Renzo Marinai

The Renzo Marinai estate, called San Martino a Cecione, takes its name from the nearby ancient church of San Martino. The oldest structure on the farm is a watchtower dating from 1163 A.D. which was part of the Florentines’ defenses against their traditional enemies, the Siennese. Renzo Marinai himself took on the estate in 1996 and with the support of oenologist Giovanni Cappelli, completely reorganized its operations, converting it to an entirely organic farm. This was a logical step given that the farm had long been run along natural, biodynamic lines. The estate covers some 33 hectares; just over eight are under the vine. The land undulates, rising and falling to between 350 and 500 meters above sea level. The soil is marl, perfect for Sangiovese, allowing good drainage and the development of deep roots. After Renzo Marinai’s arrival at San Martino, a Cecione in 1996 new vineyards were laid out and planted, and the traditional dry stone walls were painstakingly rebuilt to reflect the land as it had looked for centuries. And later, under Tom Heidman’s stewardship, more than two hectares of new vineyards were planted in 2014/15 and many new dry stone walls were built. Foremost among the red grapes planted today is the Tuscan signature variety, the Sangiovese. Next comes Cabernet Sauvignon, then a range of native varieties including Foglia Tonda, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Colorino, Mammolo and Pugnitello.