Salvatore Pala’s first harvest was in 1950, when he made a little bit of the white Nuraghi grape native to Cagliari in southern Sardinia. Over the years, he added Monica, Vermentino, and Cannonau to the list, and over decades the Pala family built an impressive portfolio of vineyards, some of the oldest in Sardinia in the deeply rural hinterland full of prickly pear cactus and olive orchards. Pala’s house style, for their entry tier wines, is a focus on freshness, so these Cannonau grapes are picked early before fermenting and maturing in steel tanks. The grape’s close genetic link to Grenache shows forth on the nose, with notes of raspberry fruit leather, fig, and rich soil. On the palate, more raspberry, with baking spices and vanilla and a dash of orange oil. Serve this one with Kansas City style barbecue, charcuterie boards, and aged cheese.