Hello, welcome to episode 109 of the A Cork in the Road Podcast. I'm Kelly, your host based in Atlanta, Georgia and I am thankful for your time today and for your support of the show. Thanks for tuning in today's episode is a first in the podcast history because we had not one not to but six microphones set up for this live recording. It also was my very first time ever hosting a roundtable discussion type format for the show and I couldn't be happier without all turned out. So I sat down with five Italian wine producers that were visiting Atlanta as part of a tour with the sorting table. The sorting table imports wines markets them and distributes them to wholesalers throughout the United States. So when Kevin O'Sullivan of prime wine and spirits here in Georgia reached out to me with this opportunity it was an immediate yes. We all met up in Atlanta for this conversation. The participants will briefly introduce themselves at the beginning of the episode and I've also included their names, their titles and their contact details in the show notes for today's episode, we popped a bottle of champagne and talked about their work in their respective regions but also discussed what they enjoy about visiting the United States what common goals they share right now and how they are each navigating the balance of honoring tradition while also keeping a watchful eye on the future with a modern perspective. As the conversation unfolded, we learned a lot about each other and laughed about some of our earliest wine memories. So thank you to Kevin of prime, Lisa of the sorting table, and to my incredible sound tech Franklin for making this first ever in person roundtable recording session possible and I hope you all enjoy listening to their unique perspectives and insights on today's show. Coming up for a cork in the road LLC we have some fun private and media events coming up in July so keep an eye on @acorkintheroad on Instagram for recaps and highlights from those events but also on July 27th I'm heading back to the Epicurean hotel here in Atlanta and teaming up with Joe Herrig of Georgia Crown to host a blind tasting workshop in the beautiful theater venue. There are 50 spots and As of recording today's episode, I saw that there were less than half of those tickets left so head to www.acorkintheroad.com for the link and all the details if you're able to join us. I also just announced that I will be hosting a series of tasting classes up in north Georgia starting in August my friends Dan and Christina of Limoges Cellars - two of the 100th episode podcast guests- invited me to produce this new series that will happen once a month at their new winery and feature a deep dive into blind tasting comparisons of various grape varieties. I love blind tasting and I'm always thrilled for anything that takes me back to my roots in winery management and wine production. So all the details and the ticket link for the first session on August 5 can be found on a fork in the road.com some other big news just happened for the podcast. So I just want to say a huge thank you to decanter Wine Magazine for recommending the cork on the road podcast in their June issue. And on their website. I am honored that the editorial staff has enjoyed listening to the show, and has chosen to amplify these stories in their publication it has given me and all of our past guests a very fun reason to celebrate this month. So thanks for tuning in and supporting this wild journey as all of these stories unfold. The next episode will be a special crossover episode because I'm traveling and out of the office here for a little bit of the first part of July. So I'm going to share the episode of the winemakers podcast from when I was a guest on their show out in Sonoma County. So stay tuned for that early in July and until then cheers to you and please take care
Thank you all for joining us today we are making some a cork in the road podcast history because this is the first ever round table. We have six mics. We have one sound tech. We have a lot of love for Italian wine in this one room in Atlanta, Georgia. Quick show of hands though, who has not been to Atlanta before. We have a few, we have four out of the five producers. Okay, so welcome Massimo, welcome back. Thank you. Welcome back to Atlanta. It's just an honor to have you all five producers from multiple regions in Italy. So I thought we would start with everyone giving just a very brief introduction, who you are your role, your title where your winery is located that just gives everybody a little bit of knowledge about who's in the room, but then also we'll recognize your voice as we continue with the roundtable today. So Massimo we'll start with you.
Okay, I am Massimo Furlan I'm the general manager of Le Monde winery. We are Located in the northeast of Italy, the region called Friuli Venezia Giulia, not too far from the Slovenian Austrian border and the same 40 minute drive to Venice.
Hi, I'm Christiana Tiberio. The winemaker of Tiberio which is basically a family run winery located in Cugnoli, a small town in the center of Abruzzo in the province of Pescara, and we produce wines from Abruzzo native grapes.
Hi, I'm Christina Rossi, and I'm from one that Montalcino. Montalcino is in the center part of Tuscany is a very small city, where we are mainly known for the Brunello wine. This is the truth
everyone's smiling about Brunello. Alright, next,
I'm Marco Bertone, the Export Manager of the Marrone company in located in La Morra. So in the Piedmont area northwest of Italy and well we are a producer of Barolo
Ciao. My name is Arianna Folli I work for Collazzi. I'm the sales account for internal market and export market. Well Collazzi, See, it's a beautiful winery just a step out from Florence, the city center so well, I have the chance to drink everyday wine with a beautiful view,
not a bad place to be. So we do have a tour of Italy here. And that's really amazing. And when I share in the show notes here for today, everybody will see where you are all located. And I hope that it gives a good representation of traveling with us to Italy today through this podcast. With five producers though, I knew that we wouldn't have time to go in depth on drinking all of your wines and tasting them. So this was actually Kevin of Prime's idea. We thought we'd serve something totally different and pretty neutral, which is why we have champagne. Everyone on board with that. So yeah, you are all visiting cities together as a little bit of a tour. This is the first time that all of you have traveled together to United States. Is that correct? Yeah, right. Yes, you're on a rock star tour. So I thought we would kick off the discussion focusing on your experiences introducing your wines to the US market because that is the goal of this trip is to be here, especially in Atlanta right now to speak to other people in the industry to consumers to showcase your wines here in each of these cities. So I would love for each of you to tell us just a little bit about what you enjoy about showing your wines for example, in Atlanta. Marco, you're smiling. I'll pass the mic to you Marco.
It's first time for me in Atlanta for for for my wines also. And so I'm pretty proud to be to be here this for this roadshow. With all my colleagues, wonderful colleagues I have to say
for me is the very first time really not only regarding these you know the marketing or regarding also this new job for me because right now I'm the hospitality manager, but I'm helping the owners in order to promote a little bit our wines is for that is the very first time I just joined them the beginning of the year, and I would like to help in the best way.
Oh, that's awesome. This is brand new for you and your role. That's great. Yeah. How about for you? Christiana?
Ah, you know, I'm very excited to be here for the first time and to meet a new wine community because basically in any country you have and everybody has a different wine community with different experiences, different backgrounds, different generations. So it's a good way for me and a great opportunity to spread out my experience but even to learn from someone else's experience
and you get to see it happen when they taste your wines in front of you. It's an immediate feedback.
exactly and everybody is every time is it's a new experience because it's like it was the first time for me because wine is a very personal experience. And according to different country, we can say different market but for me it's not the market they are people their experience their knowledge different sensibility about wines and I have a chance to learn a lot so thank you for having me.
The two way street. How about for you, Arianna?
Every time I travel for showing my wines around I'm always get very excited because yes, as Christiana said, it's always a great experience to get in contact with new communities. The wine is very basic big thing it comes from the earth. So it's something that you can have all over the world. Like right now really, it's less the country that are not producing wine than the country that are producing. So it's very interesting to see how people get in contact with the wine. What is the, the way for people to enjoy the wine and it is always very interesting to listen, what people find in Collazzi wine, it is always very beautiful.
All of you have said that you're learning something to Massimo Are you learning something being back here in Atlanta?
Absolutely. Fortunately, I'm in this market with my wine for a long time, more or less more than 10 years so and for me became the second home, Atlanta, you knwo I have a lot friends, so I can very often in Georgia, in particular, in Atlanta, besides the business, and what they appreciate that our people you know, they're very friendly, and very open. That's for me, it's very important, very curious. So they like to learn about the wine, you know, and they enjoy and really the wine not my wine, but generally the Italian wine. So for me all the time I come here, it just a pleasure. Because what I can tell you when you arrive in different country for me, the US market is very important. We are talking the first market for me. So and you feel oh, what do you want from the life nothing else? You enjoy your drink wine, you have a friend, nice city,
you're having fun at work? How dare you? How do you have fun while your work?
That's very important, important, very important, thank God, you know, I really have found in particular in Atlanta because I told you, I have a lot friends. So we have some time, you know, barbecue left and right we enjoy the wine. So it's the best way to promote the wine, you know it directly to the consumer. That's for me is very important.
It's perfect. And I think blending that conversation aspect with being able to have the dialogue about each of your wines directly with people who are enjoying them how beautiful to get that feedback. And you each work with a very particular focus in your respective regions. We heard where you are located. And what that means is that you're making different wines. You have different methodology, all of that. But is there anything that any of you feel is a common goal right now, among producers, collectively, Let's even say just in Italy as a whole, anything that you think ties your visions together?
Well, I think I think we as Italian, as all Italian, we are really focalized on showing how our focus on making fine wines. Because it's not just for making fine wines for the, for the exporter, or for the you know, the business it's just because we love wine. We love wine we love our wine, we like to share our wine with people. And that's the most important thing. This is the enjoying of our job
I'm agree with Marco. you know, the wine is enjoyment, we have a really particular kind of business. So I repeat myself, you can have a business and enjoy. That's so so important. In particular the Italian because mostly of the Italian you put passion in what they do in particular what as everybody know Food. Wine, fashion, all this kind of stuff. So for me, I repeat myself my goal. My mission is really try to does mean my passion for my region for my wine, but generally honestly, all Italian wine, and for me is very, very important.
Do you feel the same way?
Yeah, it's true for me is not only share our wine, of course, what we love very is also our life and our traditions. You know, I was born, where I'm working right now I was born in Montalcino, my area our wines are growing is always getting better improving regarding the quality of the wines too you know and see so important to share what we used to do every day, our hard work with everybody. This is the truth,
elevating that message that you're all trying to produce the best product that your land is giving you. I see that in your products. I hear that in your stories. And so that's really exciting to hear. And I was reading about your wineries and came across a lot of content containing words like ancient, but also modern. Those words came up in all of the descriptions of what you all do. And a lot of you find yourselves right now at crossroads of generational philosophies. A lot of these family generations that have ways of making wine for example, Christiana, your land is ancient in history, but it sounds like you have a modern perspective in the cellar. So how are you navigating that balance?
Ah, you know, it's it's quite complicated. I trust in the identity and I spend my entire life trying to save the heritage and the deep identity I received from my vines which are older vines, and I try to be as gentle or respectful as possible in the winery. So it's not about to be modern or traditional because in Abruzzo I can say we don't have a deep tradition in terms of winemaking. So the tradition stays in the vineyard. And what I did, has been to save the heritage I received from my terroir from my vineyard, and to try to express it in the cellar. But now we have to face the contemporary century, it means different climate, climate change, we cannot ignore this aspect anymore. So it's about tradition, of course, but it's about to reconsider any day, our position in the environment in the vineyard, what was a sustainable a few years ago, now it's not sustainable anymore. So the approach needs to be different. And so you know, there is not a recipe every day, we need to pay attention in what has to be our correct behavior in front of the environment in front of our vineyards, and winemaking process. That's one of the reasons why I love to travel. Because it's not about not wine sharing wine tasting. It's about approaching new culture in terms of winemaking. Traveling for us is an opportunity to taste the different wines that we cannot drink in Italy because they don't arrive in the Italian market. And so offers us a new point of view. Because, you know, the taste of the palate is directly connected with the brain. And so offers us a new point of view, definitely
new points of view, new cultures enjoying wine, but then also I love the way that you're listening to your land, and you know what the past was, but you also approach each vintage saying that might not work this year. So you're ready to make adjustments and adapt. And that's kind of a beautiful place to be challenging, but a good place to be
challenging. Yes, and never boring.
And similarly, Marco, I even saw on your profile on the sorting table website, which is good website, the phrase a story of tradition with a watchful eye on the future kind of a similar philosophy there. What does this entail to you though, in terms of winemaking or vineyard management? At this point,
what we say is that it's really important for us to start to listen, not just doing something before Listen, what the vineyards tell you that's that's really important for the winemaking in this moment, but also for the future. Because a professor of me that say one times to me that the enological science was proactive before. And now it's more conservative, because now you have to take care of what will be in the vineyards. And while the cellar, the winery, is usually it's a nice place to show that they're the earth of all our wines is in the vineyards. So it's it's more the most important things in this moment is be able to listen. That's for me, it's the most important things
that allows you to be open for whatever again, the next vintage is giving you these are challenging aspects. But I think maybe that's kind of the fun of it, it keeps us all coming back.
We are always a little bit scared every time now. You know, we're more close, we are on the harvest. We just wake up in the morning, open the windows looking outside and say, Hmm, you know, pray a little bit that everything's going well. And because you're working all the time, you know, a lot of people doesn't know that how much is behind, you know, people focalize on the harvest is a big moment. And this is really, really important to understand
all year round. Absolutely. And speaking to the innovation side, Massimo, I was drawn on your profile to what I've been hearing about your commitment to saving energy and reducing that environmental impact through your winemaking. So what does sustainability in terms of an innovative going forward in the future? What does sustainability look like to you in wine production?
Sustainability is really particular words because everybody can, you know, use these words in different way. So for me, I'm talking for logic for my company, for my company, yes, I feel my company, honestly, in the sustainability mean, we try to give back the natural the natural gift to us, it's very important, like to be in synchrony with the natural. So we try to save more possible more than 90% of our energy come from green energy. We try to recycle, you know, more than right now more than 90%. And we try to be like a social sustainability, what mean, all our, we call friends, that work together, we're a big group. So we eat together from the people that work in the vineyard, you know, and me, for example, we try right and make a group a team. So divide the same, every single problem in the winery. And believe me doesn't make the difference. Why? Because all every single people that they follow, put the passion in this business, and the passion in the wine business, make the difference. That is our idea idea about sustainability beside all the same sorry, you don't need particular, you know, treatment in the vineyard or no herbicide, this kind of stuff, I think so the most important all together all these peculiarity to give to you. Really, what supposed to be wine business, passion, team, family,
the family aspect, that social aspect, I think that's really important to point out. And I liked that you included that in your ecosystem of your wine production. So that's amazing and thinking about production. Christina, I am going to turn to you on this next question, because you all have farmed some of Montalcino's finest vineyards for over a century. And you were even born there, which I love. But what is something about the regulations and the laws in the region that people might not know that impacts your winemaking decisions? We're all talking about how we're choosing during production, but laws and regulations, how do you navigate that aspect, each vintage in your region?
Regarding our wine area, the mainly we can see there, the restrictions there we have, are in a certain way, the good aspect, because in this way, mainly, I'm trying to explain there we can keep our tradition, our culture, of course, quality and, you know, and so on, but mainly is the culture of our place and tradition to we are a very old and historical winery now. Right now Lorenzo is the fourth generation. Yeah, we started really, we have the last two bottles of the 1915, in our cellar. And approximately is when the Brunello production started almost is for that, of course right now, climate changing, everything really is changing, this is the truth. But what we try to do is, you know, try to find the perfect balance between tradition, and what will be the future too in a certain way. Respect, I think, is the key word to not respect for the environment, respect for our hard work. And for Yeah, all the restrictions that we have to respect, it's true.
right. And it's all just make the product ultimately the best it can be. You know, that's what is out there. I love that you even preface that with for the most part, it's to benefit and it's to assist in making a better product. But you still have to navigate that given all the other changes each year. So I appreciate you talking about it as a balance and I think that's the best approach to have for that and when it comes to helping people understand why making decisions because again, it's every year is a new story. I thought I'd turn it to you Arianna because you work with grapes like Cabernet Sauvignon., Merlot, Cabernet Franc for those Super Tuscan blends? So where do you see the conversation about Super Tuscans fitting into the United States market these days? Are people curious to learn what the term means?
Well when we talk about Super Tuscan it's a very hard topic. I was just about for lunch, having this discussion with some clients. What is the Super Tuscan for you? And what I got back it's very confusing because what is the super tuscan is pretty much confusing. I'm sorry I have to say that because it's the opposite of romantic, but it's very practical it's business right now. So wine, I love to talk about how is interesting. The context of the nature, the talk with people is, we can see a lot of beautiful aspect. But when we talk about wine it's still a business. So the business part is also very, very important. And super tuscan is something that is getting out from our hands, I would say in Tuscany, because every winery wants to make a super Tuscan. So super Tuscan used to be a wine that was not following the DOCG regulations. So it was something that was outstanding, but out of it. So like I was talking before with Christina. And when she had to explain the difference between DOCG and DOC and IGT wines, we talk about a pyramid, which is totally correct. Like when we'd go to sommelier school, they teach us that this is a system that goes on pyramid. But I will since I'm work for Colllazzi which is a winery basically focus on IGT wines, I of course, don't agree with the system, because both my wines in the basement of the Pyramyd. And I don't think this is the correct way to describe IGT. It's always about who is making the wine, of course, and for who is made wine. So when we talk about DOCG, I made an association before and I said that it's like a party is a very exclusive party, you have to follow a dress code. And you have, you need the invitation. Okay, so everybody wants to join it, because the DOCG means more money, you can sell the bottle of wine for a higher price. So this is a very, very important thing. But still, all the markets has their rules. So for example, a chianti classico, a basic one, like the normal regular vintage one cannot go over $35 I believe, maybe even less, I'm not sure. But if you make a super tuscan and even it's made 100% from sangiovses, which is the grape variety, you can sell it for all the money you want. Because there is not a market that stops you. when you produce a wine you have always to look at your competitors, right. And you have a position in the market but with a super tuscan it's a way to get out from it. So I believe that super Tuscan is something that is nowadays abused as a word. And there is no regulation so you can make a super tuscan from sangiovese as much as you can make a super Tuscan from whatever you want. But for myself if I have to think about for what is for me a super Tuscan because when I my wallet can afford it. I love to invest money on it and I repeat, invest, because it's always a great way to learn what is a super Tuscan like, what is your going to wineries in Tuscany, and they make you taste the all the like, DOCG wine? DOC they have also and then they have a special super Tuscan or the opposite Just an IGT. So it's very interesting but for myself super Tuscan. I would say it's your best. And it's international varieties, definitely international varieties. For me 100% sangiovese cannot be a super tuscan, for myself, I repeat. So it's something that it's new, and will need probably in the future a regulation. Yes, I would say because otherwise, this name will be abused.
It's interesting to hear you talk about that, because we just jumped from laws and regulations that have been established for years and years. And then you're talking about something that's relatively new and doesn't have those boundaries yet. So it's just an interesting place to be to be producing that and then communicating that as you're showcasing your wine. That's the whole story behind it is it's not as regulated as some other familiar Italian regions. So that's really interesting. And I appreciate your insight on that. And I'd like to open the floor for the next question to everybody. Because as we're sitting here now, I'm learning a lot from you about your own personal perspectives, but you're traveling together. So what kinds of things do you learn from each other on a trip like this? I know we just started we're kicking it off here in Atlanta, but when you're traveling with other producers, what kinds of things do you learn from each other?
You know, this is the first stop you know the beauty of Italy and the wine production is the identity or the kaleidoscopic identities we have. And I think to keep our brain sharp it is great to have different terroir experience, even the sales experience, because we have different professionalitities in this wine world, I honestly don't know anything about sales. But it's the greatest sometimes to listen to from people who have this kind of knowledge and give us the chance to drink in very constant way this wine for the next week or so.
So you're just starting to learn.
Exactly Master Somm of these five wineries, I think at the end of the tour,
thing is just the beginning
is true is the first stop. But for sure, for me, would be mainly a personal experience, because this is the first time and then I would like to learn and improve, and I know that with them, I can. And I do it
And bringing different perspectives because you're right, even the roles, it's not that all five of you are winemakers, not all five of you are salespeople. So you're gonna get different perspectives, at every step of the way on this
I'm agreed it is a new experience for me, I'm the older of the group, you know, this is very clear. I love seeing young young people you know, that put all this passion, now that we talk a little bit all together, but the same before, you know, and for me mean that there is a future, because sometime, you know, you think just when you're a little bit older, you know, that there is just one way to sell wine just one way to promote the wine, on no way, I learn every single day in particular, in this, this kind of group, you know, everybody try the best and put the passion. And for me, that's the future, I'm very happy. I'm really very happy for that.
Did you read my mind Mossimo? I was just gonna ask about the future. So we'll just dive into that. Because that's where I'm thinking, I'm sitting here with you, you're bringing so much knowledge and past experience bits from such different aspects of the wine industry. And so I think about this as we're sitting here, collectively talking about Italy, but I would love to open it up a little bit broader and think about in terms of the wine industry as a whole. So not just Italy, but more globally, is there something that we all could do in the next five years, let's say let's even put a time stamp on it next five years, to improve the future of the wine industry, what is something we all could focus on that would have us moving in the right direction in the next couple of years,
personally, to be again, follow that sustainability. So follow the natural, don't go against the natural, because first before give back, you know, so and I feel that this idea, this philosophy is really very important. And I feel the same time that everybody really focus in this kind of way. So I'm very happy too so now just because now it's very trendy, to be organic, to be ecologist to be everything. But I feel that in particular the young generation they feel inside. So and the transmit to the other people that will be a future
particular case, for example, I have two small kids, a princess of 8 and my little rascal of five years old, and I and I see him in the way that the they start to approach the world better than me, they are more respectable of the nature than me. And that's, that's pretty good. And it's something that we we like to teaching, and we like to share this with, mostly with the kids, we are a family business. So you know, the future is the kids, that that's it. And in our situation, we are also a fourth generation. But the moment in this moment, the board of the company is I'm one of the older and I'm 40. So we are pretty proud of that, that that for example for for our company. I'm really proud of that because we are more or less 28 people that work in there. And the average age is 32 years old. And there is more rules in Italy. You are never old enough to do something by yourself. So that's that's a big challenge that we have to win.
Congratulation, if I can say that, because it's really, it's really unusual because in the wine business is all man, and all old I'm sorry. So it's great. It's really great. Congratulations. Thanks. as a as a young woman, I like to say congratulations
A lot of you do agree on this, then taking my question a little bit further, a little bit more narrowed, is how do we get the younger generation excited about your wines about Italian wines about drinking wine? How do we inspire the younger generation?
I think there in particular, where I live, the truth is, for example, there is a new high school and is the agronomist High School, for example, now, this is a way teach, you know, and try to share the passion with the new generations is for that, as in particular, right now is my sister there, she she did it, she just finished it. She's so young. And she's working for a winery, where the world classroom, you know, is working right now for all the different wineries in the area, or two, because in Montalcino, there are a lot of opportunities, a lot of wineries and in a certain way, I'm still young trying to, you know, share and introduce you a little bit my passion not only with the new generation, we are a little bit of course, with everybody. But our new generation are so important. In my case in the Sassetti family, really, there are youngers that are awaiting in order to, you know, work on the business. And we're really, we are still young, you know, and trying to do a little bit of everything, but in particular share our passion and yeah, introduce a little bit these world to the new generations, because they can keep it
you're speaking to that access point, and creating those opportunities. And I get excited when I hear about wine education as a way to introduce people to the discovery and the process of learning about wine and Christiana, I know that you teach college level, winemaking chemistry and sommelier classes and things like that in that education role.
I used to I used to I need to stop it because I, yeah, I already have not one but multiple full time jobs. So I'm a winemaker. I'm here to take care of my dogs, the vineyard hospitality. So yeah, it's been a great period of my life. But I needed to stop. Yeah,
because you did teach that college level entry to the wine world, sommelier classes from a service standpoint, or people that are beginning their educational journey in wine, you did see that? Do you have any advice for someone who wants to start studying wine? Because here in Atlanta, there's a lot of people that are in the service industry, they're learning that knowing about wine and having that educational standpoint, can really elevate the way that they provide service? Do you have any advice for someone starting out in their Italian wine education?
Ah, it's not an advice. It's my opinion. But I can say take wine as a serious thing, not just play wine, but apply seriously. In the wine knowledge experience, travel visit wineries, taste with winemaker, listen to winemaker hospitality is an important element in the wine world. And I would like to see, especially in this sensitive historical moment for hospitality, where it's so hard to find professionals. I would like to say to young guys and girls, hospitality is an amazing world. really open our mind. Honestly, working in the wine industry made me a better person in terms of my personal mood character. I'm a very shy person. I used to be very shy, I'm still shy, but you know, I needed to pull out to all my brave. And so yeah, apply seriously to become a wine professional. That's what I want to say. Wine can offer you great opportunities. And don't miss these opportunities.
That's so encouraging to hear kind of going back to the beginning of why we like our wine industry friends and our industry life is that it's also fun. So you're encouraging lots of fun. So you're encouraging people the beauty of entering hospitality, but through wine and through those conversations and those connections that you can create in the wine industry. It's so beautiful thinking about that. And I would be crazy not to ask everybody with all different backgrounds and your own personal Wine journeys. Does anybody remember the very first wine that you ever tasted? I feel like I always like a good trip down memory lane. Do you have kind of that profound wine memory? I'll start with your Arianna you're like, Yep, I can see you there. Your brain is taking you right back. Tell me about that first wine moment for you.
Oh, well, I am not sure I want to share it because it's not something to be proud of.
I think it's the first time it's always for everybody.
Even remember the wine bottle? I'm not sure if I can say that name. It was Santa Christina. I wouldn't say the winemaker. I was maybe 15 years old so very far from the legal age the drink and I was drinking by the bottle not even by the glass and yes, that's my memories. I won't say what happened after but I believe that your imagination can bring you there with me so first experience
you're drinking fancy champagne today you've come a long way Oh yes. All right, Marco where does this binary take you?
Well the first one of the try was from __ during the the school and I was like 14 or 15 also something like that. But you know anytime there is no rules about about that
there are but we don't follow it. That's it
But it was white wines from from our region. So yeah, it was pretty funny.
Same experience like me right?
we're all drinking from the bottle at some point. It's totally fine. Okay, where does this find memory take you?
Really my first experience was mainly with the rum and I was so young just five years old. You know the famous desert from Naples. The Babà, is dipped in the rum... si i ate 14 Babàs. See the concept for my grandma was mainly Christina You have to eat no and eat all of them. Of course. But yeah regarding the wine, same experience really as Arianna and Marco, same experience. 14 years old you know when we are teenager, we are approximately start to drink. And slowly slowly we start to enjoy the wine
The start was that, somebody offered us because at that time, we did not have enough money to buy a bottle of wine probably a beer perhaps. But a bottle of wine...
So I started when I was a teenager, very young sipping little wines. But for sure I have to say, the first bottle that turned on my brain and I started to realize and to think about the real meaning of the wine as being Barbaresco ____ Because my father used to be a good friend. And so at the time, you know, we used to drink ____ wines quite often, but I did not realize I was drinking the greatest wines of Italy. You know, and one of the weird episodes has been when I was at university I applied for a summer job because I have my roommate I wanted to do to buy a super fancy bag at that time. And when I collect enough money to buy that bag, I didn't buy the bag, but I bought six bottles of a Montrachet, I still have three bottles in my cellar because I became a collector over the years. So I started when I was a teenager to buy wine to collect. Of course, it's weird because the most part of that bottles are not my wines anymore, not my taste. But it's nice to see how the palate changes. It's a matter of education it's a matter of taste. So it's obvious after two decades. To meet the older Christianna in my cellar I can see the old Christianna the younger Christianna and now the mature Christianna a more knowledgeable I would like to say
But that's beautiful because that's the journey through wine. We all have to have a wine that makes us interested in trying the next wine. So I think that's really important to say that you can kind of go back in time and say that's what I used to drink and you have explored wine and hold it pathway now and kind of beautiful.
the journey is amazing and the most beautiful aspect is I'm always so curious and I always want to try something new it doesn't matter if a young winemaker arrives to me saying hey, I just planted the vineyard do you want to taste of course I want to taste I want to see the vineyard. So I'm curious as I was 20 years ago and that's that's the beauty of the wine because it's a continuous journey.
Alright Massimo take us back. But I'm afraid to ask what your first wine was. Or was it rum...
you're no no no. As you know I come in from Veneto region, Friuil region and these are the two regions really where they drink the wine the all the other region together. So I really start very young don't ask me the age please because maybe they would make my parents see and imprison but no, but it was so normal this time that everybody before then teenager drink wine. I lived in the middle of the area of the Prosecco. So for us, it was very easy to drink Prosecco daily. Daily. The same time now we are not talking about Barolo, Barbaresco some othee heavy or more heavy wine, Prosecco is very easy drinking for us was very normal still very normal now become very popular. logically. But usually, you know before lunch we stop in the bar with a drink a glass of Prosecco easily maybe some type two or three. And then aperitif before dinner and now three or three very numberProsecco. anyway what they can tell you was in one way the right way to approach the wine because was easy wine. Now I have different tastes and palate Absolutely. But was the way to introduce me in the wine business. And from there it start my my new adventure.
Are you still drinking Prosecco today?
Don't ask me this Kelly. Sometimes.
Oh, I just watched everybody go to a place when I talked about wine memories. And I think it's really awesome to think about on a global scale that I could probably ask every wine professional kind of their earliest wine memory and we all go back there you can smell the place you were you can see it you feel what it was to be in that place. And it can be a variety of different situations. But I think we all got intrigued by wine in a very similar way. So I really like asking that. And I know that we are all very much fans of Italian wine, we have an entire lineup sitting behind us while we're recording of all of the producers showcased here today, but I'd like to close by taking us a little bit out of Italy and I would love to ask everybody the same question. And that is if you could make wine or work with wine from any other country, where would it be? You just got to tell me why as well. So you cant just tell me one and pass the mic Where do you dream of working with wine? And why
oh wow. Well a part of me will love to get France because what I'm doing with Collazzi is working with IGT wines in a Bordeaux belend. but it will be Australia definitely because there is a completely different way to think about a wine, I believe that it's more big industry there and that's a reason why I will love to go there and their like little producer are very little producer like here in Italy little producer or fancy I my in my imagination. Australian little producers are wild and I think is what what I heard from my friends doing experience over there. It's pretty much like that so I think it will be a great way to see another part of the wine process that I will never see if I stay all the time in Italy but probably I will keep staying in Italy and drink Italian wine for the rest who knows.
Marco where would you go if you could go anywhere to work in wine?
Oh, I have to say less to learn the last harvest we have with us with our team from New Zealand because we share experience so the it's nice to do this it's some years that we do we just stopping for the for the pandemic but we had every year some new people in the wine business from other parts of the world. So I told them I try something and it's I think a New Zealand it's also say pretty wild on that side. And I'm pretty curious of that otherwise I have to say that tin Italy ometimes we spoke about Italian wines but we have regional wines. So you know moving from making wine in Piedmont, or making wine in Sicily. It's two completely different worlds. And, and so sometimes the best journey is just beyond your corner,
you can travel in Italy for different experiences before we find you in New Zealand. Sounds really good
for me. It's a little bit hard. I think there, I'm in the right place and I is where I was born. And he's a little bit hard to think about different wine region. But the truth is, when I started to work on the wine business, I mainly worked on the hospitality aspect of the winery. And then my first choice really, of course, if I'm I don't know if I would like to, you know, change a little bit. My lifestyle and the country where I live. The idea was the United States. And yeah, I checked a little bit regarding Fingerlakes and then you know, no Napa but a little bit different wine area, in my opinion was closer to mine. My passion, but I think they're I cannot leave
This is all very hypothetical. Don't worry, we're not gonna we're not gonna make you leave.
It's too hard. For Yeah, yeah. Or of course, all over Italy the truth. Yeah, Piedmont is another amazing region there.
I guess I didn't mean to say you couldn't pick a different region in Italy. Okay. Christiana, how about for you? Because I can ask you, where would you make wine? What grapes haven't you worked with that intrigue you?
You know, for me, it's important to have a deep connection in the place that I work in, or the grape variety I work in. So making wine is not something about you can move and do your job it's something more intimate in some way. I'm very focused on native grapes, indigenous grape varieties. Of course, there are amazing terroirs in the world. I would like to hypothetically work but right now it would be interesting for me, California, and not the most popular area. But California in Lodi, where they have a great patrimony of indigenous grape varieties, amazing volcanic soil, and the regulations are not so strict, as in Italy. And so, you know, to approach indigenous grapes that have been there for centuries could be amazing. Or something can develop me a passion.
There are so many vineyards that are being revitalized, that were abandoned or forgotten about and then it's people like you with a passion for those indigenous grapes and making sure that they stay true to the land there. That's exactly what's happening. so, I'm not surprised to hear you say that. That's beautiful.
Exactly I think this has to be even the role of winemaker and not to just apply in a super fancy terroir, which, of course, is amazing. But we have an important role and responsibility even in saving and keeping these heritage of native grapes. I did this work in my own terroir in Abruzzo with my___vineyard and all the rest. And so this could be a good reason. If I could not work in Abruzzo anymore.
We'd be lucky to have you. Alight, Massimo Where are we going to find you other than Italy?
I don't know, my wish maybe is move from the extremly northeast to the extremely west of Italy in Piedmont So I have a little bit knowledge to sell Friuli wine or anyway Friuli and all the white wine basically, because in this region, absolutely grow one of the best white wine in Italy. Now my wishes may be moving Piedmontt and try to sell one of my favorite wines. So Barolo. that will be but the thing is, it will be a little bit difficult because I'm not still young, so I have family but my dream Absolutely.
You just got a smile though from Marco over here when you said that. So who knows - never say never. Oh my goodness, again didn't mean that any of you should be leaving Italy anytime soon. I just think it's really beautiful to think about the wine industry as a whole and that we all like exploring wine. We all like finding new flavors and new ways of expressing the land that then we find in our glasses and I noticed that the way all of you are speaking about the places and how you are moving through the wine industry that we all share that joy. It is joyful. It's so joyful. So I'm very thankful for this opportunity to have all of you in Atlanta and get to meet and talk with so many industry and consumer folks here that are excited to try your wines. Thank you so much for being here today. I think we should do a toast I have no more champagne. Thank you Marco filling up my glass right here. On Air. This is so beautiful. refilled my champagne. For our final toast. I'm so thankful that all of you traveled to United States but particularly to Atlanta, so cheers to that. Cheers. Chin chin.
thanks for tuning in to the a cork in the road Podcast coming to you live from Atlanta, Georgia, and interviewing people who are changing the wine world in the southeast and beyond. In find more about a cork in the road @acorkintheroad on Instagram and make sure to check us out on www.acorkintheroad.com. See you soon guys Cheers.