Sardinia’s most cherished red variety is Cannonau, a local clone of Garnacha that arrived long ago from Valencia. Sardinia has proved to be a welcoming home for the grape, and it tastes distinct from its mainland cousins. In Mario Bagella’s seaside vineyards in northern Sardinia, Cannonau develops slowly and maintains a note of acidity that the grape is prone to losing in warmer climates. The cool ocean winds help, but so does the soil, a pale chalky limestone that prompts acid development in these grapes just as the limestone soils of Burgundy do for Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. Mario has a hands-off approach to viticulture; since his vines are almost 100 years old they don’t need much help, and he lets fermentation occur naturally. The resulting aromas of all this (in)attention are pure terroir: smoky soil, cherry and strawberry fruit leather, rose petals and mediterranean herbs. The palate is luxurious but clear-headed, with ripe red berry fruit, sage, and lightly roasted coffee with a gentle grip of tannin. If Bagella’s Vermentino covers your needs for seafood dinners, his Cannonau is a neat fit for gamey stews with beef or venison, earthy risottos and savory mushroom dishes.