This is a particularly good example of Monica, one of Sardinia’s traditional red varieties, and it fits well alongside Santadi’s Carignano wines as an introduction to the indigenous grapes of the island.

The 2017 Antigua is 85% Monica and 15% Carignano, sourced from vineyards in the lower Sulcis of southwestern Sardinia. The vines are trained both as traditional alberello bush vines and on low trellises. Soils are mixed, incorporating clay, sand and limestone, in the hot, dry Mediterranean climate of the Sulcis.

The 2017 growing season was notably hot and dry, which contributed additional warmth and concentration to the wine. Slow Wine specifically describes the vintage as warm, characterful and intense while retaining good drinkability.

Santadi ferments Antigua in temperature-controlled stainless steel, with approximately 15 days of fermentation/maceration and frequent pump-overs to extract color and phenolics. The wine is then matured for several months in cement tanks rather than oak before bottling.

That cement élevage is important stylistically: this is intended to emphasize Monica's fruit and freshness rather than overlay it with oak.

The wine shows a vivid ruby-red to purple color. Santadi's profile emphasizes blackberry and blueberry, with a soft, rounded palate and enough structure to give the wine substance.

A review specifically of the 2017 vintage describes it as having round, ripe red fruit, a touch of pepper and a medium-bodied character and recommends serving it slightly cool.

Another 2017 listing gives a more expansive profile: red berries, cherry, lavender, tobacco and ground pepper, followed by raspberry, lively acidity and velvety tannins.

Taken together, I would characterize it as: Blackberry, blueberry and ripe cherry, dried Mediterranean herbs and pepper; medium-bodied, supple and savory, with fresh acidity and relatively gentle tannins.

That makes Antigua quite different from Santadi's more powerful Carignano-based wines such as Rocca Rubia and Terre Brune.