Sardinia, known as Sardegna, in Italian (the Italian adjective is Sardo), Mediterranean island 200 km/125 miles off the coast of Italy at its nearest point, governed by carthage before conquest by Ancient rome, and subsequently by Byzantines, Arabs, and Catalans. (See map under italy.) Sardinia became an integral part of Italy only in 1726, when it was ceded to the House of Savoy. Historically, linguistically, and culturally, as well as geographically, the island seems detached from the mainstream of Italian civilization, and it is no surprise that at least two of its significant grape varieties—cannonau (garnacha) and Carignano (carignan), also known as bovale Grande—are of Spanish origin.
