The Parteolla, located in the south-eastern area of ​​Sardinia, is partly mountainous and partly flat and cultivable. The territory and the typically Mediterranean climate have led to the development of a thriving agricultural and pastoral economy in the area. If you’re there in spring, try your luck at foraging for the wild asparagus that grows along the hedgerow or in the shade of olive trees.

There are plenty of turn-offs along the way and I encourage you to explore. Ruins of a Roman Bath anyone? Or the medieval church of Santa Maria di Sibiola? On the way back to Cagliari (ideally after visiting the Audarya wine estate), be sure to take a detour through some fields to the Stani Saliu salt pond to see the flamingos! Especially lovely late afternoon before sunset.

Local Producers

We came to meet producers whose passion and quality go hand in hand with sustainability and respect for the territory. These are family businesses where heritage holds the hand of a new generation creating products with a genuine flavour, respecting tradition with an innovative eye towards the future.

These are just some of the producers we recommend visiting in this region. Take your pick of a few and come back another day to check out those you missed the first time. There’s only so much wine and cheese you can taste in a day, right?

Listed in order driving northwards from Cagliari:

SALUMIFICIO CAMPIDANESE SU SARTIZZU

Cured Meat

In Monastir, a quiet village near Cagliari, the passion for good food has become an art. The secrets of family recipes are as jealously guarded as the most precious jewels. In Campidanese houses the abundance of the harvest is celebrated with tasty sausages. Salumificio Campidanese Su Sartizzu was created by father Giorgio, a butcher and meat expert, and mama Fedora, famous for her culinary skills. Their son Ignazio and his wife Barbara shared their same passion, and today, in turn, are teaching this craft to their own children Lorenzo and Nicola.

Located just off the highway in an industrial park, this is not a picturesque stop, but it’s a friendly and tasty one. Ring the buzzer at the gate and walk over to the shop door at the side.

This is a good place for melt-in-the-mouth Guanciale, wild boar Salsiccia spiked with local myrtle or fennel seeds, and a porky Pancetta.

Find them at: Zona Artigianale Is Argiddas, Monastir, Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

CANTINA SA DEFENZA

Natural Wine makers

This is one very special wine maker – do give them a visit! 

The siblings Pietro, Paolo and Anna Marchi are behind this creative, revolutionary wine-maker with a passionate, rebellious streak.

Their 14 hectares of vineyards are cared for with a natural method without any processing on the ground. They let wild herbs grow, attentive to biodiversity for the improvement of the soil and to obtain high quality grapes. Thanks to this type of processing, the plants coexist with the surrounding scrub and defend themselves independently, which is why they only use powdered sulphur to prevent mould or other types of plant diseases. The grapes are harvested by hand and placed in boxes for transport to the cellar. Fermentations are partly at controlled temperature and partly at cellar temperature in steel containers.

Sa Defenza’s wines are mainly produced from old vines from native grapes.The addition of sulphur is minimal and only as an antibacterial. There is no filtration and after about 8 months of maturation the wine is bottled for refinement which lasts from two to twelve months.

This is the place for something different. For amazing wines as they were traditionally made in ancient times, using the whole grape, skins and probably a few green twigs. Choose from a range of Orange and Amber wines. Tastes are feisty and spritzy, dry and succulent. 

Find them at: Via Sa Defenza, 38, 09040 Donori, Sardinia, Italy

SOCIETA AGRICOLA ALLEVAMENTI MASCIA S.S

Pig breeder and pork product producer

Drive off the main road, up a track towards the hills. Pass the donkey paddock and you’ll come to a driveway with a small shack/shop to the right. One of the family’s two friendly dogs will probably be out front, lying in the sun chewing on a large bone. Nicoletta is just as friendly and charming.

Pig breeding is the passion of Luciano Mascia. The animals live in close contact with nature, free to root and graze in areas covered with olive trees, oaks and shrubs of the Mediterranean scrub. Outdoor farming allows them to offer high quality flavourful meat in full respect of tradition and animal welfare. In 2017 the collaboration with Salumificio Parteolla was born which transforms the meats into excellent hand-made cured meats.

You can taste before buying and Nicoletta will helpfully vacuum pack anything you like. Standout products for us were their Coppa and Coppa di Testa.

Find them at: Località Terra is Orgius, 09040 Donori Provincia di Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

FORMAGGI ARESU

Cheese Maker

The Aresu/Corona Family started producing cheeses in Sardinia in the mid 20th century. Those were the years of the post-war period, when the reconstruction of Italy and Sardinia was under way. As the cold chain did not yet exist, the milk produced on the hills of Donori was processed directly. After shepherds hand milked, the milk was transported to the country on horse or donkey back back. Production started by heating the raw milk on a wood fire; the newly produced cheese was poured into raw aluminium moulds, and then stored in cool cellars carved from stone. The first deliveries were made by steam train, while ships took a whole day to connect Sardinia to the rest of Italy.

Since then, much has changed, but here the Aresu Family still personally participates and takes care of the choice of ingredients required for the production of a great Sardinian cheese.

Instead of using synthetic insulation panels, the Aresu Cheeses are aged in brick-walled cells, which ensure natural breathing and constant ventilation, even though brick cells are more expensive to maintain. Ageing takes place on seasoned planks of solid fir, which allows the cheese to “breathe” naturally and salting is done with Sardinian sea salt, another natural, local product.

A huge selection to choose from!

Find them at: is Arenas, 5, 09040 Donori Provincia di Cagliari, Sardinia, Italy

https://www.formaggiaresu.com

ARGIOLAS FORMAGGI S.r.l.

Cheese Maker

Argiolas Formaggi is one of the most important dairies in Sardinia.

Ennio and Eligio Argiolas passion for the dairy tradition was born in 1954 and grew in the green pastures of Campidano. In a few years, with resourcefulness and hard work, they managed to set up their own business by creating the company F.lli Argiolas and began to experiment with new types of cheeses.

Thanks to growing demand, they built a new ageing warehouse and in 1970 built their first own dairy in Dolianova. Right where it all began, near the lush pastures of their land.

The constant search for quality combined with passion led the two brothers to create innovative products with authentic flavour respecting the territory and family traditions.

Today the warehouses can accommodate about 200,000 wheels, guaranteeing the highest quality during the maturation and seasoning process.

Their Pecorino Pepato is a perfect harmony of flavours.

Find them at: SP14, 3, 09041 Dolianova CA, Sardinia, Italy

https://www.argiolasformaggi.com

CANTINA AUDARYA

Wine Producer

Whatever you do, don’t miss this amazingly beautiful and renowned wine estate.

Audarya makes modern wines tied to the territory with native grape varieties. Leading the business are Salvatore and Nicoletta, the new generation, with the vital contribution of their father Enrico’s experience.

In few years, they have made Audarya a well-known brand, appreciated in Italy and abroad, ambassador of a way of making wine in Sardinia, that is modern and traditional at the same time.

This producer cultivates native varieties of grapes from Sardinia and the area of Cagliari, in integrated farming across 4 estates. The average age of the vineyards is over 20 years and most of the vines were planted by father Enrico and his father. Each estate has unique terroirs, characterized by limestone, marl, and clay. The salty sea air of the Gulf also has its influence and gives unique characteristic.

Find them at: Loc. Sa Perdera, 09040 Serdiana, Sardinia, Italy

https://www.audarya.it