Sardinia Wine Guide: Vermentino di Gallura, Cannonau and the Best Wineries to Visit (2026)

Sardinia keeps its wine country close to its beaches. Twenty minutes inland from Porto Cervo, Vermentino grows on granite; in the mountain villages of the Barbagia, Cannonau is the everyday red; in the southwest, old Carignano vines face the sea; and in Cabras, Vernaccia is still aged in barrels. This guide explains the wines, profiles six estates that receive visitors, and suggests a three day plan that works even if your partner would rather be on the beach.

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For the bigger picture, see our complete guide to Italian wine regions, and compare islands with our Sicilian wine guide too.

The wines: Sardinia in plain English

• Vermentino di Gallura DOCG (white): Sardinia’s only DOCG, the top tier of Italian appellations. It comes from Gallura in the northeast, around Arzachena, Monti, Berchidda, Luras and Tempio Pausania, where vines grow on weathered granite. Producers often describe it as fresh and saline. Do not confuse it with the island wide Vermentino di Sardegna DOC.
• Cannonau (red): the island’s main red grape, the same variety known in Spain as Garnacha and in France as Grenache. Cannonau di Sardegna DOC covers the whole island, with subzones such as Oliena and Jerzu; the heartland is the mountainous centre and east, around Mamoiada, Oliena and Jerzu.
• Carignano del Sulcis DOC (red): from the Sulcis in the southwest, around Santadi and the islands of Sant’Antioco and San Pietro. Many vines here are old bush vines close to the sea.
• Vernaccia di Oristano DOC (white): a historic speciality of the Tirso valley and Cabras. Aged in barrels under a film of yeast, it is often compared to sherry. Try it with bottarga, the cured mullet roe of Cabras.

The wineries: six estates that receive visitors

Each estate below confirms visits on its own website or in a 2026 event listing naming its booking contact. Prices are those on the estate’s website in November 2026.

Vigne Surrau (Arzachena, Gallura)

Surrau sits at Località Chilvagghja on the road between Arzachena and Porto Cervo, about 15 minutes from Porto Cervo and 30 to 35 minutes from Olbia airport. Its website lists nine formats, all booked online.

• Formats and prices: Aperitivo Gourmet (1 hour, 45 euros per person), The Colours of the Terroir (1.5 hours, 45 euros), Brunch! (1.5 hours, 55 euros), The Excellences without tour (2 hours, 60 euros), The Vermentino of Gallura (2 hours, 65 euros), The Excellences (3 hours, 70 euros), Beyond The Excellences (3 hours, 80 euros), La Dolce Vita (3.5 hours, 80 euros) and L’Appuntamento (3.5 hours, from 80 euros).
• What is included: the estate does not spell out the wines or food for each format, so check with the estate.
• Languages, minimum guests, advance notice: not published; check with the estate.

Capichera (Arzachena, Gallura)

Capichera lies on the road to Sant’Antonio di Gallura, about 4 km from Arzachena and roughly 25 to 30 minutes from Porto Cervo. The family estate is a long established name in Vermentino, although its whites are labelled Isola dei Nuraghi IGT rather than DOCG.

• Classic Wine Tasting: five wines with five food pairings, presented by a sommelier, about 2 hours, 1 to 8 guests.
• Premium Tasting: a guided vineyard tour, then eight wines including three older vintages (subject to availability) on a terrace above the vines, each paired with local food, about 3 hours, 1 to 8 guests.
• Giant’s Tomb Experience: the historic vineyard and its monuments, a walk to a panoramic terrace reserved for your group, and eight wines with local specialities, about 4.5 hours.
• Booking: online in the summer season only; outside summer, contact the tasting team by phone or email. Prices and languages are not published, so check with the estate.

Tenute Sella & Mosca (Alghero, northwest)

Founded in 1899 by two partners from Piedmont, Sella & Mosca is a large estate on the SP 42 dei Due Mari, about 15 minutes by car from Alghero and roughly 2.5 hours from Porto Cervo. It is known for Torbato and is a small village in itself, with a historic cellar, a chapel and a wine shop.

• What a visit includes: for the European Heritage Days on 26 September 2026, the estate listed a short guided tour of about 30 minutes through the village square and historic cellar, with a tasting of Oscarì, a traditional method sparkling Torbato.
• Booking: required, through the estate’s visits team by email or phone. Meet at the wine shop car park. The cellar is cool, so bring a layer.
• Regular 2026 prices, durations and languages: check with the estate.

Contini 1898 (Cabras, Oristano)

The Contini family winery in Cabras, near Oristano on the west coast, is a historic name in Vernaccia di Oristano, with the Contini brand dating back to 1898. Cabras is roughly 1.5 hours from Cagliari and 2 hours from Alghero.

• Tours: Monday to Saturday at 11:00 and 17:30, booked through the estate’s experiences page.
• Wine shop: Monday to Saturday, 9:00 to 13:00 and 15:00 to 19:00.
• Formats, durations, prices and languages: not published on the estate’s visit page; check with the estate.

Argiolas (Serdiana, south)

Argiolas is in Serdiana, about 20 km north of Cagliari, around 30 minutes from Cagliari airport and roughly an hour from Pula. The family estate grows Cannonau, Vermentino, Carignano, Monica and Bovale, and its best known red, Turriga, is a blend led by Cannonau. The estate offers tours and tastings in the cellar and vineyard, and runs a restaurant, Domu.

• Booking: through the estate’s experiences site, or by email and phone.
• Durations, languages, minimum guests and prices: check with the estate.

Cantina Santadi (Santadi, Sulcis)

A cooperative of growers founded in 1960, Cantina Santadi is a major producer of Carignano del Sulcis; Terre Brune is its flagship red. It is in the village of Santadi, about 45 minutes to an hour inland from Pula and around an hour from Cagliari.

Visits are handled through the winery’s own experiences booking page. Our research turned up unclear information here: a wine tourism listing describes a cellar tour and tasting in English and Italian, Monday to Saturday, yet showed no bookable dates when we checked. It was not clear to us what applies for 2026, so check with the estate.

A three day Sardinia wine itinerary

Two nights in Porto Cervo, one in Alghero. Driving times are approximate. Italy’s drink drive limit is 0.5 g/l, and zero for drivers licensed for less than three years, so use a private driver: a single tasting can put you over the limit.

• Day 1, Gallura: land at Olbia and transfer to Porto Cervo (40 to 45 minutes). Late morning at Vigne Surrau (15 minutes), lunch in Arzachena, then the Premium Tasting at Capichera (10 to 15 minutes from Surrau).
• Day 2, Cannonau country: a long but rewarding day inland. From Porto Cervo it is around 1.5 to 2 hours to Mamoiada, then about 20 to 30 minutes to Oliena. Small Cannonau producers here work by appointment, so have your concierge arrange visits ahead. Or stay on the coast and see our guide to Sardinia by boat.
• Day 3, Alghero: drive west to Alghero (about 2.5 hours). Afternoon tour at Sella & Mosca, 15 minutes from town, then sunset on the old city walls.

Prefer the south? Stay in Pula and pair Cantina Santadi (45 minutes to an hour) with Argiolas (about an hour) on separate days. Golfers should see our guide to golf in Sardinia, and our yacht, wine and golf guide to Sardinia shows how to combine all three.

Best months, harvest and events

Best months: May and June bring green hills; September and early October bring harvest, warm sea and quieter roads. In July and August, book tastings for the morning.

Harvest: it usually starts with early whites in late August and finishes with reds such as Cannonau into October, varying by vintage and altitude.

Events in 2026:

• Cantine Aperte: the national open cellars day of the Movimento Turismo del Vino took place on Sunday 31 May 2026, with tastings and tours at Contini in Cabras.
• European Heritage Days: Sella & Mosca offered guided tours on Saturday 26 September 2026.
• Autunno in Barbagia: the 2026 programme of village open days runs from 5 September to 13 December, with Mamoiada published for 6 to 8 November; confirm locally.

Practical tips

• Shipping wine home: ask whether the estate ships to your country. Outside the EU, import duties apply. Wine travels well in checked luggage, wrapped carefully.
• Dress: smart casual works everywhere. Wear flat shoes for vineyard walks and bring a layer for cool cellars.
• Children: Sella & Mosca published a reduced ticket for under 18s and free entry for under 3s for its September 2026 tour. For the other estates, check with the estate.
• The non-wine partner: choose formats with food, such as Surrau’s brunch, and keep afternoons for the beach.

Where to stay for a Sardinia wine trip

Each hotel puts a cluster of wineries within reach. For staying among the vines elsewhere, see our hub on vineyard hotels and wine resorts.

Hotel Cala di Volpe, a Luxury Collection Hotel (Porto Cervo)

Jacques Couëlle’s fantasy village on the bay of Cala di Volpe is the Costa Smeralda’s landmark hotel, with a Shiseido Spa and the Pevero golf course nearby. Vigne Surrau is about 20 minutes away and Capichera around 30 minutes. The hotel opened its 2026 season on 16 April; ask the hotel for the closing date. Read our full Hotel Cala di Volpe review.

Best for: couples who want Vermentino by day and an evening on the Cala di Volpe bay.

Check rates at Hotel Cala di Volpe

Cervo Hotel, Costa Smeralda Resort (Porto Cervo)

Overlooking the Piazzetta and the marina, the Cervo Hotel lets you walk to dinner in Porto Cervo village. All 80 rooms have balconies, and there is a pool and a boat to a private beach from late May. Vigne Surrau is about 15 minutes by car, Capichera 25 to 30 minutes. The hotel opened its 2026 season on 27 March; ask the hotel for the closing date.

Best for: sociable travellers who want the marina, restaurants and wineries all close by.

Check rates at Cervo Hotel

Smy Carlos V Wellness & Spa (Alghero)

On the seafront promenade of Alghero, a short walk from the old town, this five-star hotel is about 15 minutes from Sella & Mosca and around 2 hours from Contini in Cabras. It is open all year, with a seawater pool in summer and a wellness centre.

Best for: a city stay with Torbato and Alghero’s old walls on the doorstep.

Check rates at Smy Carlos V

Forte Village Resort (Santa Margherita di Pula)

On the south coast, under an hour from Cagliari airport, Forte Village is a resort of several hotels behind the beach, with a thalasso spa, more than 20 restaurants and a large children’s programme. Cantina Santadi is about 45 minutes to an hour away and Argiolas roughly an hour. The resort is seasonal, so ask the hotel for exact opening and closing dates. Read our full Forte Village review.

Best for: families and couples who want Carignano and Cannonau tastings alongside a full beach resort.

Check rates at Forte Village Resort

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the most famous wine in Sardinia?

Cannonau is the island’s best known red and Vermentino its best known white. Vermentino di Gallura is Sardinia’s only DOCG.

Do I need to book winery visits in Sardinia?

Yes. Surrau and Capichera (in summer) take online bookings, Sella & Mosca requires a reservation, and Contini runs tours at set times. Small Barbagia producers need an appointment.

When is the grape harvest in Sardinia?

Usually from late August into October, ending with reds such as Cannonau. Timing varies each year.

Can I drive myself between wineries?

You can, but the drink drive limit is 0.5 g/l, and zero for newly licensed drivers. With long distances between regions, a private driver is the better choice.