Turriga

Turriga. Turriga, The Land, the Grapes, the Wines

Red conceived from local grapes varieties, Turriga narrates the island’s memory
with a contemporary and international language.

Origin

Turriga born from the mature vision of Argiolas’ family

Ruby-red produced from traditional vines, Turriga narrates old memories of Mediterranean island to the world with a contemporary and international language. It expresses, in its character’s fullness, the strong philosophy of the Argiolas household, that codified by the patriarch, dates back to 1980s. In this moment, Antonio, born in 1906 and died over 100 years old, never tired of measuring innovation, shared with his sons, Franco and Giuseppe, the idea of bottling the product of the grapes ripened in the vineyards not far from Serdiana, the village of the Winery, the scene of sacrifices and passions and the fulcrum of the family’s entrepreneurial history.


The vision of Argiolas household, originated from land’s love and at the same time a broad perspective on the world, materialized with the inclusion of the famous wine maker Giacomo Tachis and his pupil Mariano Murru, who is the technical director of the Winery nowadays. The main aim was to narrate Sardinia with an innovative character. And to allow for the first time to local varieties through skillful blending outside the usual techniques, to blend to give birth – in a harmony that did not exist before – to a long-lived, balanced and powerful wine.

Personality

Wine owes its strength to its visceral connection with the womb of the Earth

It was1988 when, after a long period of research, the first harvest delivered to the Winery the grapes to macerate and ferment, a balanced blend of Sardinian vines rooted for centuries in the limestone soils of the hills and the sands of the coast, kissed by the sun and caressed by the wind, swollen by the sea: Cannonau, which offers structure and personality; Bovale, generous in the gift of fruitiness; Carignano, repository of elegance, fullness and roundness; and Malvasia nera, which bestows the ability to ripen.
After the first harvest, Turriga waited until 1991 to reveal itself to connoisseurs. Aged in French oak barriques for 18-24 months and refined in bottles for 12-14 months, it won acclaim and recognition. ‘It cleared Sardinian red wine through customs in the eyes of the planet,’ journalist Benedetto Ferrara wrote several years ago in Repubblica. ‘Thus the perfection of Cannonau found a new melody, resistant to time’.

A critical success confirmed year after year: the product preserves and restores, in fact, in the surprising, harmonious and enveloping richness of odours, aromas and scents, the complex character of its origins, a decisive reminder of the power of genesis and the memories of millenary civilisations.
The wine owes its name to a marble statuette of the Mother Goddess, dating back more than five thousand years, which was found in the Turriga locality, in the countryside between Senorbì and Selegas, where some of the Argiolas estates extend. The female idol, now kept at the Cagliari Archaeological Museum and depicted in red tones on the bottle label, is a concentration of the generating force of nature, a symbol of the fertile womb of the earth, which gives life, vines and wine.

The Vintages
1998
This was a year marked by late growth in the early phases of development, caused by heavy rains and low temperatures in the autumn and winter period. The damp spring and warm summer then rebalanced growth and the formation of the grape bunches. Overall, it was a good year for the ripening and balance of the various components of the grapes.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
WINE SPECTATOR: 88 p.
VINOUS: 97 p.
2000
The year 2000 was characterised by severe water shortages, higher than in previous years (less than 60% of the average yearly rainfall).
June brought a light rainfall which, although scarce, brought benefits to the development of the vines, leading to a grape with a high sugar level and very rich in extractable components. The wine of the 2000 vintage is characterised by a higher alcohol content and greater structure than previous vintages.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
DUEMILAVINI BIBENDA: 5 grappoli
VINOUS: 89 p.
2004
The frequent rainfall throughout the Spring promoted healthy growth of all the vines and allowed sufficient water reserves to accumulate in the ground ahead of the summer season.The regular cycle of growth promoted constant accumulation of nutrients in the soil and an excellent balance of the grape components and polyphenols and anthocyanin to enhance colour. A well-structured wine with great potential for aging.
2007
The year 2007 saw a very mild winter with little rain, concentrated in just a few months. The mild spring allowed for excellent vine growth, leading to a slightly earlier flowering period. Overall, rainfall was very low, even lower than in the previous year, which had also been below the climatic average. For Sardinia, this was a dry year, almost comparable to the dry spell of the 1990s. Careful management of the vineyard and optimisation of harvesting times allowed us to obtain an excellent, high-quality wine.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
WINE SPECTATOR: 91 pt.
JAMES SUCKLING: 94 p.
ROBERT PARKER: 94 p.
WINE ADVOCATE: 92 p.
2008
The year 2008 was characterised by good rainfall in the winter months and milder summer temperatures, with good daytime/nighttime temperature differentials that promoted development of aroma and colour compounds. Thus, the year’s climate trends allowed us to obtain a high-quality wine. The 2008 vintage displays an excellent balance between strength and suppleness, recalling the characteristics of the first vintage.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
WINE SPECTATOR: 90 pt.
JAMES SUCKLING: 96 p.
DUEMILAVINI BIBENDA: 5 grappoli.
2011
The autumn/winter season of 2010/2011 was wetter than average. This allowed plenty of water to accumulate in the soil, ensuring optimum water supplies for the spring, and hence guaranteeing excellent budding of the vines. The subsequent phases of plant growth, which were regular and not stressful, were supported by extremely low spring/summer rainfall and above-average temperatures. These conditions supported the regular growth of the grapes and the accumulation of ideal substances in the soil. The dry climate warded off fungal diseases, guaranteeing excellent ripening of the grapes and hence an excellent vintage.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
JAMES SUCKLING: 95 p.
WINE ENTHUSIAST: 94 p.
WINE ADVOCATE: 92 p.
VINOUS: 92+ p.
2012
The year 2012 was characterised by a relatively dry winter and very hot summer. The lack of rainfall and the high temperatures created problems of drought and early ripening of the grapes with lower than average yield. Thanks to our ability to regulate irrigation and carefully evaluate the berry ripening phases, harvesting, carried out at the best time, by hand and in the early hours of the morning, prevented the grapes from losing their aroma. We used the same care in the processing phases in the Winery, all focused on preserving the aromas and the phenolic component.
Awards
JAMES SUCKLING: 95 p.
WINE ADVOCATE: 91 p.
PERWIJN: 5 Stelle
Guida VITAE: 4 VITI
VINOUS: 90+ p.
2013
After a mild autumn, we had a winter with below-average temperatures. January, February and March were characterised by heavy rainfall, the wettest in the last 50 years. Even the spring was rainy, bringing with it water reserves. From July onwards the weather was very hot, with a good daytime/nighttime temperature differential, which created the right conditions for long maturation. The harvest was postponed for at least 10 days and the grapes were particularly healthy.
Awards
JAMES SUCKLING: 96 p.
WINE SPECTATOR: 90 p.
FACCINO DOCTORWINE: 95 p.
DUEMILAVINI BIBENDA: 5 Grappoli
VINOUS: 90+ p.
2015
2015 was a good year. After a particularly wet winter, the grapevines “awoke” to a mild spring, with good water reserves to support the growth of the plants. This was followed by a warm and hot summer, mitigated by much welcome rainfall and lower temperatures in the second half of August. These climate conditions positively impacted the ripening of the grapes, allowing the accumulation of aromatic and polyphenolic substances and enabling the production of structured and characterful red wines.
Awards
GAMBERO ROSSO: Tre Bicchieri
JAMES SUCKLING: 96 p.
WINE ENTHUSIAST: 93 p.
VINOUS: 94+ p.