Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to Episode 2754 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this Bonus Episode of Masterclass US Wine Market, Stevie Kim, Barbara Fitzgerald and Juliana Colangelo and joined by the show’s new co-host, Marissa Muoio.

More about Marissa Muoio:

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.

In 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:

Website: http://linktr.ee/marissamuoio

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marissa-muoio/

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

Until next time, Cin Cin!

Welcome to Episode 2753 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this bonus episode, Stevie Kim sits down for a heart-to-heart conversation with Sarah Looper, better known as LooperSomm.

In Part 1 of their conversation, Sarah—recently certified as a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador—shares her journey as a sommelier at il Buco NYC and a wine educator dedicated to making wine approachable, engaging, and unpretentious. Together, they discuss her passion for changing how Americans learn about wine and the importance of making wine education more accessible, confidence-building, and fun.

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:

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!

Welcome to Episode 8 of Study Smart and Episode 2752 of the Italian Wine Podcast with Gill Gordon Smith.

Ep. 8: Northern 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!

_______________________________

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!

Welcome to the Asia Wine Market and Episode 2751 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova is in conversation with Francesca Arquint from Collemattoni winery in Montalcino. Together, they explore the history and philosophy of this family-owned winery, Collemattoni’s experience at the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow, and the opportunities they see in the Kazakhstani market. They also discuss how boutique wineries build successful export partnerships through trusted importers, education, and long-term collaboration.

Key learning objectives:

Discover Collemattoni and the Family Behind the Wines

Explore the Opportunities for Italian Wine in Kazakhstan.

Understand How Boutique Wineries Build International Partnerships.

More about today’s guest:

Francesca Arquint is a winemaker with an international background. Alongside her husband Marcello Bucci she runs the Collemattoni winery in Montalcino. Collemattoni is located on a hilltop on the south side of the municipal area of Montalcino. The wine cellar is an enchanting place from where the majestic countryside that extends from Sant’Angelo in Colle to the sea can be admired.

Connect:

Website: https://www.collemattoni.it/home-eng.php

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

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/

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

Until Next Time Cin Cin!

Welcome to Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2750 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Stephanie Johnson IWE is joined by Patricia Tóth of the Planeta winery to discuss her role at the winery, the native grapes that are grown in the corner of Sicily, and the enduring characteristics of Sicily’s marine wines.

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

More about today’s host:

As well as being a certified Italian Wine Expert (IWE), Stephanie Johnson holds a WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits. Her wine career spans the journalism, retail and restaurant sectors. She joined Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2013 and later served as Italian Wine Editor from 2016 to 2024. Stephanie has judged at international competitions such as the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in Bordeaux and 5StarWines – the Book in Verona. She has led masterclasses for top sommeliers in New York City and presented at major industry events including Vinitaly and wine2wine Business Forum in Verona. A passionate educator, she teaches WSET Level 2, Level 3, and Diploma courses at NYC’s International Wine Center. Her upcoming venture, SteepleJack, will spotlight the heroic stories of Italian wine producers, blending deep expertise with compelling storytelling.

Connect:

Website: https://steeplejackwine.com/

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-johnson-dws-b0a0121a/

More about today’s guest:

Patricia Tóth was born in Hungary. She attended the Corvinus University of Budapest where she gained an MSc in Food Engineering specializing in wine, beer and spirits. Having a particular love for vines she began to work as a winemaker, gaining experience in wine cellars such as Le Vigne di Zamò Friuli, Bava in Piemonte and Vylyan in Hungary. She has been collaborating with Planeta since 2005, first responsible for Planeta’s Buonivini and Dorilli cellars, after coordinating the startup of the new estates in Capo Milazzo – and Mount Etna. She is a member of the company’s Business Intelligence Team, covering the technical support in PR activities, and part of the Operative Table in SOStain (Foundation for the Regional Sustainable Agriculture Program). In between times, Patricia produces white grapes such as Furmint and Rieslings near Lake Balaton in her own 4-hectare vineyard.

Connect:

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

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/t%C3%B3th-patricia-1571428a/

_______________________________

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!



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!