Latinia 2019: Why Nasco Makes One of Sardinia’s Most Interesting Sweet Wines
Cantina Santadi’s Latinia 2019 is a late-harvest sweet wine from the lower Sulcis, made from Nasco, one of southern Sardinia’s historic white grapes. The fruit comes from bush-trained vines on predominantly loose, sandy soils, with harvesting carried out in several passes between late September and late October so that only sufficiently overripe bunches are selected.
The grapes undergo natural over-ripening on the vine, concentrating sugar and flavour before pressing. Fermentation takes place slowly in stainless steel and stops naturally because of the density and sugar concentration of the must, after which the wine spends several months in French oak barriques. The 2019 was bottled at 14% ABV in the classic 375 ml format.
The Basics
- Producer: Cantina Santadi
- Wine: Latinia
- Vintage: 2019
- Region: Sulcis, Sardinia
- Grape: Nasco
- Style: Sweet late-harvest wine
- Vine training: Alberello
- Soils: Predominantly loose and sandy
- Harvest: Multiple selective passes, late September to late October
- Drying: Natural over-ripening on the vine
- Fermentation: Slow fermentation in stainless steel
- Ageing: Several months in French oak barriques
- Alcohol: 14%
- Bottle: 375 ml
- Serving temperature: 12–14°C
- Current price: Around €25–€30
Appearance
Deep amber-gold, with clear viscosity and enough brightness to avoid looking heavy or oxidised.
Nose
The nose is rich but not monotonous, opening with dried apricot, candied fig, quince paste and orange peel, followed by honey, caramel, walnut and clove. Vanilla and a light roasted note emerge as the wine warms, while the 2019 now shows enough bottle development to move beyond simple primary sweetness.
Palate
Full and concentrated, with clear sweetness but enough freshness and alcohol to keep the palate balanced. Dried apricot, fig, honey and candied citrus dominate initially, followed by caramel, spice and a light nutty tone from maturation.
The texture is broad and viscous without becoming cloying, which is the key strength of the wine. Nasco’s aromatic profile remains visible beneath the concentration rather than disappearing completely into sugar and oak.
Finish
Persistent, warm and gently spicy, with orange blossom, honey, dried fruit and clove lingering after the main sweetness recedes. A slight bitter-citrus note gives the finish extra definition.
Ready to Drink?
Yes. The 2019 is fully expressive now and has developed attractive tertiary notes while retaining plenty of fruit. A sound bottle should continue to hold for several more years, but there is no compelling reason to delay opening it.
Serving and Decanting
Serve at 12–14°C in a small white- or dessert-wine glass. Decanting is unnecessary; ten minutes in the glass is enough to reveal the more complex honey, nut and citrus-peel notes.
Food Pairings
The obvious matches are blue cheese, aged Pecorino, almond biscuits, dried-fruit tart and dark chocolate desserts. Smoked fish is a more unusual but convincing option, because salt and smoke contrast the wine’s sweetness and echo its mature savoury notes.
Price and Value
Current bottles of the 2019 sit around €26–€30 for 375 ml. That places Latinia above everyday passito territory, but the price is justified by the selective late harvest, natural concentration, barrel ageing and the relatively uncommon use of Nasco in this style.
Final Thoughts
Latinia 2019 is not built around extreme sweetness. Its appeal comes from the balance between dried fruit, honey, candied citrus, spice and freshness, with enough bottle age now to add walnut and deeper caramelised tones.
The most interesting part is the grape. Nasco gives the wine more personality than a generic late-harvest white, while the sandy Sulcis setting and slow on-vine over-ripening create a style that feels distinctly Sardinian rather than simply luxurious.
