Bordered by Meldola to the west, Bertinoro and
Cesena to the north, and Longiano to the east, the Mercato Saraceno subzone
begins at Borello, where the stream of the same name flows into the Savio
River, which continues towards Cesena.
These two waterways shape two valleys, with
most of the winemaking activity focused around the Savio Valley, particularly
along the hills to the river's left and around Mercato Saraceno.
The soils here are alluvial, with brown limestone soils in the northern part that
gradually become more gravelly as you move south towards the town itself.
As the elevation rises, reaching up to 400 meters, you encounter marl and sandstone.
This diverse soil composition results in two
distinct expressions of Sangiovese: in the sparser northern areas around
Borello, the wines are fruitier and rounder, while closer to Mercato Saraceno, the Sangiovese becomes less fruit-forward,
with more pronounced tannins and a sharper acidity.
One noteworthy site in this subzone is the Casalecchio Castle, castrum
Casalecli, located in the municipality of Sarsina. Known as "The
Palace of a Hundred Windows," it’s built around a large courtyard with a
well and a chapel dedicated to Saint Nicholas. Constructed in the medieval era,
it was handed over to the Bernardini family of Rimini in 1420, who transformed
it into an elegant noble residence. After the last descendant of the family
passed away in the 19th century, the castle was converted once again, taking on
the appearance of a traditional farmhouse.