# Giunco (2023)

- **Producer:** Cantina Mesa
- **Colour:** white
- **Type:** still
- **Grapes:** Vermentino
- **Region:** Sardegna, Italy
- **Style:** Classic
- **Alcohol:** 13.5%
- **Average price:** €15
- **Contains sulphites:** Yes
- **When to drink:** Now or Later
- **Serving temperature:** 10–12 °C
- **Aromas & flavours:** lime, grapefruit, peach, apricot, blossom, pear, cream, almond

## About this wine

Cantina Mesa was founded in 2004 by Gavino Sanna, a famous Italian advertising executive who wished to create a winery that expressed the soul of Sardinia. Located in the Sulcis region in the southwest of the island, the winery's striking minimalist white building stands out against the dark green hills. 'Giunco' translates to 'reed', referencing the reeds that sway in the Mediterranean breeze along the Sardinian coast. The winery is deeply committed to showcasing indigenous Sardinian varieties, particularly Vermentino and Carignano, using modern gravity-fed winemaking techniques to preserve the pristine quality of the fruit.

## Interesting facts

- The winery's unique bottle design is inspired by the traditional dark-clothed silhouettes of Sardinian women.
- The name 'Giunco' refers to the flexible reeds that grow along the wind-swept Sardinian coastline.
- Cantina Mesa's gravity-fed cellar is designed to handle grapes as gently as possible without the use of pumps.

## Food pairing

Giunco's vibrant acidity and distinct saline minerality make it an exceptional partner for seafood. The wine's medium body and texture from lees aging allow it to stand up to richer fish dishes and light pasta sauces, while its crispness cuts through fried foods. The natural salinity of the wine mirrors the ocean flavors of shellfish and fresh Mediterranean herbs.

## Wine making process

The Vermentino grapes for Giunco are harvested by hand in the cool early morning hours to preserve freshness. Upon arrival at the gravity-flow winery, the grapes undergo a brief cold maceration on the skins before gentle pressing. Fermentation takes place in temperature-controlled stainless steel tanks at 15-18°C. The wine is then aged on its fine lees in stainless steel for at least 4 months with regular battonage (lees stirring) to build texture, complexity, and mouthfeel, followed by a short period of bottle refinement before release.