Marino’s Santa Maria vineyards are amongst the highest in Montalcino at around 500 metres above sea level. Planted over a combination of sand, limestone and volcanic rock, they produce wines with a finesse that is sadly often missing in the area these days. Here the grapes were macerated for one month on skins, before being pressed for four years of rest in large old Slavonian oak casks, and it is during this time that Marino believes the magic happens, where Sangiovese transforms into a true Brunello. A masterful wine of impeccable balance, it evolves beautifully in the glass, slowly but surely revealing layers of nuance, suggesting a long life ahead.