Ep. 2049 Nino Mason Carta, Silvio Carta  | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

Who wants to be the next Italian wine Ambassador? Join an exclusive network of four hundred Italian wine ambassadors across forty eight countries. Vineetly International Academy is coming to Chicago on October nineteenth is twenty first. And while Mati Kazakhstan from November sixteenth to eighteenth. Don't miss out. Register now at Vineeti dot com. Welcome to wine food and travel with me, Mark Billen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wines. Through their stories, we will learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities that pair naturally with their wines, and the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us, and I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine food and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, I'm delighted to continue a special subseries that highlights the winners of the prestigious five star wines and wines without walls competition that took place in April just prior to Vinitally twenty twenty four. Those wines that scored more than ninety points were awarded certificates that have been included in the five star wines and wines without walls. Two thousand twenty five book, while the very best wines in each category were singled out for Special Awards. Today, we traveled to Sardinia, the second largest island in the Mediterranean to meet my guest, Nino Maison Carta, of the silvio Carta winery, producer of an utterly unique wine. Vernache di Oristano, which has won this year's five star wines award for best white wine. Sylvia Carta also produce a range of traditional distillates, which we'll also talk about. Thanks so much for being my guest today. Many congratulations for the award. And how are you? Guenjean Amark. I'm very well. Thank you. Thank you for having me, and it was a pleasure to be awarded with the best Italian white wine as such an important competition. Well, yes, it is. It it's a really, huge accolade for your company. And also, I think, an accolade for a a style of wine that is is not so commonly encountered. And we'll talk about that in a bit more detail. But first of all, Nino, I'd like our listeners to gain an image in their minds. Our listeners are located all around the world. So tell us about where you're located in Sardinia. Tell us describe your world to share with us. We are located in, Sardinia. So right in this island in the middle of the Mediterranean Sea. As you mentioned, it's the second largest island in the Mediterranean, and it's well known for its stunning landscapes, rich history, and unique culture. Our company, Sylvia Carta, is located in Barataly, San Pietro, and Sediani, which are two small agricultural villages on the west coast of the island, about ten kilometers from Oristano. This specific area is called Sines Peninsula, and represents the Midwest of Sardinia, and is characterized by wild and untouched beaches, clear sea and intricate vegetation. It's an area ideal for cultivating renowned vine varieties and nutritional plants, and that's what make unique our products. Tourists usually visit more famous places in Sardinia, like Kaidari, which is the capital or Costa Meraldam in the northeast of the island, which is the VIP part of Sardinia. And while these places are beautiful, I would like to invite you and your listeners to actually discover the city in Peninsula, which authentically represents the soul of Sarddina with its wild and exposed nature. Maybe here, you won't find the same services that you can find in more touristic parts ofardenia. But if you like to reconnect with nature, if you like calm and peaceful places and are looking for a spot where to recharge your batteries, This might be just the right place. Oh, that sounds absolutely beautiful, Nino. And I've not heard of the sinos Peninsula, but it sounds like a real undiscovered hidden corner of Sardinia. So that's a very good suggestion for our listeners and indeed somewhere I'd certainly like to visit. Now, Nino, I'd like you to share the family story of Sylvia Carter, but first of all, tell us about yourself. Tell us a bit about your own story. How did you come to join the family business? My parents, my grandpa, They never really pushed me to to hard to join the the company, but they always let me free to choose my own path. And so after university, I had, the big dream to discover a bit more of the world. So I've been traveling and working, a bit in Europe and then mainly in South America, where I spent, a few years. And and then after this, I came back and joined the the company and the family to give my hands. Okay. So you've, seen the world moved around, but in the end, the pull of home was was very strong. And you've come back to your roots back to where you were raised and back most importantly to where your family is. Yeah. I'm joining the the family company was always the the thing I wanted to do, but it's kind of a job that really takes a lot of your time and doesn't really give you much of free time. So I knew that if I wanted to do something, for me, something different, I really had to do at that time. That was the the only spot where I could do it. So I just went for it, and then, happily joined the family. Okay. And, how long have you been, with the family company now? And how old are you? I'm thirty six, and I joined the family, four years ago. Okay. So you had a good while, but traveling around and now your back, back in Sardinia, back in an historic company. Tell us a little bit about the background of Silvio Carta. The story of Silvio Carta began in nineteen twenty nine. When, my grandfather was born into a peasant family in this middle this small little village of Baratres San Pietro. At the age of twenty one, when, also, my grandmother was six been an pregnant. Sylvia faced the challenge of providing for his young family. And I believe this difficult situation fueled his determination to create something special. In the early fifties, so he founded the Sylvia Carta company. Dedicating himself to producing the best Vernesha Doricano, a wine that gained recognition for its unique qualities to almost immediately. And in the sixties and seventies, Vernachio Doristana was the most popular wine from Sardinia. Now when I'm taking part of trade show around the world and we talk about Sardine wines, everyone is familiar with the Cannonao and Vermentino, which are respectively the most planted red and white grape variety from the island. But at that time, Vernacci Delistana was the most popular. And indeed, imagine it was the first DLC wine of Sardinia in nineteen seventy one. And, Stan, how sometimes I also get kudos and check the old sales history, and I see the old villages bar that will sell over two hundred liters over Natjidore's standard per week. It's unbelievable how popular it was. And over time, Silvio, with his first son, Elio, expanded the company's offerings to include a variety of liqueurs and spirits, always maintaining a deep respect for Sardinia tradition and nature. Okay. So it's very much a a story rooted in the traditions of Sardinia. Now I was a judge at this year's five star wines and wines without walls, a competition, and I know how rigorous it is and how we assess and discuss every single wine that we taste. Due to win the best, white wine award is an extraordinary and very high achievement, and especially for a wine of such unique characteristics. So I'd like to dive deeper into this historic and unique wine. Talk to us about Tell us how this wine is produced and what makes it so unique Vernache Deristano is a truly unique wine with a rich history. It is produced only from Vernache Deristano grapes, which grows in the lower valley of the Tiercer River. Near the sea in the Simmons Peninsula. And this wine is known for its amber color and distinct flavor profile, which includes notes of almond blossom, dried fruit, nuts, The production process is very precise after a late harvest in September, late September, early October. The one is aged in chestnut barrels for at least four years before we become Dernachy Durystano DOC reserva. We respect the tradition using only Sarddini and chestnut barrels, which are now over a hundred years old. These barrels, which are now completely neutral, So there is no influence, no good influence in here. I usually left partially filled to allow the development of floor east, which create a characteristic field, which protect the wine, allowing, micro oxygenation process to happen, which gives Bernacitostano its characteristic aroma and taste that in Sardo, the Serbian language, we'd say, sorry to interrupt. What does Murai mean? That's Sardinian word. It's hard to describe this word, Murai. We don't think there is an actual word in in Italian or or in English to translate this. But it's mainly connected with this very intense and unique sense that you can smell in very special vintages of the Natcha Delistana reservoir. Okay. So let me just recap a little bit for our listeners. This unique line produced in a unique method, the barrels partially filled four fifths, did you say, Nina? Mhmm. The the barrels not filled completely allowing this layer of yeast to floor to develop on the surface, protecting the wines from oxygen, but still allowing that micro oxygenation and adding unique flavors. A process similar to what I have seen in Harris de la Frontera for the production of Fino Sherries, a style of wine that is quite unique with his layer of floor on that, which, again, maybe this is what's giving that nutty, delicious, unique character to the flavor of the wine. Is there a Spanish link, Nino, for the production of Vernacha? So in Sardinia, we had a very big Spanish influence. It's typically when Sardinia was under the Spanish rule from late fourteenth to early eighteenth century. Still with Vernat de Ristana, we remain firmly linked to older tradition, and that's why we only use, Sardine and chestnut barrels instead of oak. And we only produce single vintage Vernachy Durystano DUCerra instead of solar method, which would allow blending different vintages together. The older tradition are mainly linked to definitions. As a three thousand years ago, they introduced it, Bernatra de Oristano, a great variety to the coastal area of Oristano on the Philippines peninsula where they founded the ancient land in place of Taros. And over time, cultivation has remained limited to this area near Oristano, mainly in Alberto. So cultivated through freestanding vines. And this variety prefers also lowlands, derived from the ancient and recent floods of the thierso and Rio Manu Rivers. That's fascinating, Nino. Going back, three thousand years to these great maritime traders, the Finitions who, traveled up the west coast of Italy to Sardinia, Sicily, of course, and also to Southern France. And I believe the Finitions also settled in the area around Harris de la Frontera, which could be a link between the wines. Really interesting to hear how the tradition goes back so long, but also that this unique wine is limited to your area of production only. The scene of Peninsula. Mhmm. Yeah. It's it's fun that during, like, the sixties and the seventies in Sardinia, Bernaceli Stano, was the main wine, the main grape variety Of course, Ferdina had a big demand for this wine and also the rest of the, of the country. So they tried to produce the same wine all over the the island, and they didn't make it. So only this specific area was able to deliver this very peculiar sense and flavors, which make Venachidorestano so spatial is so unique. Oh, that's fascinating. Now is the wine Unfortified? It is unfortified. And there's also a very big, different from other wines, like, for example, Sherry, as in this case, when you maybe take a bottle and you see on the back label of Avamesh britishana, you can see eighteen, maybe nineteen, alcohol level, ABV. And this is actually made, through an evaporation process that happens, in the barrel, which concentrates the wine. So it naturally increase the alcohol content. On the other end, each year we lose about eight, ten percent of the one in the barrel. And for instance, we bottle a Verneachy Dury standard. Do you see reserve at nineteen sixty eight vintage. So we basically, grandpa and uncle field, in nineteen sixty eight, sixty thousand liters over Nationalristown in chestnut barrels. And after fifty years and two months, they were left less than three thousand after all this time. Despite this, the one was spectacular and, of course, unrepeatable. And he's one of our most awarded vernaccio Dristano reserva. And that's incredible. That's incredible. Now, Nina, the style of the wine, is this a dry or a sweet wine? The wine is completely dry. Okay. So that's that's very, very interesting. But reaching up to eighteen percent through this process of natural evaporation. So it's really this oxidized style, this amber style line, is a unique rarity. We don't come across styles of line like this. Anywhere else in Italy. So, certainly, it's something for people to try in Sardinia, and it's also something for people to try if they can get a hand. Their hands on a bottle sold for export. Do you sell much export? Our main market, for both our wines and spirits is still, Italy. After Italy, we export, mainly in central Europe, like Germany, France, belgium. And then we have, Asia, where we actually came back, recently from a very interesting trip, and then also Australian and currently also the US. Italian wine podcast. If you think you love wine as much as we do, then give us a like and a follow anywhere you get your pods. Now, Nino, I'd like to discuss a very nacho di oristano and food a little bit later in our conversation because I think it's very interesting to consider the way and the moments when one drinks this unique wine. But first, let's and more briefly to the other side of of the Silvio Carta story, which is the distillation. Now is it true that after the war, there was a lot of illegal distilling in Sardinia. It was part of the tradition to home distill using the the Great Palmas and perhaps some of the wild herbs or juniper. And it it was out of this tradition that your company was born. Need to remember that, this part of the island, it always been one of the less, how can I say, with less resources? So people needed to survive and, and try to find also different possibilities to produce, both, like, food and drinks and maybe also exchange them, between families. So everyone in here will have their own, maybe, chickens, and pigs, and the piglets, and they will make wines. In the same time, they will have an alabic at home to make spirits. That was very common. And even if it was illegal, we have a very big tradition in in Sardinia for this. Just to have an idea, we have actually our own name, for example, for Agrapa. So the distillate from, the grape skins, from promises, in in Sardines called, It means, fillo is like a wire and is of iron. And that was because when people will distill illegally, then they will hide the bottle under the ground, and we'll just leave an Ira wire to to see where to remember where they put the bottle. And that's why we have different names in Serbian language for spirits because it was illegal and they need to find a way to talk about it in a in a way that the the the police would not understand what they were talking about. Oh, that's a fascinating story. I love that detail. Now tell us about a, a spirit or a liqueur that perhaps people are less familiar with but which is very traditional to Sardinia and to Silvio Carta. And that's Mirto. Oh, Mirto is an authentic glory of Sardinia and gastronomy, and we dedicate particular attention to it. Mirtle is an evergreen shrub, growing two, three meters tall. On average, that grows spontaneously in almost the entire Mediterranean era. In Sarddina, myirtle is widely used in food. And leaves and berries are used both fresh and dry as an ingredient for stuffing or as a space in game recipes, while the branches are traditionally used to season typical preparation of lamb roast, or Sarddenian piglets. Our classic Mirte liquor, which is the most famous way to end a meal here in Sarddenia, is made from infusion of ripe berries, And in that case, we make Mirto Rosa or the infusion of leaf. In that case, we make Mirto Bianco. We are talking about an infusion with alcohol and water, and then we add attach of sugar or honey and then the myrto is ready. Okay. So that is really a taste of sardinia at the end of a meal to have this digestivo. Oh, absolutely. A very good pairing with the myrto will be maybe with the, which is this, like, pastry, fried pastry with cheese and honey, which is very delicious. Okay. And we can talk about food pairing later. Well, let's turn to food pairing now. And let's return to Vernacha Dioreston. Oh, I imagine that this would be a very nice wine to have with a parativo. Would that be the case? And is a parativo important in in Sardinia as it is in other parts of Italy? Purtivo is incredibly important in Sardinia, both in small villages and bigger towns. And it's like the daily tradition of bringing people together to enjoy light drinks and small bites before dinner. And we have different kind of aperitivos before it was very common to have it with a young Vernacho Deristano. Now that is a bit less common. And for this we produced the Aspide, which is an our orange aperitivo, which allows both, locals and visitors to enjoy, typical sardinia spirits. He's been gaining the popularity in cocktail bars, that they even found a name in Sardino language, which would be another popular aperitivo, which is one of my favorite is the Mirto sour, which is a very flavorful drink, and is made with, Mirto Rosa, fresh lemon juice, rosemary syrup or liquid sugar and ice. So fruit is the best. Oh, that sounds really refreshing as well, especially in the summer heat. Is there a big boom for cocktails now, especially among younger people, Nino? Oh, yeah. Young generation now is looking forward to the art of mixology with great enthusiasm. And it's fun for us because we are able to offer all the necessary tools to create fully crafted sardinian cocktails like a sardinia negroni or sardinian Americano, white negroni, Manhattan, boulevardier, whiskey sour, and all made with hundred percent sardinian ingredients. Or for example, our gin tonic is a classic favorite, and we also recently introduced the paloma, maybe with the forty one bees, our agave spirit. And the idea is not just to celebrate the rich flavors of Sardinia, but also bring a modern twist to the traditional cocktail recipes. Okay. So it's that mix of a company that's deeply traditional rooted in tradition. Their products are so traditional that liver nacho can go back. Three thousand years, but you're also looking forward an innovative. I think that's really important to have products that can excite new and younger market. That's perhaps part of your job then is to discover this way to reach new markets? I believe it is, especially, like, in the last four, five years. We've been, growing also abroad, which is something that we didn't where we didn't work much before. So it's it's very interesting also because now more and more markets are opening even young markets and they are looking for more craft spirits, very unique wines So for us that we are really bringing a bit of the soul of Sardinia, they're, like, very, very big opportunities. Okay. Great. Now, Nino, let's turn now to Sardinian Foods and both Venaccia Dioristano and possibly whether you can match or pair typical in traditional foods with any of your the cures or spirits. Vernatia Doristano, there's wonderfully with local dishes like Botarga, the sardinian golden caviar. So this salted and cured fish roe is a sardinian delicacy, and it's rich savory flavor it really complements the nati and complex notes of Vernache Dristano. You should try, for instance, Vernacha with spaghetti and botaga or simply with the botaga and some extra virgin olive oil on top. Or there with Artichokes and Botaga, which is one of my personal favorite. Also, very special. And, Mark, when you will come to Sardinia, we'll bring you to one of my favorite places to try this one. Is this special aperitivo made with the this typical sardinian crisp bread known as Montrester or Bistoque with fresh artichokes and botarga shavings on top with extra virgin olive oil. And also when the artichokes are not in season, it is completed with ripe fruits, like, figs, apples, or melon. It's like a very, like, like, an explosion of taste for your taste buds. And very much this ton of them also pairs very well with aged cheese. So think about season pecorino or as a dessert wine with almond desserts, like, Sardinia, famous Amaretti, Guassusou, and Tabacinoza. I work like a Bo Makarta or Mirto Rosa. They also are very good as after dinner. So they can pair with the Siatus, sir, from Sardinia, which is this fried pastry with cheese and honey, or also when I think about cocktails, Asardina Negroni complements, rich cheeses or a gin tonic with our Grifu Limo is, like, perfect with the fresh seafood. But, yeah, when you guys come to Sabrina, I will invite you to taste yourself this expedite combinations. Absolutely fabulous, Nina. I'm just loving the sound of that, that, crisp bread with the fresh artichokes and shavings of Botaga. This unique flavor of Sardinia bottarga is something that people definitely have to try. And I'm really intrigued that that compares so well with that a nacho di or istano. I can imagine that sort of nuttiness of the wine and the deep flavors of the bottarga. Pairing absolutely beautiful, and in a unique combination that one won't find anywhere else. Nina, what about visiting your area? What about visiting Sylvia Carter? Do you have opportunities for wine hospitality or wine tourism? Oh, for sure. We warm welcome visitors to experience our winery and distillery, and they can explore the vineyards, the distillery, learning about all the production processes, both for wines and spirits. And also when we do this tour, we provide a deep dive into the history and tradition of the family. You might even get the chance to meet in Old Mosilio and Zio Elio. See our century old chestnut barrels where the matching of very much the risk tunnel happens. And also with Nest, the innovation behind our award winning genes and other spirits. And it's not just about seeing, but it's also about testing So we offer testing sessions where you can sample a range of products from the the nachibori's tunnel to the rubber bands, vermoves, traditional myrto, jeans, and, of course, our unique, sardinian whiskey. Do a Ranger visit, you can just contact us through our website or send us a message on Facebook or Instagram. We're always excited to meet new friends and share a bit of the authentic taste of Sardinia. We the work. Nina, that's a that's a great description of what you offer and also a real invitation to all our listeners to make the effort to visit a less well known part of Sardinia to go to the west to the sinuous peninsula, which sounds so intriguing with its beautiful beaches and to discover what Silvio Carta has to offer. Nino, it's been really great talking to you this morning. Thank you for sharing your world the world of the Bernace Diorestano and taking us to Sardinia. I've really enjoyed this, and I'm sure our listeners have too. So have a great day, and I hope to visit you sometime soon. Thank you, Mark, for having me on your show. And I will wait here for you and all your listeners to enjoy Sardinia, and have a drink together. We hope you enjoy today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like, share, and subscribe right here or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at Italianwine podcast dot com. Until next time.