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 back to 1163 AD. which was part of the defenses of the Florentines against their traditional enemies, the Sienese. Renzo Marinai himself entered the estate in 1996 and with the support of the winemaker Giovanni Cappelli, completely reorganized its operations, transforming it into a fully organic farm. This was a logical step as the farm had long been run along natural and biodynamic lines, and in some respects even provident, as it would anticipate a trend followed by many in later years. After almost two decades in office, Renzo Marinai has sold the majority of the farm to Tom Heidman, a Dutch citizen with a passion for wine and Italy and a background in the food and wine world.