Nowadays, everything is mass produced, but in tiny pockets of the old world, there are still artisans who resist mass production.
Atha Ruja is an artisan winery, dedicated to small-scale production and tailored winemaking.
Muristellu
I.G.T. Isola dei Nuraghi
Wild, ancient Muristellu.
It has long been rumored among wine buffs that the Muristellu vine was somehow imported to the island thanks to the Spanish conquest in the 1400s.
More recently, studies have traced its origins to Sardinia, highlighting a strong genetic link between Vitis vinifera Sylvestris, native to Sardinia, and the history of this cultivar.
For connoisseurs, this is rare item that is worth tracking down. Rich in extracts, full-bodied and textured.
Muristellu is produced upon reservation and in small quantities of 1,333 numbered bottles.
Longevity: 20 years
Available vintage: 2015
Type: Red – Dry
Composition: 100% Muristellu
Winemaking
Minimum yields on the plant and selective harvesting, for a small collectors’ production.
The result of slow maceration and long aging in small French oak barrels or “caratelli” for three, or more often four years, given the characteristics of the harvest period.
Appearance
Impenetrable ruby red with purple reflections.
Bouquet, Aroma and Taste
It majestically unfolds to the nose with notes of crisp red cherries, plums and small inky black berries. Earthy notes and notes of green pepper, flint and graphite. Balsamic notes as it evolves.
On the palate it releases its warmth followed by a texture of soft, enveloping tannins and revealing notes of black cocoa.
Being an unfiltered wine, any sediment does not compromise the quality but enhances its typical characteristics.
Food pairing
Muristellu is a bold, highly traditional red wine which pairs best with robust, structured dishes that are intense and persistent on the palate.
It goes well with woodland and truffle dishes and is excellent with served with main courses of game, such as Polenta with braised wild boar.
If cheese is present, the savory and aged variations, matured until almost spicy, are best.
Storing and Serving Temperature
Store the bottle horizontally at a constant temperature in an area with low lighting.
To ensure the best resting conditions, the bottle should be handled as little as possible to prolong gentle refinement.
Open the bottle at least two hours before serving, to encourage slow oxygenation.
Unfiltered wine. As it develops in the bottle, the wine will produce a characteristic film of sediment as a result of the high extract content.
Decant and leave to rest for at least one hour before serving.
Serving temperature: 16-18°C
Learn more
Recent studies show the close genetic ties between Muristellu and Vitis Silvestris.
Use of Vitis Silvestris by the people of Sardinia has been well documented since 1300.
Today, it is a known fact that until a few decades ago, some areas of Sardinia produced the so-called Vino dei caprai, a wine made directly from the wild vine that grew spontaneously along the streams.
Analyses show that it had a higher alcohol content than expected and was very high in polyphenols.
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