Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to Episode 2760 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Marissa Muoio is in conversation with Sylvester Inda, wine director at Ci Siamo, a renowned Italian restaurant in New York City. Together, they explore training, education and Italian wine in the context of hospitality.

Key Takeaways:

How top wine directors train busy floor staff.

The power of hidden gems, why American diners are looking beyond classic regions.

Empowering the floor: practical ways Italian producers can format their educational materials & organize their US visits.

More about the guest:

Sylvester "Sly" Inda is a professional wine director and sommelier in New York City. He is best known as the wine director at Ci Siamo, an Italian restaurant in New York. He began his career in 2013 as a wine/cellar assistant at Keens Steakhouse, later working up to assistant wine director. Post pandemic, he served in key floor and sommelier roles at high-end dining spots including Daniel Boulud’s Le Pavillon and Gramercy Tavern, where he became head sommelier. He was appointed wine director at Ci Siamo in November 2025, curating a heavily Italian-focused wine list.

Connect:

Website: https://www.cisiamo.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sylvester-inda-a3499563/

More about the host:

Equal parts wine geek and storyteller, Marissa Muoio turns up the volume on the Italian Wine Podcast as a host of the Masterclass US Wine Market series! Marissa’s love affair with Italian wine started with a simple realization: behind every bottle of Nebbiolo, Brunello, or Fiano is a wild story of ancient history, passionate families, and incredible food pairings. But getting those stories onto American tables takes strategy.

On the Masterclass US Wine Market, Marissa bridges the gap between Italian cellars and the American trade. She brings high energy, sharp questions, and plenty of laughs while chatting with top industry insiders, sommeliers, and importers on the East Coast. When she’s not in front of the mic geeking out over volcanic soils and forgotten appellations, you’ll usually find Marissa on the hunt for the perfect plate of pasta, road-testing new wine bars, or swirling something new with friends. Her ultimate motto? No acqua, solo vino.

Connect:

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

LinkedIn: http://linkedin.com/in/marissa-muoio/

Website: http://linktr.ee/marissamuoio

More interviews on US Wine Market:

https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/episodes_category/masterclass-us-wine-market/

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

Until next time, Cin Cin!

Welcome to Episode 2759 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this bonus episode, Stevie Kim sits down for the second part of a heart-to-heart conversation with Sarah Looper, better known as LooperSomm.

In Part 2, Sarah shares what motivated her to take the challenging Vinitaly International Academy exam and become a certified Italian Wine Ambassador. The conversation explores the wine education paths and her deep dive into the complexities of Italian wine, the styles she loves most, and the lesser-known Italian wines she believes deserve far more attention.

More about the guest:

Professional sommelier and wine educator Sarah Looper has worked in the food and wine world for over twenty-five years. She is a graduate of the Wine & Spirits Education Trust (WSET) Diploma program, an expert-level qualification covering all aspects of wine; a Certified Wine Educator through the Society of Wine Educators; and she is a candidate for the Master Sommelier Diploma, the highest distinction a professional can attain in fine wine and beverage service, with the Court of Master Sommeliers.

Sarah has worked in several areas of the wine industry including journalism, retail, import and distribution, winery and cellar work, wine education, and she was a wine director in restaurants for many years running innovative wine and cocktail programs where she worked closely with the chefs and pastry chefs on food and wine pairings that would blow her customers’ minds .

Sarah is a graduate of the University of Colorado at Boulder with a B.A in European History and she holds a Baking & Pastry Certificate from The Culinary Institute of America.

Connect:

Website: https://loopersomm.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sarah-looper-dipwset-9ab1577/

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

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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

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

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

Until next time, Cin Cin!

Welcome to Episode 9 of Study Smart and Episode 2758 of the Italian Wine Podcast with Gill Gordon Smith.

Ep. 9: Southern Rhône

Study Smart for your WSET Level 3 is a new series of audio learning resources specifically created for wine students. This new series consists of 30 episodes, each focusing on a particular wine region, with the objective of equipping listeners with the knowledge and expertise they need to prepare for industry-standard courses such as WSET.

With exam strategies and techniques also included, the "Study Smart" series is designed to help wine students achieve their learning objectives in an accessible and engaging way.

This new series has been designed in partnership with the Italian Wine Academy, a Verona-based, internationally recognized wine school founded in 2017 that provides WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) certification courses and specialized training.

The series is delivered by the acclaimed wine educator Gill Gordon Smith. Gill is a VIA certified Italian Wine Expert, an artisan wine producer, retailer, writer, judge and educator based between Australia's McLaren Vale Region and Verona and Tuscany in Italy.

Look out for new episodes every week wherever you get your podcasts!

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

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

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

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



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

Until next time, Cin Cin!

Welcome to Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2757 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Lisa Lazzaretto IWA is joined by Frank Smulders MW to discuss his long and varied career in wine and the future of wine education.

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

More about today’s host:

Lisa Lazzaretto, PhD, is a Switzerland-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: http://www.winemood.ch

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

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

More about today’s guest:

Frank Smulders MW is an internationally known wine professional. He has been working in the wine business since 1985 after finishing a bachelor’s degree in motel management. In 1992 he became a Master of Wine, as one of the youngest at that time and as the second continental European.

During his career he played various roles but he is best known for his 35 year long activity in international wine education, running and creating two of the most famous restaurant wine cellars in the world (Parkhotel Vitznau and Palais Coburg), creating Russia’s best supermarket wine selection (O’Key) and consulting producers (Campo Viejo, Abadia Retuerta, Goedmakers) and distributors (Selektion Schwander, HEMA, Thiessen, Da!).

Connect:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/franksmuldersmw/

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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

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

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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 the Asia Wine Market and Episode 2756 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova is in conversation with Le Hoang Khanh Vi, Beverage Director and Head Sommelier at Nén Restaurant (Vietnam’s first Green Michelin Star) and the Vice President of the Vietnam Sommelier Association, to explore Vietnam’s wine market.

Key learning objectives:

Understand the Structure and Evolution of the Vietnamese Wine Market: Explore Vietnam's rapidly developing wine scene, key distribution channels, consumer demographics, and the role of hospitality and tourism in shaping demand.

Identify Consumer Trends and Opportunities for Italian Wines: Discover which wine styles and regions resonate with Vietnamese consumers, how local cuisine influences wine preferences, and where Italian wines have the greatest growth potential.

Learn How Education and Sommeliers Are Shaping Vietnam's Wine Culture: Gain insights into the role of the Vietnam Sommelier Association, wine education, Michelin dining, and how producers can successfully collaborate with sommeliers and educators.

The importers mentioned by Vi:

Don Vino, Malthop, Warehouse, Cellier d'Asie, Daloc wines

The wine bars mentioned:

HCMC - MAD wine bar, MOWE wine bar, Sturmfrei Haus;

Danang: RU wine bar, Gụ Wine bar;

Hanoi - Samé wine & bistro

More about today’s guest:

Le Hoang Khanh Vi is an experienced sommelier with over a decade of expertise in wine, blending academic excellence with professional accolades. Holding a WSET Level 4 Diploma in Wines (2025) and a Master’s degree in Wine and Wine Tourism from the universities of Bordeaux (France), Porto (Portugal), and Rovira i Virgili (Spain) - 2020, she was runner-up in the 2016 Best Sommelier French Wine Competition in Vietnam, ranked #10 in the 2023 All-Japan Best Sommelier Competition, and proudly represented Vietnam for the first time at the ASI World Best Sommelier Competition in Paris 2023.

As co-founder and Vice-President of the Vietnam Sommelier Association (VSA), the nation’s sole representative body, she advocates for the growth of wine culture. She also serves as a lecturer at the University of Economics and Finance (UEF), Beverage Director and Head Sommelier at Nén Restaurant (Vietnam’s first Green Michelin Star), and is an owner of NOB - Natural Owl Bar (Vietnam's first Natural wine bar).

Connect:

Website: https://restaurantnen.com/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/khanh-vi-le-hoang-msc-dipwset-832b88267/

More about the host:

Roza Zharmukhambetova has a background in foreign languages and education. She discovered her passion for wine in Beijing, where she gained two years of experience in wine sales. Since returning to Kazakhstan, she has focused on studying Italian wine and exploring its regions. Roza holds certifications as an Italian Wine Ambassador (VIA), Italian Wine Scholar (WSG), Langhe Wines Ambassador (BBA), and Valpolicella Wine Specialist (VEP). She is also a member of the Kazakhstan Sommelier Association. Since the end of 2024, she has been a member of the Italian Wine Podcast (IWP) team, contributing her passion for Italian wine.

Connect:

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozazharmukhambetova/

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

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

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

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

Until Next Time Cin Cin!