The inspiration behind Vinea Marson stems from winemaker Mario Marson’s Italian winemaking heritage – stretching back some four generations. Mario’s grandfathers grew and made Friulano, Cabernet and Merlot and his great-grandfather, Giuseppe Zaghet, was chief winemaker for the local landowner, the padrone of Villa Brunetta at Prata di Pordenone, Friuli in the early twentieth century. This was transferred to suburban Melbourne where his migrant father, Giuseppe, planted rows of vines in their backyard to bring wine to the dinner table each night. Mario continued this tradition both as viticulturalist and winemaker for some twenty years in the Yarra Valley – mostly at Mount Mary Estate. In 2000, Mario and his wife Helen established an eight hectare vineyard in the foothills of the Mount Camel Range at Heathcote bringing the traditions of the old world to winemaking in the new. Today they are joined by one of their three daughters, Madeleine who is assistant winemaker, and has overseen recent developments at Vinea Marson, including a new Cellar Door and Tuscan garden. There’s a Friulano saying that best encapsulates the viticultural and winemaking philosophy embraced at Vinea Marson – sans, onest e lavoradors – strong, honest and hardworking. Mario planted a range of imported and local Italian clones of Sangiovese, Nebbiolo & Barbera which he believed would thrive in the rich, volcanic Cambrian soils and Shiraz, the predominant variety of the region and Viognier were also planted. This love of wine extends further afield, or closer to home depending on your view, as Mario sources indigenous northern Italian varieties Malvasia d’Istria, Friulano, Picolit and Pinot Bianco from fruit grown at Porepunkah in the Alpine Valleys of north-eastern Victoria. With its cool climate and soil minerality, this area is the perfect site for Mario to explore his north eastern Italian winemaking heritage.