Ep. 2502 Matteo Zoppas of the Italian Trade Agency | On the Road with Stevie Kim

In this podcast, Monty Waldin interviews Brandon Tebbe MS, currently the lead sommelier at the Encore Boston Harbor in Boston, MA. Brandon is a certified Master Sommelier from the Court of Master Sommeliers and a Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador. In this interview he tells Monty how he got into wine and what the sommelier profession in the United States is like. He also talks about his new winemaking project in the Willamette Valley in Oregon producing Pinot Noir. Tune in to also learn more about Brandon’s passion for Piemonte and Barolo!

4 Nov 201912min

In this episode Monty Waldin interviews Alessandro Gallo, general manager as well as vineyard manager and wine maker at Castello d’Albola, an estate in Radda in Chianti, Tuscany, which belongs to the Zonin family. Alessandro, who is originally from the Langhe region in Piemonte, has been living and working in the area for 15 years and tells Monty about the Chianti Classico terroir of Radda in Chianti. The village of Radda in Chianti is one of the highest in the appellation and the most historical for Chianti Classico production. Castello d’Albola grows mostly Sangiovese, which is cultivated up to 600 meters on the sea level. The estate also grows Chardonnay at 700 meters to make their Poggio alle Fate white wine; they also grow Cabernet Sauvignon for their “Super Toscano” Acciaiolo. Monty and Alessandro discuss the difference between the Chianti Classico Riserva and the Gran Selezione and Alessandro presents some of Castello di Albola’s flagship wines: Chianti Classico DOCG Riserva, and the Gran Selezione Santa Caterina and Il Solatio. Tune in to learn more about the Chianti Classico soils and wines and discover Alessandro’s passion for steak!

30 Okt 201922min

In this episode, which is part of the wine2wine series “Let’s Talk Wine Biz,” Monty Waldin interviews Sara Norell, Director of Assortment, Purchasing, and Supply Chain at Systembolaget AB, the Swedish alcohol monopoly. Sara tells Monty about her career: her beginnings in the hotel business as a sommelier and her current position at Systembolaget. Sara provides useful insights into the way the Swedish liquor board operates in comparison with other national alcohol boards such as those in Canada. She talks about Systembolaget’s commitment to alcohol awareness and to organic wines. In particular, Sara presents some interesting demographics about organic wines in Sweden. Tune in to learn more about the Swedish wine market and their monopoly system.

29 Okt 201913min

In this episode Monty Waldin interviews Ginevra Venerosi Pesciolini, owner and CEO of Tenuta di Ghizzano near Pisa in Tuscany. The Venerosi Pesciolini family arrived in Pisa around 1370 and the estate is a beautiful medieval “borgo” surrounded by vineyards. Ginevra tells Monty the reasons behind her choice of going organic and then biodynamic in the vineyard. She talks about her red wines, Il Ghizzano, Veneroso, and Nambrot. Veneroso in particular is made with a blend of Sangiovese and Cabernet Sauvignon from her oldest vines; Nambrot which she considers her “Tuscan Pomerol” is made with a blend of French grapes. Ginevra also presents her white and Passito wines and discusses a new project still in the making from her oldest Sangiovese vines. Tune in to learn more about a historic estate in the heart of the Pisa province and about Ginevra’s commitment to organic and biodynamic viticulture!

28 Okt 201920min

In this episode, Monty Waldin interviews Massimo Serradimigni, Portfolio Specialist for Winebow Imports in Chicago and Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador. Massimo, whose family is originally from Modena, also worked for Eataly U.S. and tells Monty about current trends in wine in the United States. Massimo discusses wine styles and Italian regions with potential in the U.S. market and explains some of the educational initiatives and tastings he undertook as Portfolio Specialist at Winebow. Tune in to learn more about Massimo’s love for the Montecucco area near Montalcino, his interest in travelling to Sardinia, Sicily, and Campania to discover wines from local grapes, and his passion for tortellini!

22 Okt 201912min

In this podcast which is part of the wine2wine series “Let’s Talk Wine Biz”, Monty Waldin interviews Dmitri Fedotov, Russian wine journalist and Brand Ambassador at Gambero Rosso. Dmitry discusses the trends for wine in the Russian market and talks about his passion for Italy, a country which “is promoting its wine more actively than other countries.” Monty and Dmitry also talk about Russian wine growers and Dmitry’s love for Barbaresco!

15 Okt 20198min

In this podcast, Monty Waldin interviews Rosa Moio Communication and Hospitality Manager at Quintodecimo in Campania. Monty and Rosa discuss the main wines of the estate—Taurasi, Greco di Tufo, and Fiano di Avellino—and some gourmet food combinations. Rosa also talks about the main foreign markets for Quintodecimo and the origin of the winery name deriving from a toponym of the Longobard era. Tune in to learn more about the iconic wines of Campania and its native grapes.

14 Okt 201910min

In this educational podcast recorded in Italian, Monty Waldin welcomes again Professor Attilio Scienza, vine genetics scholar and also the Chief Scientist of the Vinitaly International Academy, to discuss the Nebbiolo grape and two of its iconic expressions: Barolo and Barbaresco. Scienza discusses the geology and topography of the Langhe region, techniques of cultivation and training for Nebbiolo, its genotypes and phenotypes, and the Barolo and Barbaresco wines. Tune in to learn more also about some wine and food pairings from the region! [A transcript of this interview in Italian is available on www.italianwinepodcast.com. A recorded audio translation into English of this interview is available in the next episode. An English-language transcript can also be found on the Italian Wine Podcast official website].

8 Okt 201929min