Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to Episode 2621 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald is in conversation with Chloë Syrah Schwartz to break down the Supreme Court ruling and examine what it signals for the future of the U.S. wine trade.

Key Takeaways:

Why a family-run wine importer took a stand when others didn’t.
Victor and Chloe (and by extension V.O.S.) didn’t just join a lawsuit, they became the public face of a challenge that other businesses were hesitant to touch.

How tariffs disrupt small business operations.
The story isn’t abstract, it’s about cash flow, relationships with producers abroad, and survival tactics.

Unanswered questions and strategic positioning.
The larger story is about anticipation, uncertainty, and how a business positions itself after a major but incomplete legal outcome.

More about the guest: 

Chloe Syrah Schwartz is the Vice President at V.O.S. Selections, a wine & spirits importer founded by her father, Victor, in 1987. Chloe and Victor were the lead plaintiffs in V.O.S. Selections v Trump, which successfully overturned the "Liberation Day" tariffs at the US Supreme Court.

Connect: 

Website: https://vosselections.com/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vosselections/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chloe-syrah-schwartz/ 

More about the host:

With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara Fitzgerald 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 while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries.

As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarajeanfitz/

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/

Website: https://www.aprilacreative.com/ 

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Until next time, Cin Cin!

Welcome to Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2620 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Lisa Lazzaretto interviews Tancredi Biondi Santi of Castello di Montepò in Maremma, Tuscany. They explore the legacy (and pressures) of growing up in the iconic Biondi Santi family, the family’s bold move from Montalcino to Maremma, and the unique Sangiovese Grosso clone discovered in the 1970s. Along the way, they discuss how terroir shapes Sangiovese differently in Montalcino versus Maremma, the estate’s wines, the challenge of climate change, and even the rumors that Elon Musk once eyed Castello di Montepò.

These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and reproduced here for the Italian Wine Podcast. 

Key Learning Objectives:

Understand the legacy of the Biondi Santi family and the evolution from Montalcino to Maremma.

Learn about the unique Sangiovese Grosso clone and the differences in growing Sangiovese between Montalcino and Maremma.

Gain insight into Castello di Montepò’s wines, terroir, and approach to climate challenges.

More about today’s host: 

Lisa Lazzaretto, PhD, is a Swiss-based entrepreneur, wine professional, and marketing strategist. She holds a doctorate in Political Science and a Diploma in Marketing, and is the founder of Wine Mood, an e-commerce platform dedicated to curated Italian wines. An Italian Wine Ambassador and WSET Diploma holder (DipWSET), Lisa bridges academic insight with hands-on industry expertise. Her recent research focuses on neuromarketing, consumer behavior, and modern wine communication. Active across international wine fairs and competitions, she combines research, storytelling, and business innovation to connect people with Italian wine.

Connect:

Website: https://www.winemood.ch/ 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lisa-lazzaretto/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/winemood_ch/ 

More about today’s guest:  

The Castello di Montepò winery is located in the heart of the Maremma Toscana region, in the province of Grosseto, north of the municipality of Scansano. It is situated in a hilly area (between 300 and 460 meters above sea level) and is famous for producing the high-quality Super Tuscan wine Sassoalloro (100% Sangiovese Grosso BBS11). Castello di Montepò represents the current chapter of the Biondi Santi family’s winemaking history.

Tancredi Biondi Santi, son of Jacopo Biondi Santi, is fully involved in the estate and serves as co-winemaker alongside his father, contributing to vineyard management, cellar work, and the long-term qualitative direction of the wines. He lives between Castello di Montepò and New York City, where he is also active in the international market development and global positioning of the family estate.

Connect:

Website: https://castellodimontepo.it/en/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castellodimontepo/ 

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Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 

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If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 

Until next time, Cin Cin! 

 

Follow Italian Wine Podcast for more great content – winery interviews from the Clubhouse sessions! Psssst…FYI, this show is our most popular show, find out why by tuning-in!

Welcome to Episode 2619 of the Italian Wine Podcast and the fourth episode of Pellegrinaggio Enoico con Professore Attilio Scienza! This series is recorded in Italian.

Episode 4: Vie della fede, vie del vino.

A true oenological journey led by Professor Attilio Scienza in the company of Stevie Kim, winding its way across the peninsula, following ancient Roman roads, paths of faith, and historical itineraries. Genetics, morphology, climate change, and the concept of viticulture vocation come together to tell the story of our grape varieties and their inextricable bond with the territory. Expect amazing stories, random digressions, curious anecdotes, and a new way of thinking about wine. 

Join us on A Wine Pilgrimage with Professor Attilio Scienza.

More about Professor Scienza:

Professor Attilio Scienza is the one who checks all the facts and regulates when we mistakenly type “Verdicchio” instead of “Vermentino.” He is a full professor at the University of Milan in the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences where he teaches courses on genetic improvements to the vine; he also teaches Viticulture in the Master’s program of the University of Turin in Asti. He has been the lead for many national research projects in the field of physiology, agricultural techniques, and vine genetics. As the author of over 350 publications on vine and viticulture in national and international journals, you can bet he knows his stuff!

To find out more about Attilio Scienza visit: https://www.vinitaly.com/formazione/vinitaly-international-academy/attilio-scienza/ 

 

If you want to learn more about Stevie Kim, the Scienza wrangler:

Stevie Kim is an Italian Wine Marketing & Communication Expert, Brand Positioning Specialist, and Public Speaker based in Verona, Italy. As Managing Partner at Vinitaly, she leads key initiatives, including OperaWine, Vinitaly International Academy, wine2wine Business Forum, and 5StarWines. A passionate Italian Wine Evangelist, she harnesses social media and education to promote Italian wine on a global scale.

The Italian Wine Podcast is part of Mamma Jumbo Shrimp, a brand Stevie launched in 2020 to make wine more accessible through books, maps, videos, and the Italian Wine Travel with Stevie YouTube series. Stevie often joins Professor Scienza in his shows to lend a hand keeping our Professor in check! You can also find her taking a hit for the team when she goes “On the Road”, all over the Italian countryside, visiting wineries and interviewing producers, enjoying their best food and wine – all in the name of bringing us great Pods!

Connect: 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steviekim222/

Website: https://www.vinitaly.com/eventi/operawine/stevie-kim/ 

Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@mammajumboshrimp 

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Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:

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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 

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If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 

Until next time, Cin Cin!

 

Share your love for our lovely Professor if you are a true Italian Wine Geek 🙂

Welcome to episode 2618 of the Italian Wine Podcast and episode 232 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. In this episode, Marc is in conversation with Alessandro Cellai of Domini Castellare di Castellina in the heart of Chianti Classico. They explore the estate’s history and philosophy, from the legacy of mezzadria to pioneering work with Attilio Scienza on Sangiovese clone selection, long before the Chianti 2000 project. The conversation also covers organic vineyard practices, the key soils shaping Sangiovese’s expression, lessons from Giacomo Tachis, signature wines, Malvasia Nera as Sangiovese’s partner, and the gastronomy and hospitality that define the Castellare vision.

More about today’s guest:

Founded in the 1970s, Castellare di Castellina was created with the goal of producing high-quality, terroir-driven Chianti Classico rooted in Tuscan tradition. The estate spans about 80 hectares, with 33 hectares of vineyards farmed according to organic principles at around 370 meters above sea level. Known for low yields, careful clone selection, and a strong commitment to biodiversity, symbolized by the rare birds featured on each label, the winery focuses on expressing pure Sangiovese and the distinctive soils of Chianti Classico.

Alessandro Cellai is the head winemaker, general manager and  managing director of Castellare di Castellina. He studied oenology at the Istituto Tecnico of Siena and chemistry at the University of Florence. Considered one of the most authoritative voices in the world wine scene, he is known for his philosophy based on technique, passion and innovation.

Connect:

Website: https://www.castellare.it/en/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/castellarewine/ 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/domini-castellare-di-castellina/ 

More about the host:

Marc Millon, a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador since 2021, is a celebrated expert in the world of wine, food, and travel and an award-winning author of 15 books on these topics. Since 2021, he has been the host of the ‘Wine, Food, and Travel with Marc Millon’ weekly series on the Italian Wine Podcast, which now has well over 220 episodes of the show. Marc’s latest book is “Italy in a Wineglass – the Taste of History” published by Hurst, London and Melville House, New York (Guild of Food Writers ‘Drinks Writer Award’ 2025 and the World Gourmand ‘Best Wine History Book in the World Award’ 2025). In addition to his writing and podcasting, Marc is a sought-after speaker and hosts gastronomic cultural tours to Italy in partnership with Martin Randall Travel, a leading specialist in cultural travel. When he's not exploring the culinary landscapes of the world, Marc resides along the scenic River Exe in Devon, England.

Connect:

Website: 

https://www.quaypress.uk  

https://www.marcmillon.co.uk 

https://www.vino.co.uk   

https://www.quaypress.com 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-millon-50868624/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Marc_Millon 

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Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:

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Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 

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LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 

 

If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 

Until next time, Cin Cin!

 

Thanks for listening! This show is all about food and wine pairings, and traveling through Italy with Marc. Join him on this food, wine and cultural journey!

Welcome to Episode 2617 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Juliana Colangelo is in conversation with the wine sales and brand development leader, Kevin Di Lucente, focusing on small regional markets in the Northeast US. Together, they discuss promising cities and areas, the advantages these markets offer compared to major metro areas, price “sweet spots”, and the common mistakes brands make when entering these markets.

Key Takeaways:

Why smaller Northeast markets offer strong growth potential.

How to adapt portfolio, pricing, and positioning for regional markets.

What to understand about distribution, depletion, and velocity outside major metro areas.

More about the guest: 

Kevin Di Lucente is an experienced leader in wine sales and brand development, with over 16 years of experience growing premium portfolios. He is an ambassador for the Vinitaly International Academy and a specialist in Italian wines. Kevin has focused much of his career on expanding distribution for family-owned producers in smaller communities across New York State. Outside of wine, Kevin is a musician, improv comedian, and proud cat dad.

Connect: 

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kevin-di-lucente-a830712a/ 

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kdilucente/ 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/artist/5PVU6Atuoj0pwejKUlFYjt 

More about the host:

Juliana Colangelo is a leading communications and marketing professional for the beverage alcohol industry. Currently, Juliana is a Senior Brand Manager at Frederick Wildman, where she is focused on building their Italian wine portfolio. Prior to that, she led the California Division as a Vice President at Colangelo & Partners, the leading wine and spirits communications agency in the U.S. for over 10 years. 

During her tenure at C&P, Juliana led the development of the California office, growing the agency’s domestic presence to a dedicated office of 15 people with representation of leading wine companies such as Jackson Family Wines, Far Niente, Charles Krug Winery, Foley Family Wines and more. Juliana has completed her WSET Level 3 and her eMBA in Wine Business with Sonoma State University. In 2021, Juliana was named one of PR News’ Top Women in PR in the “Rising Stars” category. In 2022, Juliana became a Vinitaly International Academy Italian Wine Ambassador.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/julezcolang/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/jules.colangelo/

Twitter: https://x.com/JulezColang

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/juliana-colangelo-mba-04345539/

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Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 

 

If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/

Until next time, Cin Cin!