Due east of Verona in northeast Italy’s Veneto region, Tenuta Santa Maria comprises a 50-acre wine estate attached to an imposing medieval farmhouse. The property, which lies close to the ruins of an ancient temple once dedicated to the Roman god Mercury, is today owned and managed Gaetano Bertani, patriarch of one of the most celebrated families in Veneto winemaking, assisted by his sons, Giovanni and Guglielmo. Despite its historic past, Tenuta Santa Maria is a decidedly modern estate when it comes to winemaking. Forty-five acres are planted to vine, with 20 dedicated to Merlot.

Decima Aurea takes its name from a local landmark, an ancient boundary stone (pictured on the label) which stands before the property. “Decima,” signifying “10” in Latin, denotes the property’s location: 10 miles from Verona. “Aurea” refers to a medal bestowed on Roman centurions who had demonstrated exceptional valor on the battlefield – in this case, members of the 11th Legion, whose epic feats in battle earned them individual plots of land, each measuring 800 meters x 800 meters, in this specific neighborhood. Boundaries of individual plots were marked by milestones, of which the stone in front of Tenuta Santa Maria, now capped by a cross of more recent vintage, is a fine example.