Marco was born and
raised in San Francisco, California, shortly after his parents had emigrated from Tuscany and become successful Bay Area
restaurateurs. Along with wonderful Italian meals, wine was an everyday part of their North Beach household life. As
a result, Marco inherited his family's appreciation for great wine and food.
Marco developed an in-depth knowledge of winemaking and viticulture through education
and experience in the industry. He graduated with a degree in Fermentation Science from the University of California
at Davis in 1985.
After two years at Buena Vista Winery, Marco worked as cellar master at
Pine Ridge Winery for more than four years. His next stint was as the production manager for Atlas Peak Vineyards, followed
by his 1994 appointment as winemaker for Pezzi King Vineyards. Just before the 1995 harvest, he became the winemaker
at Pepi Winery in Oakville. While making Pepi Wines, he also took charge of the Lokoya brand after the death of celebrated
winemaker and mentor Greg Upton. It was at Lokoya that Marco's reputation for making world class Cabernet Sauvignon was
first established.
Now, as a wine industry veteran, Marco has been able to turn his
attention to consulting for a handful of wineries in the North Coast region. His list of clients includes both well
established and new wineries such as Black Coyote, Bounty Hunter, Girard, Lookout Ridge, Hidden Ridge, Shannon Ridge Vineyards, Spence Vineyards and Windsor Vineyards as well as being a managing partner in Bin to Bottle, the Napa Valley custom crush facility. His wealth of experience and love of winemaking enables him to craft the
finest wines from the rugged landscape that provides his inspiration.
