.
"Mandrolisai" wine takes its historical name from the geographical production area of the same name, located in the central-western part of Sardinia, with soils located in a favorable position for vine development.
"Mandrolisai" DOC wines are made from grapes from vines in the vineyards according to the following percentage: Bovale sardo not less than 35%; Cannonau 20% to 35%; Monica 20% to 35%. According to accredited authors, the Sardinian Bovale, locally called "Muristellu," which forms the ampelographic base of Mandrolisai is an indigenous grape variety.
Laboratory tests on some charred grape seeds found in a Sardinian Nuraghe have shown that they belong to the Muristellu grape variety. and that this is derived from the wild vine, meaning it is the link to the cultivated vine. Domestication carried out more than three thousand years ago by the Nuragics, an ancient Sardinian people of navigators and warriors of the Mediterranean.
The main oenological characteristic of Bovale is to have a very high polyphenolic charge, giving the wine dark color and tannicity, olfactory intensity and hints of red fruits with spicy notes.
Cannonau, similar to the French Grenache is distinguished by its fineness in taste and aroma, is the most widespread grape variety in Sardinia, recent studies have shown its endemicity, remains of grape seeds dating back 3200 years have been found in several archaeological sites on the island. This fact makes Cannonau considered the oldest wine in the Mediterranean Basin.
The Monica is also one of the oldest Sardinian grape varieties, introduced to Sardinia in the 11th century A.D. during the Aragonese era, it later spread to the rest of the island through the work of the Monks Camaldolesi and Benedettini who began to cultivate it on land near their convents, including the rural sanctuary of San Mauro located in the territory of Sorgono, a pivotal municipality of the entire Mandrolisai. In fact, the name "Monica," by which the vine is known today, is said to derive from Camaldolese monks.
Monica gives the wine a delicate taste, contributing with adequate doses to make DOC Mandrolisai warm on the palate, soft, with aromas of blackberry and cherry, red fruit jam and nuances of almond.
The Mandrolisai DOC vineyards are generally located in soils of high hill, sunny, well exposed, with optimal temperatures and good temperature ranges, ideal for the production of grapes from which we obtain wines identitarians with characteristic originality and quality, deep red to garnet color, expressing character, strength and at the same time soft and elegant taste harmony.
The value and quality of "Mandrolisai" DOC wine is the result of the environmental and soil vocation of the area, the merits of the grape varieties with which it is produced, the application of sound cultivation and winemaking techniques and the favorable climate.
The interaction between the environment and man in this area has led to the specialization of vine cultivation, allowing in the environmental diversity and local customs to obtain quality productions, handing down the traditional techniques of cultivation and the winemaking up to the present day, improved and refined through undisputed scientific and technological progress, to achieve the excellent "Mandrolisai" DOC wines.
