Vineyard and winemaking
Nuracada is made from 100% Bovale grown in Audarya’s south-eastern Sardinian vineyards at around 150 to 200 metres above sea level. The traditional low-trained vines are rooted in limestone, marl and clay, while warm days and cooling air from the Gulf of Cagliari allow the grapes to develop concentration without losing freshness.
The bunches are harvested by hand and fermented in temperature-controlled stainless steel. Unlike Audarya’s fresher reds, Nuracada matures for 12 months in French oak, giving the deeply coloured Bovale additional structure and savoury complexity before further development in bottle.
Tasting notes
Appearance
Deep ruby with garnet reflections showing the wine’s maturity.
Nose
Blackberry, black plum and dried cherry are layered with black pepper, tobacco, cocoa and a restrained balsamic note.
Palate
Full-bodied and firmly structured, with mature dark fruit, polished tannins and enough acidity to retain balance. Notes of liquorice, leather and sweet spice have developed with age, leading to a persistent finish of blackberry, cocoa and savoury oak. Bottle variation should be expected in a wine of this maturity.
Food pairing
Serve with braised ox cheek, venison casserole, roast beef with a red-wine jus, or slow-cooked aubergine with lentils and smoked cheese. Stand the bottle upright before opening and decant gently only if the wine benefits after tasting.
Background story
Nuracada is Audarya’s more ambitious interpretation of Bovale and the principal exception to the family’s largely oak-free range. Time in French barrels and extended bottle age reveal the grape’s capacity for depth, spice and long development.
Sommelier’s Choice discovered Nicoletta and Salvatore Pala at their first London Wine Fair, where we agreed to begin working together. Matthew Jukes gave Audarya its first listing later that same day, beginning a relationship founded on the family’s commitment to native Sardinian grapes.
