Episodes
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This week we are unwinding with our very own host Roger Bissell!
Italian wine and travel expert Roger Bissell reflects on an unforgettable journey that culminated in the release of the first-ever, Wines to Watch 2022, a list of 40 carefully selected wine picks, inspired by a year of travel, tastings and visits with winemakers.
Explore the list here: www.rogerbissell.co/winestowatch22
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Valfaccenda was founded in 2010 by husband and wife Carolina and Luca, respectively an engineer and an enologist.
Their vineyards are mostly in Valfaccenda, in Canale on the hills which line Le Rocche - a landmark in Roero - with a few old plots rented in Valmaggiore in Vezza, Madonna di Loreto in Canale and San Grato in Santo Stefano Roero.
The soils of Roero are made of sand that formed the sea bed of Padania gulf, mixed with older clay sheets and small quantities of silt.
This terroir helps the winemakers to make salty, juicy and chewy wines, which Luca and Carolina believe is the natural, true identity of Roero.
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This week we are unwinding with Giulia Monteleone, vintner, Monteleone Winery.
After extensive research, Giulia and her husband Benedetto Alessandro, made the fateful decision to purchase an old, two-hectare vineyard near the river Alcantara in July of 2017.
The winery can be found at the foot of Mount Etna, less than 500 metres above sea level, and 30 metres away from the ancient Cuba di Santa Domenica, a rare and wonderful Byzantine jewel.
If Mount Etna is a unique place for wine, the credit belongs not only to its uncommon climate conditions, but also to its soil. Monteleone vineyards are located on the northern slope of Mount Etna, in two different districts: Cuba and Pontale Palino.
Since 2017, there has been a focus on expanding the business through new vineyards which would be the basis for new wines.
For this reason they chose the East side of the Volcano and since 2018, they have been producing Etna Bianco wines in the area of Milo and Sant’Alfio.
"Ours is not a family business, but simply a family: taking care of the vineyards and producing wine are activities which have transformed our lives so much that any boundary between life and work has been erased ever since. Our life paths have been very different (I used to write for several magazines and guides about food and wine), nonetheless - through bizarre turns of events - we have eventually met each other and chosen to take part in the wonderful and complex adventure of wine-making." - Giulia Monteleone
Connect with Giulia:
Facebook
Instagram
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This week we're unwinding with Deborah Parker Wong, the inspiring woman at the helm of the Slow Wine Guide.
About Slow Wine:
Formally born in Italy, the Slow Wine movement recognizes wineries that respect and reflect their local terroir and practice sustainable methods that benefit the environment.
The Slow Wine Guide evaluates over 400 different wineries and personally interviews each one in order to create a well-informed, detailed review of the wines themselves and the people behind the production.
"Slow Wine looks to tell their genesis stories, explain how their growing stance positively coincides with the environment, and offers thoughtful tasting notes beyond the ubiquitous “cherry notes” and “nicely structured” phrasing." - Mark Stock
About Deborah Parker Wong:
Deborah Parker Wong, DipWSET was appointed National Editor, USA for the Slow Food Slow Wine guide in 2020.
As global wine editor for sister publications the SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel magazines, she has been writing about the beverage alcohol industry for these and other outlets since 2004. Deborah teaches as an adjunct professor in the Wine Studies departments at Santa Rosa Junior College and Cabrillo College and owns a Wine & Spirit Education Trust school offering Level 2 and Level 3 certifications.
In addition to writing and speaking about wine, she consults to producer groups and judges wine competitions. Her motto is: To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach. A partial archive of her published work can be found on her website.
Connect with Deborah:
Twitter - @parkerwong Instagram - #deborahparkerwong Facebook - www.facebook.com/deborah.parker.wong Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahparkerwong/ -
The minute you begin to chat with Riccardo and Maria, you instantly feel their warmth and passion for their small but mighty winery, with its origins strongly rooted over the centuries and in tradition.
Their family has been producing wines in the Langhe for 6 generations.
Mongioia is led by Riccardo Bianco Owner, Oenologist and Agronomist who has produced a collection of Moscato-based wines all with a strong identity and has transformed the cellar into an artisan boutique and his wife Maria Graziano who is dedicated to spreading the family's love and devotion for Moscato.
Committed to producing Moscato d'Asti at its best, Mongioia has built a solid reputation for their approach to eco-sustainability.
Their electricity is produced 100% from certified renewable sources, only use natural substances and are investing to reduce the use of fuel in tractors in the vineyard by 60%.
Mongioia believes their cellar is a creative laboratory where inspiration is strongly rooted in history.
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Join us this week as we explore the San Leonardo winery & estate, deeply rooted in tradition, a commitment to excellence and centuries-old history, through the lens of its current owner Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga.
Anselmo shares his thoughts on:
- Growing up in a prestigious family
- How to continue holding the bar high for future generations
- His plans for the future, professionally and personally
- The wine, of course
Connect with Anselmo and the winery:
Instagram
Website
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Today, Alessandra Lauria teaches pasta classes (online and live) to groups of all sizes, but her journey into food started at an early age, growing up in a very large, Sicilian family.
For the Laurias, cooking with good ingredients and making everything from scratch was the norm. Interesting enough, Alessandra was not allowed to cook when she was younger but learned by watching her mother and grandma make food in the kitchen from afar.
She later put this early learning into practice, cooking for many years personally, but it was only after she landed her dream job, that she realized a career in food and entrepreneurship was her destiny.
In 2018 Alessandra enrolled in an artisan pasta maker course located in the northern part of Italy, between Padua and Bologna. There, she created food experiences, made a film, worked with the Pasta Grannies Project, developed recipes for restaurants and did consulting work for Leonetta Pasta.
Alessandra brings her passion for authentic food and love of people to all of her events and projects.
Alessandra discusses: what being authentically Sicilian means foods that make her think of home favorite street foods and pastas found in Sicily the importance of returning back to your roots what the future holds for her and her business The Pasta Studio -
To Mariana Velásquez, a native of Bogotá, the diverse mix of heritages, cultures, and regions that comprise Colombian food can be summed up in one simple concept: More is more. No matter what rung of society, Colombians feed their guests well, and leave them feeling nourished in body and soul. In her debut book, Colombiana, the award-winning recipe developer and food stylist draws on the rich culinary traditions of her native land and puts her own modern twist on dishes beloved by generations of Colombians. In addition to offering a unique perspective on Colombian food, Mariana shares the vibrant style of Colombian tablescapes and entertaining. For her, the best meals are never simply about the food on the table—they are an alchemy of atmosphere, drinks, and simple snacks and sweets that complete the experience and make it memorable. WE DISCUSS: Mariana's journey from Bogota to Brooklyn and the melding of those two distinct cultures and flavors The genesis for her new book Colombiana Her favorite recipes from the book What brings her the most pleasure in life and work What the future holds
From the book COLOMBIANA by Mariana Velásquez Villegas. Copyright © 2021 by Mariana Velásquez Villegas. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. Photos by Gentl & Hyers
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Ted Lemon is a lifelong winemaker who began his career by receiving an Enology degree from the Université de Dijon in 1981. He is the co-founder (along with his wife Heidi) of Littorai Wines, a small, family owned and operated winery dedicated to producing wines of place.
Ted is the first American to ever be hired as winemaker and vineyard manager of an estate in Burgundy, Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, where he resided until 1984. He worked at many prestigious estates in Burgundy: Domaine Georges Roumier, Domaine Bruno Clair, Domaine Parent, Domaine De Villaine, Domaine Delorme and Domaine Dujac.
Upon returning to the United States, Ted worked as a winemaker in Napa Valley and became consultant to a number of prominent wineries in California, Oregon and New Zealand.
In 2010, Ted was selected as Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle. He has been nominated multiple times for a James Beard award as Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year. Ted’s philosophy of terroir winegrowing is cited in Burgundy’s application to the United Nations as a World Heritage Site.
In today's conversation we discuss:
Biodynamic farming Zero commercial advertising Why you can't find Littorai in retail stores Expression of the terroir Being responsible with our ecosystem footprint Remaining small to maintain control over your process Determining the best vineyard sites to truly express Pinot Noir and Chardonnay -
Prepare for your mouth to absolutely water with this week's deliciously fascinating conversation.
Bill Esparza, author of the book, LA Mexicano, and James Beard Award winner in journalism for his coverage of the LA taco scene, is considered one of the country's leading experts on Mexican food.
In addition to the curating services Bill provides for Los Angeles restauranteurs and venues including The Fields in downtown LA, Bill has also served as the behind-the-scenes curator and on-air contributor for numerous television projects including two seasons of Emmy award-winning The Migrant Kitchen, Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Andrew Zimmerman’s, Bizarre Foods, I'll Have What Phil's Having, Huang’s World and Top Chef.
Bill writes about Mexican food for LA Times, GQ Mexico, Roads & Kingdoms, Eater, Los Angeles Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine and others.
A noted saxophone player, Esparza has traveled and eaten extensively throughout Mexico, Latin America, and, of course, Southern California.
In today's episode we discuss:
The taco that he's currently obsessed with How culture (and his abuela's kitchen) fueled his passion for food His travels in Latin America and how his experiences influenced his life and writing The evolution of the LA Mexican food scene -
Chef Meza, the culinary darling behind Dallas favorites Tulum and Jalisco Norte, draws from his Mexican heritage and experience at some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and restaurants, including Mexico City’s number one restaurant Pujol, NOMA in Copenhagen, ranked as a four-time World’s Best Restaurant by World’s 50 Best, and Martin Berasategui, a Michelin three-starred restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain.
He has taken his learnings from each experience to create a truly unique dining experience for guests. Meza’s dishes reflect Mexican heritage and tradition, while sticking to the philosophy of obtaining only the highest-quality ingredients and maintaining the standards of excellent service expected at Dallas’ most beloved restaurants.
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Located in the area of Castelnuovo Berardenga (in the province of Siena), you'll find Pācina, an incredible farm which boasts a long and rich history of sustainable agriculture that also respects tradition. It was in the 1970s when Maria Borsa's grandparents, Enzo Tiezzi and Lucia Carli, decided to move their family farm and put into practice their ideas of sustainability.
Pācina continues to be a family affair. Two years ago, Maria returned to take care of the property with her parents Giovanna and Stefano, her brother Carlo my brother and her partner Roberto. Previously, she moved away for studies in Political Science in the Netherlands and Italy and did a considerable amount of travel around the world.
The property was originally bought by Maria's great great great grandfather close to a century ago. Today, Pacina produces wine, olive oil, legumes and cereals.
The farm consists of 65 hecatres, approximately 11 of those are dedicated to vineyards. The grape varieties cultivated are all indigenous to the region: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Tuscan Trebbiano, and Chianti Malvasia. There is also a small plot where they also grow Syrah grapes. The vines range from 5 years to 50 years old, with some plants much older than that.
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When Bud Moore asked Jack Sadden to leave his perfectly good paying job to join him in launching a new venture, Valesco, it came as no surprise to many.
The two businessmen had talked about owning and operating their own business for years. And, that discussion lead to their first investment, one of the largest US independent fabricators of rebar where Jack had been CFO.
Since 1993, Valesco has invested in private and family-owned businesses and is trusted by lower and middle-market businesses in a variety of industries.
Jack's background in hands-on operating management, professional consultancy, mergers & acquisitions, corporate finance and working with business greats such as Arthur Young (Ernst & Young) has provided him with a lifetime of lessons on leadership and building something great.
Jack sat down with host Roger Bissell to share some of those discoveries in the hopes that they help you build something great too.
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Web designer and social media marketer by day, self-proclaimed wine geek by night, Silvia Palasca is on a mission to put Romania on the global wine map. The WSET 2 graduate and author is passionate about shining a light on some of the world's youngest cellars in two Old World countries, Romania and its neighbor, Moldova.
About Romania & Wine:
Romania is a Latin country, surrounded by Slavic neighbors in Eastern Europe. It is also one of the largest wine producers in the world with a growing number of high-quality wine makers.
Romania has eight wine regions: Transylvania Highlands Moldavian Hill Muntenia Hills Oltenia Hills Banat Hills Dobrogea Hills Crișana Maramureș Hills The Danube TerracesSilvia's blog, Wine Life Style
Connect with Silvia on Instagram
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“Ethics” is absolutely the “verb” of Maledetti Toscani; nothing is created or thought without it.
Alessandro Quadri currently serves as president, but the brand's story officially began with his grandfather in 1848 in the charming village of Montepulciano; the place where the historic shop still resides today.
Through his exquisite, high end, Italian leatherwork and design, Alessandro wants to make it clear to the world of entrepreneurship that it is possible to have a profitable business that also maintains quality, integrity and ethics. Maledetti Toscani's inspiring business model ensures all workers are protected and paid well and that it is not necessary to take advantage of poor countries or child labor just to make a profit.
"We want to make it clear to the customer who adores our brand that we will never change our values and commitment; we truly believe our customers play an important part of this Ideology."
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Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain
Oakland, California native Skyler Mapes truly personifies what it means to follow your passion.With studies in architecture and a successful career in design, starting an olive oil company would seem like something that is only possible in the movies. But sometimes life, thankfully, imitates what we see on the screen and this is where Skyler's delicious adventure begins.
She developed a sincere interest in olive oil after meeting her husband Giuseppe and learning about olive trees. Giuseppe worked in the health industry for 15 years and is a 3rd generation olive oil producer from Calabria. In 2017, Skyler moved to Calabria (south Italy) with her husband to learn more about the industry. It was then when they founded EXAU Olive Oil.
EXAU is the marriage between the modern culinary needs of Americans and 75+ years of Calabrian craftsmanship. Skyler and her husband truly believe that they make some of the best olive oil in the world because of their experience, patience, and stubborn Calabrian dedication to amazing food.
The world agrees as EXAU has been recognized for producing 'One of the World's Best Olive Oils' (NYIOOC). In 2020, Skyler was also named to Forbes' prestigious 30 Under 30 List and EXAU was named to Oprah's Favorite List.
Skyler is dedicated to educating the public about high-quality olive oil and fair representation for women of color in the olive oil industry. To this day she's only met one other Black female olive oil producer.
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Love often happens when we least expect it.
This week, we introduce you to Eva and Harper, an Italian and American couple passionate about sharing food and culture with each other and the world. Together, they run the wildly popular YouTube channel "Pasta Grammar," where they explore their cultural and culinary differences through comedy and delicious cooking.
Born and raised in southern Italy (Calabria), Eva is an Italian language teacher as well as a culinary purist, with a passion for the "grammar" and rules of authentic Italian food. One day, she had a chance meeting with an American couple who were looking for language lessons. Little did she know at the time that her new friends would ultimately lead her to her future husband.New Englander Harper (Maine) is a filmmaker and fitness enthusiast, whose idea of a good meal often consisted of a protein shake. At least it was, until he met Eva and learned the gospel of pasta…
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In 2005, Michele Faro was kidnapped...but not in the way that you may think. Growing up in a family dedicated to agriculture, Michele graduated with a degree in agronomy and began working in his family’s successful landscaping business. In 2005, his passion for wine became so great that he decided to get back to his family roots and started wine production as his grandfather had done many years before. A choice of passion. A love for tradition...and Pietradolce was born.
Pietradolce, literally means “sweet stone” and with vineyards in Solicchiata, Etna, you can’t get any earthier. The soil is indeed volcanic in origin and very stony, sandy and mineral rich. The Etna volcano’s abundant mineral components and microclimate – cool nights, warm days and wide-ranging temperature variations – give Pietradolce wines extraordinary richness, minerality, fragrance and depth.
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Philadelphia native Peter Wasserman is a foodie, traveler, filmmaker and lover of all things Burgundy. His family moved to the region in 1968 and quickly became friends with top producers in the like Aubert De Villaine of Domaine de la Romanée Conti, Hubert de Montille, Guy Roulot and Charles Rousseau.
Growing up in Burgundy meant the table was the focal point and everyone dined chez Wasserman. Culinary luminaries like Richard Olney and The Troisgros Brothers (Jean and Pierre) were habitués so it was at the kitchen table where Peter learned how to properly taste and pair. By the time he was five years old, he was bilingual and often sent to winery tastings to translate for guests.
Since 2003, Peter has worked in sales for the family business, Becky Wasserman & Co., which exports wines from small domaines and shippers in Burgundy and other regions who honor their terroirs. His mother, Becky Wasserman, was one of the first international, female winemakers. Her influence can definitely be felt in Peter's life.
Passionate about giving back, Wasserman established a scholarship program to encourage more diversity in the wine industry.
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Our latest episode is all about style, taking chances and the power of betting on yourself.
Crawford Brock is the epitome of excellence, perseverance and teamwork. The world may currently be in the midst of a pandemic, but you wouldn't know by observing the flurry of activity at Dallas' infamous retail destination, Stanley Korshak.
But achieving when others least expect it isn't a new concept for Crawford(who became the official owner of Stanley Korshak in 2002); he’s built his incredible career on it.
Brock's philosophy of excellence evolved from the late Stanley Marcus, the retail oracle who transformed Neiman Marcus from an obscure Dallas gem into an international fashion nameplate. Marcus personally schooled Brock for eight years, emphasizing customer service, obtaining the best merchandise, keeping up with the lifestyles of clients, and maintaining close relationships with vendors.
In case you were wondering, back in the day, there was a real Stanley Korshak who founded his namesake luxury goods store in Chicago in 1909. The Chicago store closed in the early Eighties, and Dallas oil heiress Caroline Rose Hunt bought the rights to the name. She opened Stanley Korshak as a designer clothing store in the courtyard of shops at the Crescent Hotel in Dallas in 1986. Hunt hired Brock to manage it in 1987, and he has shepherded it since.
credit: Stanley Korshak
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