The Cagnulari grape, native to Sardinia, is traditionally cultivated using the ancient bush training method on the limestone-clay hills south of Sassari, not far from the Alghero coast. However, it is sparsely represented in other Sardinian provinces, which is why it was overlooked by many scholars until more recent times. Cagnulari bears some resemblance to the Bovale grape, a variety to which many compare it. For this reason, a common Spanish origin is hypothesized, although Cagnulari has evolved from the original clone, which could indeed be Bovale. Cagnulari was saved from extinction thanks to the efforts of a few small producers who resisted switching to more famous and profitable varieties like Cannonau and Bovale.

In the past, Cagnulari wine was often used to blend with other less intense and full-bodied red wines or sold in bulk for local consumption. Its vinification as a pure variety is relatively recent, and today Cagnulari has a specific type recognized within the Alghero DOC. In Gallura, Cagnulari is called Caldarello or Caldareddu, and in Alghero, it is called Cagliunari, which is its officially recognized synonym. Cagnulari is often vinified with other black grape varieties; for example, in the Mejlogu area, it is blended with Cannonau and Pascale di Cagliari to obtain a wine with an interesting structure. Since 1995, Cagnulari has been included as a base for Denominazione di Origine Controllata wines of the Alghero DOC.

From a cultivation perspective, the Cagnulari vine is vigorous and requires medium expansion training systems, with short pruning like bush training. Its production is abundant and consistent, and it has decent resistance to fungal diseases. It suffers from excessive sun exposure and high temperatures (above 40°C), and abnormal summer rainfall causes significant damage to the cluster, often resulting in acidic rot that renders much of the production unusable. Cagnulari grapes are particularly rich in sugars, polyphenols, and also have good acidity. With careful vinification, it is possible to obtain a high-quality and fairly long-lived wine. The wine produced from pure Cagnulari vinification is dark ruby red, with a very characteristic aroma that ranges from intense fruity (red fruit) in youth to spicy (black pepper) and even herbaceous and plum jam in aged wines. On the palate, Cagnulari wine is dry, warm, fairly smooth, fairly fresh, moderately tannic, savory, full-bodied to robust, yet harmonious.