Wine roads in Sardinia: Tenuta Olianas

Tenuta Olianas is not just a place where wine is produced. It is something more, a philosophy of life, in which bio-integrated agriculture is practiced and respect for nature and the environment is considered a top priority. Tenuta Olianas is located in the Sarcidano area, among the regions of Campidano, Marmilla, and Barbagia - about 60 kilometers north of Ca[gliari.](https://www.livetheworld.com/post/cagliari-s-skyline-and-the-devil-s-saddle-2rrl) It is one of the most authentic areas in Sardinia, with an agricultural and pastoral vocation. It is the Sardinia of the boundless plain and the curious highlands that stand out on the horizon, like the Giara di Gesturi!

While strolling through the rows, you can meet Vegas, Dinette or Biscotto, three carthorses coming from France, carrying out the work of the land in the traditional way. You can also meet groups of geese, or even a flock of sheep engaged in eating leaves. In the cellar, you will find large terracotta jars for wine. This close relationship between animals and nature generates highly appreciated and very well structured wines.

Being "Bio-integrated" requires the utmost respect for grapevines and soils. In Olianas, they work the lands with two carthorses, to improve the vitality of the soil and allow the plants to root in the deeper layers. The harvest is strictly manual, and the grapes are selected directly in the vineyard. The harvesting date is decided after careful analysis and after tasting the grapes in the field. The fertilization of the soil takes place through organic fertilizers, and only if necessary, microelements are added - but only of biological origin.

The enchanting dim light, the air scented with wine, the humidity calibrated with jets of sprayed water, the large terracotta jars, the wooden barrels ... The wine cellar is like a treasure chest where the owners' dreams have become real in the form of wine.

The jars

The terracotta jars come partly from Georgia (Caucasus) - characterized by an ovoid shape - and partly from Tuscany, with a classic shape. They stay both underground for natural temperature control, and above ground - in the cellar, lined up with the tonneaux. Fermentation takes place with natural methods, thanks to indigenous yeasts; macerations last from 3 to 5 weeks, depending on the characteristics of the grape variety. After the racking, the wines remain in a jar to maintain their fruity characteristics, and then in barrels of 10 hectoliters.

The wine

Cannonau and Vermentino, are Sardinia's local produce. In Olianas - combined with Tintillu, Nasco, Bovale, Carignano - they become wines. Those soft and elegant wines are the result of careful work in the vineyard and the constant search for maximum balance between foliage and fruit. The right ripening of the grapes gives fruitiness and sweetness, while the rational use of aging wood guarantees a distinctive spiciness - well-calibrated to avoid dominance.

A day trip in Olianas and surroundings

The gates of Tenuta Olianas are always open for a guided tour, a wine tasting, a cooking class, and a stroll through the rows of Vermentino or Cannonau.

The wine tasting sessions are set up in a large room overlooking the valley below. To toast with excellent wines, you must accompany them with a taste of local products. Inside the main building, there is a small shop that displays a thousand goodies of the area, as well as all the Olianas wines.

A few kilometers from Tenuta Olianas, in Mandas, you can climb the “Trenino Verde” for a journey through time. You should reach up to Arbatax - on the east coast: 159 kilometers that make up the longest tourist line in Italy among the lake landscapes of the Flumendosa, the rugged climbs of Gennargentu, and the blue of the Mediterranean. In Barumini, you can visit Su Nuraxi, the largest Nuragic complex on the whole island, a UNESCO World Heritage Site since 1997.