‘Herita Marzotto Wine Estates’ – Santa Margherita celebrates 90 years with fresh identity
Today, the group has reinforced its position as one of the leading players in the global wine industry, achieving a turnover of over €255 million in 2023, with more than 27 million bottles sold in over 90 countries.
Italian wine producer Santa Margherita is celebrating its 90th anniversary by rebranding to Herita Marzotto Wine Estates.
The company, whose origins date back to 1935 under its Founder Count Gaetano Marzotto, remains firmly under the control of the family’s third generation.
Today, the group has reinforced its position as one of the leading players in the global wine industry, achieving a turnover of over €255 million in 2023, with more than 27 million bottles sold in over 90 countries. The 2024 consolidated figures will be shared just before this year’s Vinitaly.
The company attributed the results to its founder’s vision to create what it describes as an innovative agri-food hub that combines nature and technology, with a key focus on product quality, authenticity and the wellbeing and dignity of its workers.
His business model, focused on people, nature and innovation, played a key role in what is dubbed the ‘Italian miracle’, reshaping wine consumption both in Italy and worldwide.
The group was a pioneer in vinifying the Glera variety from the hills of Valdobbiadene as a sparkling wine in 1952. It also set the trend for the worldwide popularity of Pinot Grigio. As one of the major producers of Franciacorta, the company played a key role in shaping modern sparkling winemaking in Alto Adige.
In addition, the group has been a global promoter of indigenous varieties such as Turbiana in Lugana and Vermentino. These initiatives highlight the company’s continued ability to anticipate shifts in consumer preferences and evolving trends in wine consumption.
Its founder’s vision has evolved while maintaining product authenticity and the integrity of the terroirs. This has been achieved through best practices refined over the years, combining tradition with sustainable innovation.
Examples include underground drip irrigation to conserve water, preserving biodiversity, using self-produced renewable energy and prioritising local suppliers.
The company believes that products stemming from a healthy environment, managed with respect for nature’s cycles, hold distinctive value. As evidence of its ongoing efforts and future goals, it has already published two Sustainability Reports.
The name ‘Herita’ reflects the legacy built by the company under its previous identity, Santa Margherita Gruppo Vinicolo.
This heritage is based on the company’s wine regions, their traditions and the terroirs selected for the vineyards, and includes the protection of these areas, the environment and local communities.
This legacy also reflects the company’s continuous research, investments and innovations, paired with its deep winemaking expertise.
Herita now stands as an “enological mosaic”, with roots in ten estates and brands, including Santa Margherita, Torresella, Kettmeir, Ca’ del Bosco, Cà Maiol, Lamole di Lamole, Vistarenni, Tenuta Sassoregale, Cantina Mesa and Roco Winery.
The company manages over 760 hectares across Italy’s popular winemaking regions, including the Eastern Veneto, Conegliano-Valdobbiadene, Trentino-Alto Adige, Lugana, Franciacorta, Chianti Classico, Maremma and Sardinia. These vineyards are farmed organically or with SQNPI certification.
In addition, it has more than 40 hectares in Oregon’s Willamette Valley.
In the United States, Santa Margherita USA, headquartered in Miami, has been operating since 2016. Its mission is to expand business in the world’s leading market, representing not only the ten estates but also other renowned independent Italian wineries.
Herita Marzotto Wine Estates Founder and President Gaetano Marzotto said: “It is a motive of great pride for my brothers and myself to be able to celebrate 90 years after the beginning of the incredible dream that took shape with our grandfather’s entry into the world of agriculture and food.
“It is not an oversimplification to say that – where there was once just a tract of land farmed by sharecroppers – a business has prospered that has been a part of the history of Italian wine and which even today continues to invest and grow.
“Pride therefore, but also of course a great sense of responsibility for the whole of our family, including the new generation that has now joined the company and which believes wholeheartedly in this project and is setting itself further ambitious objectives for the years to come.”
Chief Executive Officer Andrea Conzonato added: “This 90th anniversary that we are celebrating comes at a very particular time for the wine world, both in Italy and elsewhere.
“Geopolitical uncertainty, the generational change in consumers, and tension regarding duties and tariffs affecting various markets: these aspects constrain Italian wineries to make important choices and have a medium- to long-term vision that is equally strategic.
“These challenges, though, are anything but new for a company that has been involved in this business for the last 90 years: as Herita, we can unwaveringly confirm our programme of investments – which has never come to a halt, even in the face of the last five turbulent years – and our decision to develop even further our impact abroad, with particular focus on the United States, where we already have a very strong presence not only on the commercial front but also as far as production is concerned.”
Herita Marzotto Wine Estates will make its debut at Wine Paris 2025 on 10-12 February (Hall 6/C 114) at the Porte de Versailles exhibition centre. 
