Vinea Marson is the Heathcote estate of Mario Marson, whose family has been involved in winemaking for four generations, with roots in Friuli in northeastern Italy. After years working at Mount Mary in the Yarra Valley and gaining experience in Tuscany and Piemonte, Mario established his own vineyards at the foot of the Mount Camel Range in 2000, with a particular focus on Italian varieties.

Sangiovese is at the heart of the Vinea Marson story. The estate has an extraordinary collection of 12 Sangiovese clones representing four different biotypes, including six clones Mario personally imported from Italy. Grown on Heathcote's ancient Cambrian soils, these plantings bring remarkable diversity and complexity to the finished wine.

The 2021 is a beautifully expressive vintage, showing dark garnet colour and an enticing combination of dark cherries, fresh raspberries, redcurrants and subtle cherry spice. The palate is generous and concentrated, with ripe red fruit, beautifully integrated acidity and soft, juicy tannins that give the wine structure without excessive weight.

A wonderful example of how convincingly Sangiovese can express itself in Australia, combining the savoury elegance of its Italian heritage with the depth and character of Heathcote.