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Newneli, Cantine di Neoneli
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Grape
A blend of red native varieties:
Pascale, Cannonau, Monica, Muristellu, Carignano, Cagnulari,, Nieddu Mannu
Drinking Window
Ready or drink by 2028
Region
Neoneli, Sardinia
Pairings
Beef cheeck cooked in red wine,
braised mushrooms, pulled pork or pastrami sandwich.
Regional Recipes
Winemaker Notes
This wine comes from our small vineyard in Neoneli, in the heart of central Sardinia, and is produced for us by Cantine di Neoneli. The plot is planted with a field blend of local varieties — at least ten to twelve different grapes growing together — with Bovale, Monica, Pascale and Cannonau forming the backbone of the wine. The grapes are harvested by hand and fermented spontaneously with native yeasts, allowing the character of the vineyard to emerge naturally. After fermentation, the wine rests in third-passage barriques, where it develops structure while maintaining the freshness and identity of the fruit. Production is intentionally very small — only about 900 liters — reflecting the scale of the vineyard and the idea of working closely with the land. The result is a wine that captures the diversity of this Sardinian hillside, shaped by a mosaic of grapes rather than a single variety.
The Story
Sardegna is often associated with robust reds, but its white wines are equally compelling, especially Malvasia, which has been grown on the island for centuries. Neoneli, a tiny town in the Barigadu region, is home to some of Sardegna’s most interesting expressions of this grape. The vineyards are scattered across steep slopes, where the combination of wind, altitude, and rocky soils results in wines with exceptional purity and tension. The winemaker behind Melavaxia is a passionate advocate for preserving Sardegna’s white wine heritage, producing wines with minimal intervention to highlight the grape’s natural characteristics. .
Neoneli winery was born from a bet desired and accepted years ago when 3 friends (Marco, Samuel and Salvatore) decided to save the identity and traditions of their territory.
Through hard work, perseverance and stubbornness they managed to go beyond reason, feeling indebted to their people who have been able to maintain the quality of their vines for centuries: a heritage that was impossible to leave behind.
Today the vineyard area counts over 6 hectares, divided in about twenty vineyards which over the centuries have built a perfect symbiosis with the surrounding cork oaks, used exclusively for the cork of their bottles, creating a rare wine landscape.
The potential in this zone immense, even if no one really knows of it yet. You'll have the great pleasure to say that you drank one of the first bottles ever produced in this region.
