Santa Margherita purchased Cantina Mesa (Sardinia) in 2017 (price undisclosed) with three aims. The first is to balance against portfolio of white-dominant wine offerings with Cannonau and Carignano, especially as red wines are more popular in the growing Asian markets. Secondly, the price of vineyards in Sardinia tends to be lower than the more traditional areas of Italy where the company already has properties (Alto Adige, Prosecco and Tuscany), so this allows the company to acquire more vineyard real estate. Finally, as climate change continues to be a wild card, investing in an area like Sardinia and in grapes that are more drought-resistant (Vermentino, Cannonau and Carignano) allows the company to offset some future climate-change related risk.

• Accredited to:
• K. Sazama