asco di Cagliari, which has been produced since ancient times in the district of Cagliari, is made solely from the variety of the same name. It was once known as Nascu, a term derived from the Latin word muscus or musky, which refers to the variety's unmistakable scent of underbrush.Nasco is without doubt one of the oldest vaieties on the island and many ampelographers believe that it is native to Sardinia. Official reports of its existence go back to the period when Pisa and Genoa exerted strong influences on the island. That was in the period immediately following the Vandalic and Byzantine denominations when the island was divided into the four jurisdictions of Cagliari, Arborea, Logudoro and Gallura.
Until the second half of the 19th century, Nasco was cultivated throughout the island and, different from the numerous other Sardinian varieties, its wine was appreciated in its own right and not simply as a fortifier of other wines. It was for that reason that Nasco was presented at the Universal Exposition of Vienna in 1873 as representing the typical wines of Sardinia.
This variety also experienced a severe reduction as a result of the phylloxera epidemic. And, when the growers began replanting their vineyards, they selected other vines that were more prolific and resistant.
Despite renewed commercial interest in the wine, which was stimulated by the granting of the Denominazione di Origine Controllata in 1972, and increasing demand on the market for quality sweet or liqueur wines, production is still quite limited and most of the output goes to dedicated aficionados.
