The Nuraghe Among the Vines

The experience begins Luca’s family home in the heart of Mamoiada. After a brief introduction in this 19th-century house, you’ll head to the vineyard just outside the village—a landscape shaped by vines, granite, and centuries of tradition. There, among Cannonau rows and sweeping hills, stands a nuraghe: a prehistoric stone tower built by Sardinia’s ancient people, still intact after thousands of years. Beside it is a small farmhouse and a wooden patio overlooking the vines—your table for a guided tasting of three wines, including Luca’s rare Cannonau Bianco, made from an ancient cross between Cannonau and Gallòpu. This white grape, known as Gallòpu, is now produced only by Luca in all of Barbagia. The tasting is followed by a traditional lunch: local appetizers, handmade ravioli with ragù, and slow-cooked sheep stew—a moment of pure Sardinian depth.

Luca is the only winemaker in Barbagia producing Gallòpu, an ancient white grape once nearly lost. His Cannonau Bianco is not just rare—it’s a symbol of his vision: to innovate without erasing the past, to make wines that speak both of place and of intention. Alongside him is his father, who still tends the vines with the same hands that shaped them decades ago. Their work isn’t rushed; it follows the rhythm of the soil, the altitude, the granite. The vineyard and the house have a quiet presence and a timeless feel—places that hold memory without needing to speak it. And when you look up from your glass, the view over Mamoiada’s vineyards says more than words can. The presence of the nuraghe adds another layer to the experience. It’s a silent witness to the island’s ancient past, nestled among the rows of vines—reminding you that here, time is circular, not linear. Luca doesn’t just make wine. He interprets a landscape, a culture, a memory.

Luca Gungui is a winemaker and native of Mamoiada, a small village in the heart of Sardinia where wine is a family tradition and a way of life. He represents the third generation of a lineage rooted in this land, where viticulture is passed down like a story. After years of working in communication, Luca chose to return to his origins and dedicate himself fully to wine, blending modern sensibility with deep respect for ancestral knowledge. He produces his wines from native Sardinian varieties grown in high-altitude vineyards between 500 and 850 meters above sea level. His work is guided by the belief that each bottle can carry the memory of the people, places, and traditions that shaped it. Hosting guests in his family’s 19th-century home and his vineyards, he shares not only wine, but a living connection to Mamoiada’s soul.

Curiosity, a relaxed pace, and an appetite for stories and wine.