Cannonau is the most widespread grape variety in Sardinia. The origins and provenance of the grape seem to be uncertain: until recently, it was hypothesized to have a presumed Iberian origin, specifically, it was thought to have been imported to Sardinia only in the 15th century. However, according to recent discoveries, Cannonau is now believed to be an indigenous grape variety, and the eponymous wine is the oldest in the Mediterranean basin. The official historical theory on the origins of Cannonau and its provenance from the Iberian Peninsula traces the cultivation of the vine back to the Caucasus and Mesopotamia regions. From there, after being transferred to the Anatolian region and then to Egypt and the Aegean Islands, it reached all areas of Europe to arrive in the Mediterranean and then in Sardinia thanks to the Phoenicians, the first colonizers and promoters of wine cultivation in the Mediterranean.
It was thought that Cannonau was a mutation of Grenache, which arrived on the island with the Aragonese. Instead, it was called Alicante by the Iberians, who would have contributed to the spread of the grape variety in Spain: particularly in Seville, where it would have taken the name Canonazo, and in Aragon with the appellation Garnacha.
Recent archaeological finds of ancient Cannonau grape seeds in various sites in Sardinia have challenged these theories, rewriting the history of the vine's origin in the Mediterranean. The origins of the name "Cannonau" seem to be recent and underwent a transition from variants such as Cannonadu or Canonao to its definitive version: the first time the name Cannonau appeared in an official document, referring to a grape variety, was in an act dated October 21, 1549, by notary Bernardino Coni, based in Cagliari.
The hypothesis of the Spanish descent of the grape was overturned particularly in 2002, when some fossilized grape seeds belonging to a grape still cultivated on the island were recovered near the Nuraghe Arrubiu in Orroli.
The vine seeds found at the archaeological site "Duos Nuraghes" date back to 1200 BC, hence more than 3000 years ago, and therefore long before the Spanish, around 1500, imported the first grape to be cultivated, Garnacha, to the island. Although carbonized, the grape seeds were still in a good state of preservation, so it was possible to subject them to analysis in enological laboratories, which confirmed their provenance from a grape that seemed to be precisely Cannonau.
These discoveries, which confirmed that the Nuragic populations practiced viticulture and produced wine, allowed to demonstrate the endemic nature of the grape, until now attributed to Spanish domination: Sardinian Cannonau would be an indigenous grape variety, a different variety from the Iberian one but native to Sardinia, from which it would have been exported to Spain.
Recent studies and the discovery of grape seeds dating back about 3,200 years in different areas of Sardinia, not only in Borore but also in the Tirso Valley north of Cagliari and in Villanovafranca, confirm that Cannonau is the oldest wine in the Mediterranean basin. Particularly in the province of Oristano, near the Nuragic site of "Sa Osa" in the territory of Cabras, archaeological finds from the Bronze Age have been discovered: wells dug into the rock by prehistoric inhabitants, ranging in height from 4.5 to 6 meters, which were used for food preservation thanks to the remarkable thermal insulation inside them, so that it was possible to find various organic materials, both vegetable and animal, almost intact, including grape seeds, walnuts, hazelnuts, and fig seeds that have been genetically studied.
It was precisely thanks to the discoveries at "Sa Osa" and the perfect preservation of the grape seeds found that it was possible to trace back to the grape varieties. The excavations conducted at the nuraghe of Villanovaforru also seem to trace the morphology of the found grape seeds to a vine with promiscuous characteristics between a wild type and most probably Cannonau.
The recent archaeological discoveries therefore allow us to state with certainty that the cultivation of Vitis Vinifera was already known in Sardinia when the Phoenicians arrived.
In reality, traces of Cannonau wine in Sardinia were also found around the 17th century. In particular, in 1612, a visitor of the sovereign Martin Carrillo and a Franciscan named Giorgio Aleo (in 1677) referred to the precious products produced throughout the island, referring to them with the word "vini Cañonates".
Even in subsequent centuries, detailed descriptions of this grape variety can be found: in the 18th century, in particular, Manca dell'Arca mentioned Cannonau, and so did Moris in the 19th century, who defined Cannonau with the words "Vitis prestans".
Evidence of the presence and diffusion of the Cannonau grape variety in Sardinia since ancient times also emerged around the mid-19th century, when the priest Vittorio Angius conducted a detailed analysis of viticulture of his time and the grape varieties cultivated in various areas: Cannonau emerged as the most widespread grape variety on the island.
