This week’s Italian indigenous variety hails from Sardinia and is called Nasco. I have never had a bottle of Nasco which is often but not always seen in a sweet wine version. Apparently this white grape is very ancient and was perhaps even well-known in Roman times. It used to grow in more areas of Sardinia but now can be found only largely in the area around Cagliari and a few others. Nasco has its own DOC, Nasco di Cagliari though. I found a few wineries that makes Nasco. One called Cantine di Dolianova makes a still version. Argiolas, a very well-known winery from the island, makes one called Iselis Nasco and so does another well-known cantina called Pala with its Assoluto. Both add other varieties to their blend.

Nasco called Nuscu in Sardinian dialect means musky and the grape tastes just that along with other aromas of ripe fruit, dried fruit and honey and a bitter almond finale.