Italian Wine Podcast

Welcome to episode 2767 of the Italian Wine Podcast and episode 257 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. In this episode, Marc is joined by Gianluca Garofoli, fifth-generation winemaker and Managing Director of Casa Vinicola Garofoli, one of the Marche region’s most historic family-owned wineries and a pioneer in the production of high-quality Verdicchio wines.

More about today’s guest:

Garofoli Winery, founded in 1901 in Italy’s Marche region, is one of the country’s historic family-owned wine estates. Known for its Verdicchio and Rosso Conero wines, the winery has played a significant role in showcasing the character and diversity of the Marche territory for more than a century.

Gianluca Garofoli, the fifth generation of the family, grew up within the winery and has served as Managing Director since 2014. He leads the estate with a focus on combining its long-standing family heritage with a modern, international vision, while remaining deeply connected to the people, culture, and territory that define Garofoli’s wines.

Connect:

Website: https://garofolivini.it/en/

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

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/gianluca-garofoli-797b4015/

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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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 2766 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald sits down with Jill Sites to explore the fast-growing U.S. non-alcoholic wine market. Drawing on more than two decades of beverage industry experience, Jill shares practical insights into the opportunities, challenges, and future of the category for wineries looking to succeed in the U.S. market.

Key Takeaways:

What every winery should know about the U.S. non-alcoholic wine market.

How the non-alcoholic wine category is evolving and where the biggest opportunities lie.

What separates the brands that succeed in the non-alcoholic space from those that struggle to gain traction.

More about the guest:

Jill Sites is the founder of Soak Up the Sites, a beverage strategy consultancy launched in 2024 that advises innovative beverage brands on sales, distribution, and growth strategy. Her clients have included Almave, Little Saints, Moth Drinks, St. Buena Vida, Just Enough Wines, and Ted Segers.

With more than 20 years of experience in the beverage industry, Jill has built a career spanning brand building, strategic sales, and market expansion. She most recently served as Fractional EVP of Sales at The Pathfinder Spirit, where she expanded national distribution from 5 to 41 states and led growth with major accounts including Whole Foods and Total Wine. Previously, as Vice President of Wholesale at Boisson, she built the company’s wholesale division and developed national retail partnerships for a portfolio of non-alcoholic brands.

Earlier in her career, Jill held leadership roles at Betty Buzz, Redwood Brands, and Breakthru Beverage Group, leading national brand strategies, sales initiatives, and growth across emerging craft and premium beverage categories.

Connect:

Website: http://www.soakupthesites.com/

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

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

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:

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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 10 of Study Smart and Episode 2764 of the Italian Wine Podcast with Gill Gordon Smith.

Ep. 10: South of France

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

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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 Book Club and Episode 2763 of the Italian Wine Podcast with Richard Hough. In this episode, Richard is in conversation with Alec Ross, author of “The Italian Dream”.

Highlights of the conversation include:

Alec’s Italian origins

The concept of the American Dream

Alec’s role as advisor to Barack Obama

The Role of AI in the wine sector

The challenges facing Italy including the brain day, the absence of meritocracy and a short-term mentality

Wine regions and styles

Consumer trends

The NOLO startup Alec mentioned during the conversation is Liquid Ventures (https://liquidventurestudio.com/en/) and the gin brand he mentioned is Engine Gin (https://www.engine.land/en/). Skiwasser (literally "ski water") is a popular non-alcoholic Alpine beverage typically made by mixing raspberry syrup, lemon juice and water

“The Italian Dream” by Alex Ross is published by Feltrinelli and is available to order at: https://www.feltrinellieditore.it/opera/the-italian-dream/.

The Book Review by Richard Hough:

Bold and provocative (in the current political climate, American commentary on the internal affairs of another country is not always welcome), Alec Ross’ “The Italian Dream” addresses some of the deep-seated problems that afflict Italy, foremost among them low economic growth and the so-called fuga di cervelli (brain drain), with 100,000 Italians—many holding advanced degrees—leaving annually for better opportunities abroad. With a wealth of experience on both sides of the Atlantic, Alec Ross is well placed to address these issues. The question is, is anyone listening, and is change ever possible in Italy?

About today’s guest:

Alec Ross is one of the world's foremost experts on innovation, technology policy, and the geopolitics of the digital economy, best known as the New York Times bestselling author of “The Industries of the Future”. He served as Senior Advisor for Innovation to the U.S. Secretary of State. Today he is Board Partner at Amplo, a global venture capital firm, Distinguished Professor at the University of Bologna Business School, and board director of companies spanning technology, cybersecurity, finance, and human capital.

Connect:

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

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

More interviews hosted by Richard Hough:

https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/episodes_category/italian-wine-book/

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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

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

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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 Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2762 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Ekaterina Vislinskaya IWA is in conversation with the Italian winemaker and entrepreneur Mariano Buglioni to discuss the wines of the Cantina Buglioni estate in Valpolicella Classico, the history of this important brand and how the family business shifted from clothing to organic wine production.

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

More about today’s host:

Ekaterina Vislinskaya is a certified wine sommelier and content creator from Yekaterinburg, Russia, specializing in Italian wines. She holds WSET Level 3 and is an accredited Italian Wine Ambassador (IWA) through Vinitaly International Academy. Ekaterina is also a guest blogger for the Italian Wine Podcast and a passionate wine traveler, sharing insights on wine tourism, viticulture, and Italian wine culture.

Connect:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vislinskaya.wine/

More about today’s guest:

Mariano Buglioni is the visionary and irreverent soul of Valpolicella. Born in 1971, he initially trained in the family clothing company led by his father, Alfredo Buglioni. In the 1990s, he stepped into the world of wine with the purchase, together with his father, of an ancient farmhouse in the heart of the Valpolicella Classica area. In 2000 he definitively abandoned the textile industry for the winery. The first Buglioni Amarone debuted on the market in 2004.

For an emerging winery in a region dominated by historic wine dynasties it was hard in the beginning. Mariano didn’t give up but turned the tables instead and decided to build his own market, opening Osteria del Bugiardo, in the heart of Verona's historic center. It was soon a success bringing Amarone and Ripasso directly to the people, especially young people, in a convivial atmosphere. Today Buglioni represents a rare example of the virtuous integration of viticulture with hospitality. Under Mariano's direction, Buglioni is no longer just a winery but a comprehensive and inclusive hospitality experience throughout the region: wine experiences, bars, restaurant, and relais.

Connect:

Website: https://www.buglioni.it/

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

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mariano-buglioni-29656284/

More interviews hosted by the VIA International Community:

https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/episodes_category/clubhouse-ambassadors-corner/

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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!



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!