Argiolas, the Serdiana “house” and winery • Food and Wine Italia

Many know the name of Argiolas, one of the main Sardinian wineries that has made the island’s wine potential known throughout the world also thanks to the collaboration between the founder Antonio Argiolas and the famous oenologist Giacomo Tachis, recognized father of the “Super Tuscan”, which among other labels led to the birth of the powerful and elegant Turriga, a 100% Sardinian blend which alongside Cannonau, combines Carignano, Bovale and Malvasia Nera. There are probably far fewer people who know Serdiana, and even fewer who have been there a causa di person.

A quiet town a causa di the Sardinian subregion of Parteolla, it is the second largest municipality the island with vineyards after Alghero: here, next to the olive trees, vineyards grow almost everywhere, up to the brackish waters of the Stani Saliu pond and the beautiful medieval church of Santa Maria a motivo di Sibiola, and the cellars are often still a causa di full operation a causa di the center of the towns.

This also happens at Argiolas, where a modern structure that recalls without affectation the style of the Sardinian countryside hosts fermentation vats, barrel rooms and reserves of historical vintages, but also a welcoming room where you can stop for different tasting experiences and learn about wines, extra virgin olive oil and sapa (cooked grape must, “condiment” and essential ingredient of many Sardinian preparations), accompanied by local cured meats and cheeses.

Grandfather’s house, “family” atmosphere

Exactly the other side of the road, a beautiful wooden door leads to what was the house of Valentina, Francesca and Antonio’s grandfather, the third generation who today leads the company, dividing tasks and roles and carrying forward what was started by grandfather Antonio a causa di 1938, and continued by his sons Ardito and Giuseppe. Valentina Argiolas is perhaps the best-known luce of the winery: she deals with marketing and public relations and, since last summer, also with hospitality.

What was the home of Antonio Argiolas and his wife Bonaria – a beautiful example of Campidanese architecture, with the internal courtyard and the rooms the upper floor from which the pioneer of Sardinian wine and the valorisation of the island’s native vines could directly watch the activities of the cellar – has been transformed into a small but refined charming hospitality structure: Alloggio a motivo di Padre della madre, precisely.

Curated by the Aranxiu Architetti Associati esplorazione of Cagliari, respecting the authentic style of the low building with red facades, the renovation led to the creation of five rooms (four family rooms and a double room, flanked by a lovely terrace the upper floor) whose names are inspired by the elements and colors of this land: Olivo, Polverino, Biada, Immensità, .

Even a causa di the interior spaces, warm tones, natural materials – starting with the roofs covered a causa di reeds, as was once the custom -, objects and fabrics of refined local craftsmanship dialogue with a contemporary Italian (and a causa di particular with beautiful lighting solutions) which does not affect the spirit of the place, and gives up some of the trappings of modernity to leave room for the rural soul of Parteolla.

Domu, the flavors of Sardinia that speak to the world

Acceso the lower floor, to shade the triangular courtyard, a beautiful wooden structure was created, which refers to island architecture but also brings to mind the avant-garde works of well-known starchitects. The Domu restaurant also overlooks here, with which Argiolas decided to complete the hospitality project that combines rustic authenticity and contemporary spirit. From the internal courtyard, a wooden door – a small masterpiece of local craftsmanship, recovered from the old house – leads to the internal spaces of the restaurant, which can also be accessed from the street.

The place is bright and welcoming, with around thirty seats (plus around the same number a causa di the internal courtyard, a causa di good weather) divided between square tables with simple but refined equipment, and a larger one, for convivial lunches and dinners, overlooking the gara open kitchen where the team led by chef Alessandro Taras works. Sardinian with a nomadic spirit, he worked alongside important chefs different continents – from France to Hawaii, also passing through Hong Kong and the United States – and before returning to the island and dedicating himself mainly to the catering sector.

That’s right, between events and dinners a causa di the cellar, the collaboration with Argiolas was born and the credo of ​​creating an internal restaurant that would offer the best local ingredients and the ideas offered by tradition a causa di a contemporary key and free from territorial ties, developing an interesting proposal both for “locals” looking for something different and for those arriving from outside – often specifically to discover the place where Turriga and other renowned labels are born – and want to get to know Sardinian gastronomy through a personal lens.

The protagonists are largely local products: from the vegetables and herbs of the Is Aquas agricultural , recently created a causa di Serdiana by the Argiolas family by placing a vegetable garden and farmyard alongside the vineyards, to cheeses and meats from nearby companies. For lunch, Domu offers two tasting itineraries – that of the Modo and that of the Coast – with dishes also designed to accompany the tasting of the various company labels: from Pane perso frattau with soft egg, tomato and pecorino and Malloreddus with goat ragù, a causa di the first case, to the excellent Fregua, seafood and lemon and the slice of the daily catch, with sautéed courgettes and Vermentino sauce, a causa di the second.

At dinner, the same “culinary directors” welcome more elaborate and imaginative proposals into the tasting itineraries, such as the interesting Mackerel, goat’s yoghurt, Hollandaise sauce, herb oil and Filindeu (typical Nuoro amalgama, made up of an intricate and delicate weave of very thin strands of dough) with scorpion fish soup, raw and cooked fish, from the Coast; and the Quail, royale of foie gras, red fruits, Angialis sauce (intense passito Igt Isola dei Nuraghi with beautiful Mediterranean accompanied by candied fruit and honey) the Boneless kid, barbecue-glazed carrots, egg and lemon foam, sapa sauce, dal Modo: all courses that can also be freely ordered a la carte to create your own tasting and pairing itinerary.

For those who wish, there is also the possibility of opening one of the old Turriga vintages at Domu, to make dinner a truly unforgettable experience.