Gungui Should Be On Your Sardinian Shortlist

If you are in search of pure, high-elevation expressions of Sardinian Cannonau, then Gungui Berteru should be on your shortlist.

-Eric Guido, Vinous

While we appreciate the above quote from Vinous, the number of people searching out any sort of Sardinian Cannonau is likely quite small, let alone “pure, high-elevation expressions.”

Nevertheless, for those who like adventure we believe the rustic grit and intensity of Luca Gungui’s Sardinian Cannonau (the Italian version of Grenache or Garnacha) is a journey worth taking. That’s because, unlike the juicy and fruit-forward expressions we love from France and Spain, the Berteru wines are far more savory, mineral-driven, and full-bodied than what we’re used to from the Rhône or Campo de Borja.

“They’re almost bloody,” said our sales associate Liz Rubin during a recent tasting of Gungui’s Berteru lineup.

Berteru means “sincere” in the Mamoiada dialect. You only need to spend a few minutes with Luca Gungui to understand why he chose this name for his wine label. The Berteru wines are as sincere an expression of land and place as any in the Oliver McCrum portfolio, as Gungui not only eschews cultured yeasts (he believes they interfere with sincerity), he works primarily with unusually high altitude vineyards and remains as hands-off as possible with his farming practices.

The Cannonau wines that come from these granite-rich vineyards are some of the most dynamic we’ve ever tasted. They’re also some of the hardest to find. Berteru is one of our smallest producers and we get very little of the wines to sell each year. With just four total hectares to farm, tasting Gungui’s Cannonau is an experience not enough people have to opportunity to enjoy.

One of our goals for this year is to expand the Gungui universe beyond the handful of major critics and restaurateurs who snatch up the tiny allocations available annually. We need more people to see what the fuss is about! It’s tough with so little wine available, but we’re making an effort.

2022 Whites from Alto Adige's Kuenhof Are Electric

“Easily the best vintage of the Sylvaner I've ever tasted."

That's what Lauren Reuthinger from our California sales team said after tasting through the 2022 Kuenhof releases this past week, and she wasn’t alone. Our entire company is buzzing right now after sampling the Riesling and Veltliner wines as well.

With vineyards in Italy's Alto Adige region at altitudes between 1800 to 2900 feet, the freshness and vibrancy of Kuenhof’s white wines have always been striking, but with a strong vintage like 2022 the precision is even more impressive. Owned by Peter and Brigitte Pliger, the estate is one of the best for white wines in all of Italy with steep, stony vineyards in the Val d'Isarco (or Eisacktal), not far from the border with Austria.

Their Sylvaner, Veltliner and Riesling vines are all farmed organically, and their wines show an almost electric mineral character. If the duty of a great wine is to be distinctive, these wines stand out like beacons: great terroir, careful grape-growing, and brilliant winemaking.

Renowned critic James Suckling famously wrote of the 2020 vintage: “This Alpine masterpiece redefines what Gruner Veltliner can be!” His praise, along with accolades from other writers, have continued with the recent 2022 releases. Vinous critic Eric Guido agrees with our co-worker Lauren as to the quality of the 2022 Sylvaner, recently opining: “It's soft and supple with a balanced inner sweetness and candied lime that embellishes its crisp orchard fruits.”

If you're a fan of clean, racy, and aromatic white wines, you need to try these new Kuenhof expressions. The Riesling, Veltliner and Sylvaner are just hitting the market now and everyone seems to agree: they’re utterly fantastic.

Italy's Top Emerging Winery: Maugeri

We’ve believed in the quality of Renato Maugeri’s wines since we first started working with him, along with his daughters Carla, Michela, and Paola. Given the estate has only been in production for the past few years, the family has taken some amazing strides in that time.

This past month, Gambero Rosso awarded just two white wines from Etna the coveted Tre Bicchieri (three glasses) as the region’s best, and Maugeri’s Etna Bianco Superiore Contrada Volpare was one of them. Here at Oliver McCrum, we believe that Mount Etna is one of the best white wine terroirs in Italy, and Maugeri is a perfect example of it. Clearly we were thrilled with the news, yet not surprised!

Yet, in addition to the Tre Bicchieri, Maugeri was also honored with the award of top emerging winery in all of Italy, with Gambero Rosso writing: “Etna continues to produce spectacular new labels and new wineries. In just three harvests, the winery of Renato Maugeri and his daughters Carla, Michela, and Paola has established itself as one of the denomination’s most significant, from vineyard-specific winemaking to a complete hospitality system.”

What makes the wines from Maugeri so distinctive is their dedication to typicality and locality. There’s no flashy winemaking interfering with the inherent character of the grapes or the expression of the land. The location is allowed to speak for itself and the Maugeri family has proven itself to be the perfect steward for these vineyards.

The Tre Bicchieri-winning Etna Bianco Contrado Volpare is made entirely of Carricante grapes grown in sandy decomposed lava soil near Milo, on the east side of Mount Etna. The vines were planted around 2010, on terraces surrounded by dry-stone walls and forest, at about 700 meters (2,300 feet) above sea level. The fruit from this vineyard translates into flavors of wet stones and Mediterranean herbs in the glass with bright acidity and a stunning minerality that transcends the finish.

As one can imagine, calls and requests for Maugeri have picked up since the awards were announced, so we encourage anyone interested in allocations to inquire sooner than later!