Ep. 490 Vinka Woldarski

In episode 86 Monty Waldin meets Alison Napjus, Senior Editor at Wine Spectator, the leading American magazine about wine and wine culture. Alison is one of the experts at Wine Spectator who selects the 100 Italian wine producers for Vinitaly’s opening gala, OperaWine (goo.gl/jcB6eN). In this interview, Alison tells Monty about her career and daily work in the magazine, her personal connection with Italy and her passion for Italian wine. Alison explains Wine Spectator’s rigorous blind tasting methodology and talks about wine tasting and the future of wine journalism.

5 Mar 201814min

In this episode Monty Waldin interviews Mateja Gravner who works in the family winery “Gravner” in Oslavia in Friuli Venezia Giulia on the border with Slovenia. Mateja’s father, Josko Gravner is an iconic producer who created the paradigm for so-called “orange wines”—his famous Ribolla wine being made from Ribolla Gialla native grapes. Mateja tells Monty about his father Josko’s innovation in wine-making that includes skin contact and fermentation in amphoras coming from Georgia. Tune in to discover the history of the Slovenian-speaking Gravner family that intersects also with major events in the history of Italy and its contested north-east borders.

27 Feb 201819min

In this episode Monty Waldin meets Adam Teeter, CEO of Vine Pair, the influential American publication for millennials in the wine, beer, and spirits sector. Adam tells Monty about his initial forays in the wine world, when he used to organize concerts in an Italian restaurant in New York “pairing” alternative rock bands with wines. Adam talks about his publication, Vine Pair, and about strategies for communicating wine to millennials.

26 Feb 201820min

In this Italian-language bonus-track in our Italian Wine Coop Series, Monty Waldin meets Riccardo Cotarella, oenologist and winemaker in the family winery Falesco near Orvieto. Monty and Riccardo discuss current trends in Italian viticulture, biodiversity, climate change, zonation, and present some comparative reflections on French viticulture and wine business. -- [This podcast has been recorded during “Vi.Vite – Vino di Vite Cooperative” an event organized by the Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane (Alliance of Italian Coops). This episode has been brought to you by Vinitaly 2018, taking place in Verona from April 15th to 18th. Vinitaly is the wine exhibition that helps you discover and get to know Italian wine and features over 4.200 wineries.]

20 Feb 20187min

In this Italian-language bonus-track in the Italian Wine Coop Series, Monty Waldin meets Eleonora Rossi, export manager at the Cantina di Carpi e Sorbara. Elenora tells Monty about the Lambrusco di Sorbara’s high acidity which goes well with Emilia Romagna’s strong dishes like gnocco fritto. Tune in also to find out more about the “grape love story” between Lambrusco Salamino and Lambrusco di Sorbara which are cultivated together side by side as the Sorbara variety needs the Salamino one for pollination. -- [This podcast has been recorded during “Vi.Vite – Vino di Vite Cooperative” an event organized by the Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane (Alliance of Italian Coops). This episode has been brought to you by Vinitaly 2018, taking place in Verona from April 15th to 18th. Vinitaly is the wine exhibition that helps you discover and get to know Italian wine and features over 4.200 wineries.]

20 Feb 20186min

In this episode Monty Waldin talks to Enrico Zanoni, General Director at Cavit, one of the Italian most important wine coops located in the Trentino-Alto Adige region. Monty and Enrico discuss the role of the coops nationally and globally, with specific reference to the Chinese market. Enrico also talks about the famous Pinot Grigio and illustrates in detail its potential and differences with Prosecco. Join Monty and his guest for a cin cin and some storytelling from the Italian wine coop scene. -- [This podcast has been recorded during “Vi.Vite – Vino di Vite Cooperative” an event organized by the Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane (Alliance of Italian Coops). This episode has been brought to you by Vinitaly 2018, taking place in Verona from April 15th to 18th. Vinitaly is the wine exhibition that helps you discover and get to know Italian wine and features over 4.200 wineries.]

17 Feb 201821min

In this episode Monty Waldin interviews Federico Gordini, owner of Lievita Agency, one of the organizers of the ViVite event in Milan where the Italian Wine Coops series was recorded. Federico presents an overview of the wine cooperatives in Italy, their role in viticulture and in the marketing of Italian wines in Italy and abroad. Tune in also for some broader reflections on the role of cooperatives more generally. -- [This podcast has been recorded during “Vi.Vite – Vino di Vite Cooperative” an event organized by the Alleanza delle Cooperative Italiane (Alliance of Italian Coops). This episode has been brought to you by Vinitaly 2018, taking place in Verona from April 15th to 18th. Vinitaly is the wine exhibition that helps you discover and get to know Italian wine and features over 4.200 wineries.]

14 Feb 201810min

In this episode Monty Waldin meets Gian Maria Bonini, export manager at the Emilia Wine coop and at Casali Viticultori. Gian Maria tells Monty about the coop and the Emilia Romagna region, a land of outstanding tradition in food and wine. Gian Maria, who loves wine and motorcycling discusses Emilia’s native varieties of to the Lambrusco family and the lesser-known grape Spergola, which yelds delicious white wines! Join us also to know more about typical and local food and wine pairings.

13 Feb 20189min