Santadi Winery

[san-TAH-dee]

Location: Santadi, Province of Cagliari. Sardinia, Italy.

Founded in 1960, Cantina Santadi is located in the province of Cagliari in the small town of Santadi. The President, Antonello Pilloni, and winemaker, Riccardo Curreli, work alongside General Manager, Raffaele Cani, to produce wines deeply rooted in Sulcis terroir.

Points of Differentiation

• A dynamic wine-making team: Riccardo Curreli and Raffaele Cani
• The largest vineyard owner in the “del Sulcis” DOC zone with 1,000 acres of prime, gently rolling land
• Home to the indigenous vines of Vermentino, Carignano, Monica, and other varietals
• Unique sandy soil protects vines from Phylloxera
• One of the few wineries with vines that have pre-Phylloxera rootstock

The History

Cantina Santadi was founded in 1960 and was based on a partnership of fine local growers. From the beginning, Santadi set severe quality standards and began establishing a reputation for making phenomenal wines from native varietals.

In 1976, the Santadi partners elected Antonello Pilloni as their President. Pilloni succeeded in bringing Santadi to international prominence and remains at the helm today.

In the early 1980s, PIlloni called on Giacomo Tachis to consult for Santadi. The creator of Sassicaia, Tachis would become known as “the man behind Italian wine’s worldwide Renaissance,” and a true living legend.

In the 1990’s, Santadi made major investments, expanding the winery and the purchasing of state-of-the-art equipment. The winery would later be expanded again in the 2000’s to make room for additional production and a new barrique cellar.

The Terroir

Santadi vineyards cover an impressive 1,235 acres (500 hectares) of prime, gently rolling terrain reaching right out to the sea, all within an 18-mile radius from the winery so that fruit can be conveyed in minimal time.

The soil is unique, its sandy nature conducive to the survival of pre-Phylloxera rootstock. In the words of Raffaele Cani: “The parasite does attack the roots, producing small holes in them. These cavities, however, are immediately filled up by grains of sand that heal the wounds, as it were, allowing the plant to thrive in spite of Phylloxera.”