Monica, red wine grape native to Italy found on the Italian island of Sardinia (‘Sardegna’) which has been given its own island-wide Monica di Sardegna DOC. However, as Ian D’Agata (2015, p.344-5) points out, there are multiple varieties named ‘Monica’ on Sardinia, and most are completely unrelated. One of the synonyms for Monica is ‘Mora di Spagna’, suggesting Monica may have originated in Spain, yet Monica is not known in modern Spain (Oxford Companion, 2015, p.472), and Cettolini and Mameli’s hypothesis that Monica was identical to Spain’s Morillo is not so (D’Agata, 2015, p.344-5). There appears to be a close affinity between Monica and both Nieddu Mannu as well as with another little-known variety called Carenisca, most likely a biotype of Monica and which is typical of the Sulcis area of Sardinia’s south- west corner (D’Agata, 2015, p.344-5). See also Monica di Cagliari DOC and the Mandrolisai DOC.
Vineyard area: 2009 ‘Almost 3,000ha, one of Sardinia’s most abundant varieties,’ (D’Agata, 2015, p.344-5). | 2010 1,400 ha/3,459 acres (Oxford Companion, p472).
Viticulture: Monica grows erect and is a vigorous, dependable, abundant producer making it popular with farmers. High yields produce predictably neutral and uninteresting wines.
Wines: Sardinia: Monica di Sardegna DOC (Sardinia). | Cagliari DOC Monica (Sardinia).
Wine style: Monica di Sardegna DOC is usually dry and Monica di Cagliari DOC is only rarely sweet, says Burton Anderson, 1990, p.288. Monica offers simple, easy-drinking, gently tannic wines that are meant to be drunk young. It is characterized by delicate red-berry aromas and flavors with nuances of fresh herbs, orange rind, tar and tobacco. It is usually made as a dry red, either on its own or blended with grapes like Cannonau and Bovale Sardo. A well-made monovarietal can be reminiscent in style of a fresh Valpolicella or Chianti. Producers are starting to harness Monica’s considerable winemaking potential and increasing numbers of new monovariety Monica wines are springing up every year. Monica di Sardegna DOC is usually dry and Monica di Cagliari DOC is only rarely sweet (Burton Anderson: 1990, p.288).
Bibliography
Burton Anderson, Vino – The Wines and Winemakers of Italy (London, 1982).
Burton Anderson, The Wine Atlas of Italy (Mitchell Beazley, London, 1990).
David Gleave, The Wines of Italy (Salamander Books, London, 1989). DWWA, Decanter World Wine Awards.
Ian D’Agata, Native Wine Grapes of Italy (University of California Press, 2014 p344-5).
Italian Wine Unplugged (Positive Press, 2017), p.114-5.
Nicolas Belfrage MW, Life Beyond Lambrusco (Sidgwick & Jackson, 1985).
Nicolas Belfrage MW, From Barolo to Valpolicella—The Wines of Northern Italy (Faber & Faber, 1999).
Nicolas Belfrage MW, From Brunello to Zibibbo–The Wines of Tuscany, Central and Southern Italy (2nd edition, London, 2003).
Oxford Companion to Wine 4th edition ed. Jancis Robinson MW and Julia Harding MW (Oxford University Press, 2015), p.472.