Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to Episode 2239, where we present a session recording from the wine2wine Business Forum 2024. Today’s episode is entitled “What’s next for wine – What wine for what’s next” and is moderated by Gianluca Semprini and involves Silvia Franco, Marina Cvetic, Aldo Vajra, Alberto Lusini and Adolfo Rebughini. The panel of leading industry figures discuss the future of wine and address trends such as falling demand and sustainability. Italian Wine Podcast is proud to be a media partner of wine2wine Business Forum and is pleased to present this series of market-focus sessions, recorded in Verona in November 2024. wine2wine Business Forum is an international wine business event held annually in Verona, Italy since 2014. The event is a key reference point for wine producers and wine professionals from around the world, providing an opportunity to network, develop and expand their wine business worldwide. Find more about the session at:  https://www.vinitaly.com/en/events-calendar/wine2wine/ticket-wine2wine-busi

Welcome to Episode 2238 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Stevie Kim’s Ambassadors’ Corner on Clubhouse. In this episode Italian Wine Ambassador Ilia Sakharov IWA interviews Valter Fissore of Cogno winery. Today’s learning objectives: To explore the modern image of Barolo and its evolving style. To identify new terroirs for Nebbiolo beyond Barolo and Barbaresco. To understand the impact of climate change on vineyards and wine profiles. Co-Moderator – Ilia Sakharov IWA Ilia began his wine career in 2021 in Saint Petersburg, Russia, working as a sommelier in restaurants and wine bars. He later moved to Almaty in Kazakhstan, where he expanded his role to include import and distribution management. In 2023, inspired by his first trips to Italy and a visit to Argiolas winery, Ilia decided to specialize in Italian wines. He earned the Italian Wine Maestro certification and became a certified Italian Wine Ambassador. Now based in Baku, Azerbaijan, Ilia is the co-founder and CEO of iWine.az, a wine school, and se

Welcome to Episode 2237, in which Cynthia Chaplin interviews Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins in this installment of Voices on the Italian Wine Podcast.    About today’s guest: Amanda Wittstrom-Higgins is the founder of Full Cup Solutions, a full-service consulting firm for future-forward agriculture and beverage industry businesses. Amanda has been in the wine business virtually all of her life, as one of the second generation owners of Ancient Peaks winery in Paso Robles in California. As VP of Operations at Ancient Peaks, she led the charge on an innovative mentorship program and co-founded Wine Speak Paso Robles, now one of California's premiere wine industry trade events. In 2018 Amanda founded her non-profit, Dream Big Darling and she was then selected as a 40 Under 40 Tastemaker by Wine Enthusiast and nominated for their Social Visionary award.   Connect: Website: https://www.fullcupsolutions.com/ Website: https://ancientpeaks.com/ Website: https://www.winespeakpaso.com/   About today’s Host: VIA certified Ita

Welcome to episode 2236 of the Italian Wine Podcast, and episode 177 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. Marc’s guest today is Domenico Veronese of Villa Bogdano 1880 located in Lison di Portogruaro, near Venice. More about today’s guest: Villa Bogdano 1880 is a forward-thinking Italian estate steeped in centuries of history. Located in Lison di Portogruaro, near Venice, between the Alps and the Adriatic coast, Villa Bogdano is the home of heritage vineyards of great interest. 18 hectares of their 110 hectare estate are defined as historic, among them are 117 vines of Tocai Friulano, that date back to the end of the 19th century. The subject of a meticulous recovery operation, these very old vines are still in production today and are a rare example of an ancient training system called “Cassone Padovano”, developed by the Benedictine monks. Connect: Website: https://www.villabogdano1880.it/en Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/villa_bogdano_wines/ More about the host: Marc Millon Marc Millon, VIA It

Welcome to Episode 2235 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode Barbara Fitzgerald interviews  wine-business analyst and author of Silicon Valley Bank's annual State of the Wine Industry Report, Rob McMillan. More about the guest:  Rob McMillan is one of the top wine-business analysts in the United States and the author of Silicon Valley Bank’s highly regarded annual State of the Wine Industry Report. With decades of experience researching the wine business, he is a prominent speaker, both domestically and internationally. He has also been named several times as one of the Top 50 Most Influential People in the US wine industry. Connect: Website: https://www.svb.com/profile/rob-mcmillan/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/2robmcmillan/ More about the hosts: Barbara Fitzgerald With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analys

Welcome to the Next Generation and Episode 2234 of the Italian Wine Podcast. Today, McKenna Cassidy interviews Emanuele Trono, better known as Enoblogger, an Italian digital communicator. Together, they discuss the role of social media in business, the power of personal branding, his Digital Wine Master course, and the story behind his exciting project, Prima Domus. More about today’s guest: Emanuele Trono Emanuele Trono, known as Enoblogger, is an Italian digital communicator specializing in the wine sector. Originally from Piedmont, a land of great winemaking traditions, he has combined his passion for wine with his storytelling skills to present the world of enology in a fresh and accessible way. Through his blog and social media profiles, Emanuele explores wineries, wines, and territories, offering his followers insights, curiosities, and advice that blend expertise and authenticity.  He is the founder of Prima Domus, his personal winemaking project that merges innovation and tradition to promote high-qu

Welcome to Episode 2233 in which Jessica Dupuy interviews the wine communications strategist Rebecca Hopkins. They dive into mindful drinking, consumer preferences, highlighting the evolving landscape of non-alcoholic beverages.    Join us as Texas-based wine journalist Jessica Dupuy interviews top writers, journalists, sommeliers, and wine professionals at this renowned event. In this special series, Jessica will delve into the experiences and insights of key attendees, exploring career paths, challenges, and the latest trends in the wine industry.   More about today’s guest:  Rebecca Hopkins is one of the wine industry’s best-known and most experienced wine communications strategists, who has worked with some of the world’s most notable fine wine brands.  In 2018, Rebecca founded A Balanced Glass, a global community and website with tools and resources that focus on staying safe and well when working with alcohol. Her ground-breaking work has been recognized by Wine Business Monthly, Wine Enthusiast, and Se

Welcome to Episode 2232 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza, where Professor Scienza takes questions from the international wine community and answers them in his own inimitable way! These shows are generally in the Italian language.  Today’s question comes from Manuela Clarizia. Today’s question(s): 

Welcome to Episode 2231, where we present a session recording from the wine2wine Business Forum 2024. Today’s episode is entitled “How to become a Wine Warrior: 3 Easy Steps” and is led by Gino Colangelo and Robert Joseph. They discuss declining alcohol consumption, movements like Dry January, Sober October, and "Come Over October," the rise of the NOLO (No/Low Alcohol) trend, and, most importantly, 3 key steps to thrive in this evolving market. Italian Wine Podcast is proud to be a media partner of wine2wine Business Forum and is pleased to present this series of market-focus sessions, recorded in Verona in November 2024. wine2wine Business Forum is an international wine business event held annually in Verona, Italy since 2014. The event is a key reference point for wine producers and wine professionals from around the world, providing an opportunity to network, develop and expand their wine business worldwide. About the speakers: Robert Joseph is an associate editor of Meininger’s Wine Business Internatio

Welcome to Episode 2230 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Stevie Kim’s Ambassadors’ Corner on Clubhouse. In this episode Italian Wine Ambassador James MacNay interviews Attilio Pecchenino of Pecchenino winery. Today’s learning objectives: Get to know more about Dogliani and Dolcetto, often overlooked in the shadow of Barolo and Nebbiolo. The challenges and benefits of high altitude winemaking. Sustainable viticulture practices within the area. Climate change and how that is affecting winemaking in Dogliani and Alta Langa. New developments in wine tourism in the area. Co-Moderator – James MacNay James lives with his wife, Cinzia Long, and their son, in Piemonte’s western Alps. He is originally from South East England, where you can find Cuculo, the cheesemonger and Enoteca he part owns. He was first introduced to wine when he worked as an Italian walking tour guide. These days he and Cinzia run MacNay Travel & Wine, operating self-guided walking holidays and small group wine tours in the Italian wine re

Welcome to episode 2229 of the Italian Wine Podcast, and episode 176 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. Marc’s guest today is Paolo Bombetti of the Colleformica winery in the Lazio region of Central Italy. More about today’s guest: Paolo Bombetti represents the new wave of winemakers bringing fresh energy and vision to Lazio’s historic wine traditions.  Hailing from the Bombetti family’s century-old estate, Colleformica, Paolo works alongside his father, Sergio, to craft wines that honor their roots. Located in Velletri, in the heart of the Castelli Romani area just 40 km southeast of Rome, Colleformica has been farming its three hectares for over 100 years. Paolo carries forward the family’s legacy while embracing sustainable and organic farming practices, producing wines that reflect Lazio’s rich volcanic soils, Mediterranean breezes, and unique indigenous varieties. His dedication showcases the new generation’s respect for tradition and passion for innovation. Connect: Website: https://www.naturalb

Welcome to Episode 2228 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode Barbara Fitzgerald interviews the wine writer, critic, and speaker Jeff Siegel. The main topic of their discussion today is the recent FTC lawsuit against Southern Glazer's Wine and Spirits. More about the guest:  Jeff Siegel, the Wine Curmudgeon, is a wine writer, critic, and speaker, as well as the author of The Wine Curmudgeon's Guide to Cheap Wine. He has also taught wine and beverage management at Dallas College and the Cordon Bleu in Dallas, and is the co-founder and former president of Drink Local Wine, the first locavore wine movement.  Connect: Website: https://winecurmudgeon.com/ Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jhsiegel/  More about the host: Barbara Fitzgerald With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling

Welcome to the Next Generation and Episode 2227 of the Italian Wine Podcast. Today, Giulia Stocchetti interviews Carlo Guarini of Castello Frisari. Together, they talk about the winery, the production methods used to produce Castello Frisari wines and the role of the next generation in farming. More about today’s guest: Carlo Guarini Carlo Guarini was born and raised in Salento. His family has been connected to this territory for 25 generations through agriculture, which still today see the production of typical crops: evoo, cereals, vegetables and of course wine. Carlo studies and works in Milan as a consultant but always keeps an eye on the family business, gradually growing an interest in the world of wine, starting to get an idea of how it works, who the players are, what the rules are, and how perhaps, one day, he would like to be an active part of it! The thought takes shape in 2016 along with his brother Roberto, agronomist and enologist, together they choose to return to Salento and start a new wine

Welcome to Episode 2226 in which Jessica Dupuy interviews Master Sommelier, June Rodil.   Join us as Texas-based wine journalist Jessica Dupuy interviews top writers, journalists, sommeliers, and wine professionals at this renowned event. In this special series, Jessica will delve into the experiences and insights of key attendees, exploring career paths, challenges, and the latest trends in the wine industry. Key talking points include: June's career journey from her early days to becoming a Master Sommelier Her experience with restaurant openings and managing teams Personal philosophy on alcohol consumption Her first TexSom experience and how TexSom helped her recruit talent for her team More about today’s guest:   Born in the Philippines and raised in Texas, June is the CEO & Partner of Houston-based Goodnight Hospitality founded 2019 consisting of retail shoppe Montrose Cheese & Wine, Rosie Cannonball, a 2020 James Beard Award semifinalist for Outstanding Wine Program, and ultra-fine dining venture

Welcome to Episode 2225 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza, where Professor Scienza takes questions from the international wine community and answers them in his own inimitable way! These shows are generally in the Italian language.  Today’s question comes from Jamie Gump. Today’s question(s): 

Welcome to Episode 2224 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Stevie Kim’s Ambassadors’ Corner on Clubhouse. In this episode Italian Wine Ambassador Eugen Gabriel Axinte Szakacs interviews Renato De Bartoli of the De Bartoli winery in Sicily. Today’s learning objectives: To introduce/ reintroduce the bigger audience to the spectacular universe of Marco De Bartoli wines; To share insights and knowledge directly from the source; To increase awareness about the big spectrum of the wine styles they produce, and also to outline and reiterate that out there are wine producers ultra focused on quality.  Co-Moderator – Eugen Gabriel Axinte Szakacs  Eugen is an Italian Wine Ambassador IWA from Romania. In one of his previous lives he started as an engineer, continued his Master studies in Communication, Public Relations and Hospitality - lived, worked and paid for the bills in eight different countries of the world. Traveled and volunteered to many more. He was always passionate about communication, foreign language

Welcome to Episode 2223, in which Cynthia Chaplin interviews Gary Saperstein in this installment of Voices on the Italian Wine Podcast. Gary is the founder of the tour and event company for the LGBT community & friends in wine country, Out in the Vineyard.   About today’s guest: A Sonoma local for the past 24 years having moved from New York, Gary finds the wine country as an amazingly beautiful part of our country; surrounded by rolling hills and vineyards, world-class wineries, and fabulous restaurants. Gary has worked in the restaurant business for over 30 years, where hospitality has been his passion. From working at the world-class Auberge du Soleil in Napa to the renowned "the girl & the fig" in Sonoma, Gary has built strong relationships with many local winemakers, restaurateurs, and hoteliers over the years. Gary has been very involved in the local tourism community having sat on the Board of Directors of the Sonoma Valley Visitors Bureau and Sonoma County Tourism.   In 2008 Gary founded Out in the V

Welcome to episode 2222 of the Italian Wine Podcast, and episode 175 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. Marc’s guest today is Christopher Barnes, founder editor and publisher of the Grape Collective. More about today’s guest: Christopher Barnes is the founder of Grape Collective, a media and retail business focused on wine. The ten year old company is centered on grapecollective.com an online wine magazine that features a bi-weekly column by former Wall Street Journal columnists Dorothy J Gaiter and John Brecher as well as a multitude of contributors from around the world.  Connect Website: https://grapecollective.com/ Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/grapecollective/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/grapecollective/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/grape-collective/ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/user/grapecollective/videos More about the host Marc Millon: Marc Millon, VIA Italian Wine Ambassador 2021, has been travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about wine, food a

Welcome to Episode 2221 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode Juliana Colangelo interviews a wine merchant and president of US Wine Trade Alliance, Benjamin Aneff. Key Takeaways:  How tariffs affect all levels of 3-Tier System The impact of tariffs on Italian wineries The impact of recent US Presidential elections on tariffs DST - Digital Services Tax Importance of US Wine Trade Alliance More about the guest:  Ben Aneff is the Managing Partner of Tribeca Wine Merchants in New York City, named one of “America’s Best Wine Shops” by Food & WineMagazine, and an “Editor’s Favorite” by Wine Spectator. Ben’s voice has been in the fight against wine tariffs from the beginning. Prior to the formation of the US WTA, Ben worked on campaigns that led to over 28,000 letters to Congress through work with the National Association of Wine Retailers and other constituents. He has led discussions on tariffs, testified on their effects at the International Trade Commission, and worked with a range of allies, from

Welcome to the Next Generation and Episode 2220 of the Italian Wine Podcast. Today, Karla Ravagnolo interviews Gregoire Desforges of the Baglio di Pianetto winery in Sicily. Key talking points: The New Era of Baglio di Pianetto: a new ownership Sustainability beyond organic practices: the social commitment Enotourism and the need for authentic, immersive experiences Sicilian wines: altitude, innovation and evolution More about today’s guest:  Born and raised in Paris to an Italian mother and a French father, Grégoire Desforges is part of the fourth-generation winemaking Marzotto family on his maternal side. Having lived in five countries and traveled to over 75, his global outlook is complemented by prior experiences in management consulting and entrepreneurial ventures in the F&B sector. Recently, he acquired his family’s winery and hotel, located in the mountains of Palermo up to 930 meters asl. The estate, a distressed asset, and is unprofitable. Grégoire’s challenge is to breathe new life into bo