A mere one-hour flight from Rome, across the blue-green Tyrrhenian Sea, plus a winding road trip through the hilly heart of Sardinia, will land you in front of the imposing facade of  Cantina Mesa winery. The white, minimalist structure overlooks a lush marshland that borders the shimmering beaches of Porto Pino in the island’s southwestern Sulcis-Iglesiente region, a windswept place of striking beauty that hints at the vitality of the wines produced here.

Summer is unparalleled in this corner of the world. At the height of the season, vines are heavy with grapes — ruby-hued Carignano, light-skinned Vermentino, blood-red Cannonau, and more — and the undulating countryside around Cantina Mesa is enveloped in leafy green.