The island, known as Sardegna to its Italian-speaking inhabitants, has belonged to various empires and kingdoms over the centuries. This is reflected in its place names, architecture, languages and dialects, and its unique portfolio of wine grapes.

Since the mid-18th Century, Sardinia has been one of Italy's five autonomous regions (the others being Sicily, Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige and the Aosta Valley), but its separation from the mainland has led to a culture and identity somewhat removed from the Italian mainstream. This is reflected in the Sardinian relationship with wine - it is much less culturally and historically engrained there than in the mainland regions.

Wine production and consumption on any scale has developed only in the past few centuries. Viticulture is a minority enterprise in Sardinia, despite generous financial incentives from the government.

Only a small percentage of the island's land is given over to vines, and there seems to be little drive to capitalize on the island's naturally vine-friendly climate and landscape. As of 2020, there were 26,709 hectares (66,000 acres) cultivated on the island.

Whether or not Sardinian wine finds its way into the annals of the wine world depends on various factors: the ebb and flow of world wine markets, the efficacy of Italian wine bureaucracy and marketing, and the ever-changing tastes and interests of the modern wine consumer. source: wine-searcher.com