Welcome to Episode 2522 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald interviews Mike Hansen, an Associate Broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, specializing in the sale and acquisition of premium vineyards and wineries. Together, they explore the dynamics of mergers and acquisitions (M&A) in the global wine market.

Key Takeaways: 

• What drives valuations in the global wine market?


• Mergers and acquisitions and their impact on Italian producers.


• How to build long-term value after an acquisition?

More about the guest: 

Mike Hansen is an Associate Broker at Sotheby’s International Realty, specializing in the sale and acquisition of premium vineyards and wineries in Napa and Sonoma counties. With an extensive background in business and real estate, Mike offers a rare combination of strategic insight and hands-on experience in the wine industry.

Mike holds an MBA from Sonoma State University and is a Certified Mergers & Acquisitions Professional through the New York Institute of Finance, making him exceptionally qualified to navigate complex transactions. He functions in both brokerage and advisory roles on both the sale and acquisition side, providing valuable insight to maximize returns for sellers and source exceptional deals for buyers. In addition to brokerage, Mike draws personal farming experience through the management of his family’s historic ranch in the Petaluma Gap AVA, giving him direct expertise in vineyard management and agricultural operations.

Connect:  

Website: https://www.mikesellsvineyards.com/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/michael-hansen-mba/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/hansen_land/

More about the host:

With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries.

As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarajeanfitz/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/

Website: https://www.aprilacreative.com/ 

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Until next time, Cin Cin!