Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to the Asia Wine Market and Episode 2746 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova speaks with Leonid Kirsanov, Head Sommelier at La Vue Restaurant in Saint Petersburg and the winner of the Italian Sommelier Challenge held during the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow 2026.

Returning to Almaty for the second consecutive year, Leonid claimed first place in the competition, earning a scholarship to attend the prestigious Vinitaly International Academy Flagship Edition in Verona in 2027.

Now in its third year, the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow, held in Almaty, Kazakhstan, on 29 June 2026, is a trade event that brings together industry professionals, Italian wineries and other key stakeholders. The Roadshow, organized in collaboration with ITA - the Italian Trade Agency, features a walk-around tasting and a series of private masterclasses.

The Italian Sommelier Challenge is an element of the Roadshow dedicated to the next generation of wine professionals organized in collaboration with the Central Asian Wine University and IWINE School.

Key learning objectives:

Explore the Italian Sommelier Challenge and the role it plays in developing wine professionals.

Gain insights into the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow.

Explore the current Italian wine scene in Saint Petersburg.

More about today’s guest:

Leonid Kirsanov is the Head Sommelier at La Vue Restaurant in Saint Petersburg, Russia, where he has built a distinguished career in the hospitality industry. Born and raised in Saint Petersburg, Leonid began working in restaurants at the age of 14, gaining experience in nearly every front-of-house role before discovering his passion for wine in 2017.

A dedicated competitor, he is a two-time Best Sommelier of Saint Petersburg (2023 & 2025) and was named Where to Eat North-West Sommelier of the Year 2025. He also serves as a Winery Ambassador for Galitskiy & Galitskiy.

Connect:

Website: https://lavuespb.ru/

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

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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Until Next Time Cin Cin!

Welcome to Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2745 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Lucia Fragoso IWA is joined by Alessandro Favaro of Rivaluce Winery to explore the renowned Rive of Valdobbiadene. Together, they discuss what makes the Rive subzones unique, how they differ from other Prosecco Superiore vineyards, and how terroir, steep hillside viticulture, and careful winemaking shape the character of these exceptional wines.

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

More about today’s host:

Lucia Fragoso is a Mexican sommelier, wine educator, hospitality entrepreneur, and international wine communicator. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration from Tecnológico de Monterrey and a Master’s degree in Tourism, Hospitality and Event Management from The University of Queensland, Australia. Her professional career has taken her across Mexico, the United States, Australia, and China.

As the founder of The Wine Vibe and co-founder of Madison Grill Restaurant Group, Lucia combines business, education, and wine communication. She teaches wine at the university level and has certified more than 500 students through professional wine education programs, seminars, and masterclasses. Her mission is to make wine approachable while inspiring more people to discover the culture, history, and stories behind every bottle

Connect:

Website: https://thewinevibe.com/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thewinevibes/?hl=es

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/lucia-fragoso-cota-0a50832a/

More about today’s guest:

Alessandro Favaro is an Italian oenologist, vineyard management consultant, and consulting winemaker based in the Veneto region. After graduating from the prestigious Oenological School of Conegliano, he gained extensive experience working with wineries across Friuli, Tuscany, the Valpolicella (Amarone) area, and Australia, developing expertise across diverse terroirs, grape varieties, and viticultural practices.

Today, Alessandro leads Rivaluce, a contemporary winery located in the UNESCO-listed Hills of Conegliano and Valdobbiadene, in the renowned Rive di San Pietro di Barbozza.

Connect:

Website: https://rivaluce.it/en/

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

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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 Episode 2744 of the Italian Wine Podcast and the 25th episode of Pellegrinaggio Enoico con Professore Attilio Scienza! This series is recorded in Italian.

Episode 25: Pantelleria, Salina e il fascino del vino insulare

Want to dive into the stories and myths behind Professor Scienza’s new series, but Italian isn’t your thing? No problem! You’ll find all the conversations, translated into English, in the new Mamma Jumbo Shrimp book: An Italian Wine Pilgrimage: with Professor Attilio Scienza. Now available on Amazon.

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:

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

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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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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!



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

Welcome to episode 2743 of the Italian Wine Podcast and episode 253 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. In this episode, Marc is joined by Marta and Camilla Cocci Grifoni of Tenuta Cocci Grifoni, a historic family-owned winery in Italy's Marche region.

Together, they explore the rich winemaking heritage of Le Marche, the story behind the estate and its relais, Guido Cocci Grifoni's pivotal role in rescuing the Pecorino grape from extinction, the significance of Rosso Piceno DOC and the winery's flagship wines, as well as its commitment to sustainability, PIWI varieties, Il Manifesto, and the evolving role of women in wine.

More about today’s guest:

Tenuta Cocci Grifoni is a family-run winery that today cares for 65 hectares of vineyards, cultivating both native grape varieties and disease-resistant vines. Since the early 20th century, its research activity has been closely intertwined with the history of winemaking in the Marche region. In the 1980s, the estate helped rediscover the Pecorino grape together with other local growers. Later came its opening to hospitality with Relais Cocci Grifoni, alongside a constant commitment to the ecosystem and biodiversity. Since 2024, Tenuta Cocci Grifoni has been fully organic, vegan, and Equalitas certified.

Connect:

Website: https://www.tenutacoccigrifoni.it/ https://relaiscoccigrifoni.it/

Instagram:https://www.instagram.com/tenutacoccigrifoni/ https://www.instagram.com/relais.coccigrifoni/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/company/tenuta-cocci-grifoni/

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:

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

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

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

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

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!



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 2742 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald speaks with Molly Bossardt about the future of wine marketing, exploring consumer behavior, subscription models, strategies for engaging different generations, lessons from the coffee industry, the role of education, and why creating new wine occasions may be the key to building stronger brands.

Key Takeaways:

Wine doesn't necessarily have a consumer problem—it has a positioning problem.

The wine industry spends a lot of time explaining wine, but not enough time making people want it.

The future belongs to the brands that create occasions.

More about the guest:

Molly Bossardt is a wine marketing strategist and founder of Bread & Butter Digital Marketing, where she helps wineries build the systems behind consistent, revenue-driving marketing. With 10 years of marketing experience and six years focused entirely on the drinks industry, Molly specializes in email, content, and paid social strategies designed around the wine calendar. Her framework has helped generate $120K in revenue in four months at a 10.44x return on ad spend.

She is also the creator of the Winery Growth Lab, a six-month consulting program for winery owners who are tired of marketing without a plan and want a clear, repeatable system. Originally from Virginia, Molly recently moved to Torino, Italy, where she continues to work with wine brands while exploring Italian wine, culture, and life abroad.

Connect:

Website: https://www.breadandbutterdigitalmarketing.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/molly-bossardt-5a804859/

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

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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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

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

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!