A charming visit from Sardinia’s Simone Sedilesu was a reminder of what got us excited about his hometown of Mamoiada: aromas of Grenache on granite, surrounded by forests, at a cooling elevation. Mountain wine, from an unexpected place.

This is a tiny release from a tiny grower (who happens to be the president of the local consorzio) – with a rare white wine in tow. The story and the wines are below.

MAMOIADA

Sardinia's interior is a rugged counterpoint to its beaches, Mediterranean mountains that tower over the coastline. And, Mamoiada is the crown jewel: a small village surrounded by forests at 750m (give or take) elevation, packed with sun-soaked granite and planted almost entirely to Cannonau.

Photos via Vike Vike

It's home to a small set of producers whose intentional farming is turning out some of the best new Grenache we've tasted in years, including Teularju, whose aromatic and layered wines are a reference point for quality wine here.

VIKE VIKE

(Sort of translates to "Surprise surprise!") Simone Sedilesu grew up in Mamoiada, where, as he put it, "making wine is our culture, every family makes wine." His grandfather Giuseppe Sedilesu has an established winery with the family name, hence Vike Vike – which Simone founded after oenology school and working harvest in South Africa.

But it was a trip to visit his wife in Burgundy that he found the most formative: a revelation of fresh, drinkable wine compared to Mamoiada's historically rich styles. Now a decade in, Simone proudly owns his first hectare; and while the lineup is driven by Cannonau, it also includes a white wine from indigenous Granazza (which his father was the first to vinify over 20 years ago). Only a handful producers make wine from this grape but Simone's style is completely different, and serious – fermented and aged in barrel.

The wines are concentrated but quenching, vinified in massive 4-5,000L barrels; archetypes of granitic minerality with an unmistakeable signature of Mediterranean scrub that speaks to this special place.

We can't recommend them enough. Welcome to New York, Vike Vike!

2024 Vike Vike Bianco Barbagia IGT Sardinia, $63
100% Granazza from 50 year old vines, fermented in new French oak 4,000L barrels and aged one year prior to release. Textured but fresh, orange citrus and herb.

2021 Vike Vike 'Ghirada Fittiloghe' Cannonau di Sardegna, Sardinia, $59
100% Cannonau from 20 year old vines, gently macerated and aged one year in 5,000L neutral French oak, settled for a year in stainless and 6 months in bottle prior to release. Salty, dark red fruit and spice, a truly island born wine.

2021 Vike Vike 'Ghirada Istevene' Barbagia Rosso IGT Sardinia, $63
100% Cannonau from 105 year old vines in a very low yielding site that produces extremely concentrated fruit; whole bunch fermented and aged 18 months in 500L barrel, aged an additional 6 months in bottle prior to release. A peek into Mamoiada's richer traditional style (it reminded us of Châteauneuf), but layered with the energetic freshness we love in Simone's style.