Ep. 1255 Anna Obuhovskaya Interviews Andrea Biatta | Clubhouse Ambassador's Corner

Coming soon to a city near you, Vineita Lee Road Show. Have you ever wondered how to attend Vineita Lee for free? Are you a wine trade professional interested in a sponsored trip to Vienie to the International Academy, or Vien Italy, the wine and spirits exhibition. Coming soon to Princeton, New Jersey, Harlem, New York, and Chinatown in New York City, Cardiff in Wales, London, in England, and Roost in Austria. We'll be giving away our new textbook Italian Wine Unplug two point zero. Find out more about these exciting events, and for details on how to attend, go to liveshop. Bn Italy dot com. Limited spots available. Sign up now. We'll see you soon. Welcome to this special Italian wine podcast broadcast. This episode is a recording off clubhouse, the popular drop in audio chat. This clubhouse session was taken from the wine business club and Italian wine club. Listen in as wine lovers and experts alike engage in some great conversation on a range of topics in wine. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs, and remember to scribe and rate our show wherever you tune in. Hello, everybody. Our fireside guest is Andrea Beatata. And you see, you can see his potty hat, which means that he's very new to clubhouse. So happy New Year, everybody, and welcome to Italian wine club on clubhouse. This is the first episode, first call of two thousand twenty three. I hope you guys all had a very nice new year. And I don't know what you guys have been up to. Let's let's hear what Anna's up to. Anna, chow, Anna. Chow, stevie, chow. It's a pleasure to see your sister. Is a r super mod when, you know, she's been I think how many episodes have you hosted here? How many calls? This is, this is my fourth, interview and doing them because it's so very much interesting. Yes. I know your your pods have been really, really excellent, incredibly well prepared. So I'm sure this no undoubtedly will be another very interesting, call for us. I just wanted to remind everyone that this will be this episode will be replayed, as you know, on the Italian wine podcast. Just some I wanted to share with you some trivia. So, you know, I don't know. Most of you may know this. We had started Italian wine podcast. Way back in two thousand seventeen. And the first year, we had about twenty two thousand listens. And we thought, wow, that's exciting. And then things started slowly to build up. And the past twelve months, from January to December, you won't believe this, but we had more than three million listens. And that's thanks to all of you, all the Mod squad, especially the on the clubhouse. And of course, Leica, our clubhouse manager, and more importantly, joy, livingston, our Italian wine podcast, producer. I'd like a chao like a. So are you still married? I'm still married. When did you get married? I can't remember. It seems like such a long time. October. October. Yeah. And you're still married. Congratulations. What did you what did you do during the holidays? Nothing really. It's just a lot of eating here and there with the family, you know, so family of mother side, mother side, everybody. So I gained weight. No. I can't believe you're skinny as a rail. I don't believe that for a minute. Alright. Okay. So let's start the show. As you know, for those of you, Anna, is an old time ahead. She's she is now based in Slovenia, and she has thirteen years of experience in mind, marketing, and sales. She worked in many, many places like metro, cash and carry, looting, which is an, a very big wine importer in Russia. And, she was the best car beast. Of two thousand eleven. Is that true? Yes. Within within Metrogation Carrie Russia. Mhmm. But of course, you know, she's very dear to our community via community because she She did her course via community two thousand and twenty one in verona, and I have to confess. There are many of you. How many how many Russians did we have about, like, I think thirteen or fifteen? Like, a very big contingency of, delegation of, Russians. That's right. It was a big group that that he has. And I think you you were the only one who passed the course. Well, no. I wasn't the one. It was Daria. Oh, you weren't? No. I'm I'm I'm making my try in, this next coming, they're on a program. Oh, great. You won't. No. So who did it? Oh, Yeah. I mean, it was a very, very challenging, I would say, addition for you guys. Also, you guys came at the last minute, and it was very challenging. So I'm sure with all the experience that you have now, you will become our next Italian wine ambassador. I'm very excited to host you and come and you're close now. Yes. I'm, But, Anna, I have some good news and bad news for you. What what do you what do you want first? Start with a bad. Okay. The bad news is that, we have a new textbook. So now you have to restarty the new textbook. It's actually a good news because I felt like And that's why it's the good news. That's what I was about to say. Have you did you get a hold of the book yet? Yes. Yes. I ordered Okay. Alright. So I it's supposed to get to our office. We went to print before the holidays, but it's actually come the physical copies are coming to our office. I believe on Monday. But you can, of course, get your come, your copy on Amazon worldwide. It and it is called what is it called, Anna? I I'll give you an extra point on your exam. I'm I'm sorry, stevie. It's called Italian Wine Unplugged. Two point zero. Yeah. That's right. Okay. Alright. So, Anna, I'm going to let you, get on with your show now, but tell us why you selected Andrea Beatta. To be on the call today. Oh, well, you know, answering this, I have to tell why how I discovered his once. In November two thousand twenty two, I was in a Jidos Calesica trip. In the area of Isaiah Lake in Lombadia with Ada via ambassadors. And we had a deep dive into the wines of French quarta, and with producers, and they said nearly sixty different French quarta that during several days. And, they say that Andrea Diatta was one we visited, and it was quite impressive because Andrea conducted a comprehensive tour and gave us a very, very professional, and precisely detailed information on all the technical aspects of French quarter production. And, you know, getting to know him I must say that in my eyes, Andrea is a bright representative of the new generation of French quarter producers. And I really, really wanted you all to meet him as well, because Andrea is very passionate about his wines. And his business, and he understands the peculiarities, and he's also very energetic. And, and he has to develop in the Mercizune state. So that's why Great. I was actually very jealous that you guys got to, drink from morning till dawn. Yeah. All day long for several days. Because I held seminars. I did some consulting on choosing different friends to Corta on the markets I work with. So it was really, really useful, for for work. Excellent. Alright. Anna, as you know, before we start your interview, your call with Andrea today, we need to understand what are the learning objectives that we should expect from your call today. Well, I I think that, Francicorta is one of the wines in Italy that made by Medatoclassica in its Noble. And, of course, we need to lay ambassadors. Know know about it, quite well. But I, I also would like to highlight that it's a line of really high quality standards, and I would like us to learn today more about what makes frenchicorta that special, and different from other sparkling wines of Italy with the help of Andrea. Excellent. So, Anna, this is, as you know, where I leave you and I shut up, which rarely happens, So take full advantage of that. And I will come back towards the end to see if there's any extra time to ask him some additional questions. Okay? Over to you, Anna. Great. Thank you. So let me introduce, Andre Bietta. He's born and raised in French Corta, and after finishing high school, which was foreign language and commercial school. He starts working in the winery to learn all the production process. So this was the beginning of the actual role he plays in the winery, and as an owner, an expert manager with a glimpse also on marketing and communication. So under Nice to have you here today. Hello. Thank you. Thank you so much for the opportunity. It's very interesting, and also challenging, for me to to be here in this type of, podcast. First time. Sorry again about the little technical issue, but, I'm a very fresh user user of this, platform. Sorry. No worries, Andrea. You know, you, the visit, to La Marquezina, I remember very clearly because it was such a great, impression and, all the details of the precise details you gave us, on the technical process. So, today, I would like you, to talk about, your estate and tell us a bit more about what makes Francicorta so special. So my first question would be could could you please tell us a brief history of La Marquezena, like, when it was found and who is in charge of what, in making wines? I, as I understand, it's family business. Right? Yeah. Exactly. It's a family business. The winery was founded by my grandfather, Giovanni, in nineteen eighty five. But before moving here to the friends of Corta area, my family used to have another winery in the southern area of the province of Russia where we used to produce, white and red, steel wine, of course, but, my grandfather dreams was to to produce a sparkling wine. So when he had the chance, he switched to the friend to Frances Corta, and everything started from, from that we started with a very small production of around, ten thousand bottles per vintage. And slowly, we grow up, until, nowadays, where, the company is owned by my father, my sister and me, we take care of about fifty hectares of vineyard in, the appalachian of French Acura, and, we produce a retail, less than half million bottles per, per year. It was challenging again, but, it's, it's like a old style democracy where there's a team where everybody does, a little bit of everything. And the unification is, responsibility of, all of us together along with our, technologist, which is, consultant and he's, Jampier Valade. He's coming from France. Oh, very interesting. So and what what are your, duties in the winer? I know that you're a multi task person. Yeah. I tried to to cover, everything, it needs to be done. I always make fun of my most stressful, part of the in the winery is the driving the forklift during the harvest. Time, which is very frenzy, but, I find that very enjoyable. But, I do mostly communication marketing, and, of course, I take care of all the export that happens in, in our, in our winery. Well, you you're you're very, you have a very good, personality for, this type of, job, I think, for with working with communication because you're very, communicative person, I'm a I'm a say from knowing you. And, I know that, you're, you're, going deep with, with your profession. I know that you took some, somebody a courses before. So why why was it important for you? Why you did that? Yeah. Actually, I'm just waiting, for my level to from the Wsit exam to come in. I am expecting them, in a few days. Hopefully, I passed. First of all, I hope so. I wish you passed it. Yeah. No. I mean, the the biggest, challenge for me was to change my mind during the tasting session. Of course, it was important to increase my knowledge about, the wine all over the world. I might be a little bit knowledgeable about the Italian wines, of course, based out, especially on my experience. But, the word of wine, it's, so big and so huge. I wanted to know more. So these are the two main reasons. But, again, it was quite difficult to approach the testing sessions in a different way. And I think, to improve also in the winery side. It's very important for you to understand how professional, especially professional, thinks when they taste the wines, and, not just, reflecting what I have in front of me or what I think this wine will develop based on my experience. And it's a little bit of, a full package because increasing the knowledge about the word we we produce wine in, it's, also a way to start to understand what's outside the, my comfort zone, which is, of course, Frances Corta, because as as you said, I was born and raised here, and, I feel very, very comfortable, or here in France, Corta, and talking about, sparkling wine, and traditional method wine, most of all. Italian wine podcast brought to you by mama jumbo shrimp. Well, yeah. It's a it's very important, I agree. It's very important to look, at wine from a professional point of view, to see it from the point of somebody else sometimes. Because, When we talked, I felt like, you speak the same language with us, you know, explaining the wines and explaining all the details and the process and everything. So I could really feel that connection while we're talking. That's, what, in many times missing when, professional, experts come to winery and talk to the producers. So good good for you. It's it's really an important and and a good step to my point. Can I just add the one thing that, probably, due to my background of being born and raised in a winery, I probably assume that, sometimes, we, as a winemaker, so wine producer, we give, too many things for granted, based on the production, aspect? Let's say, this WST experience was very positive for me as, I always known that, what humidity was affecting the affecting the, maturation of the of the grapes, but I actually just always said, yes. I know it, and it's I took that for granted, always, hundred percent of the time. So I would say that this experience, was also developing, the way to talk to people about, our point of view without giving too many things for granted, I would say. Yeah. It's a good point how you how you put it. And, tell me, Andrea, how many wineries are in France quarter, area nowadays. So, in the consortium, there are one hundred and thirty two wineries, outside the consortium, there are about twenty wineries. The difference is that, the wineries outside the consortium can't, be part of the communication, and the events that our consortium makes. But, that's pretty much the the only difference because, outside that, everybody needs to follow the same, rules, the same laws. So it's just that technical, things. Everything started the the appalachian in the sixties with the first winery to develop these, traditional methods, sparkling wine, It was, I can tell you the name because there's no absolutely problem also with this producer. It's a big it's a quite good friend of my father too. It's a the guinevere Guduverlouki in nineteen sixty one. Then slowly, other wineries started to develop this, working process. At the beginning of the eighties, we were about, twenty seven to thirty five wineries. The big boom of, the winery came, after the the new century. So after the year two thousand, we can we saw a big, improve of number of the winners, but, yeah, now the number are, this one. Thank you. And, could you also tell, about the most, specific trades of French and Quarter area what, to your point influence is the style and what makes Portuguese so different from other Spartan method or classic, wines in Italy. So, I can tell you that, one of the things that, usually, we give for granted is the weather condition. We are, in a, in a northern area of, Italy. So we are in nobody. We are just below the amount of the ERP, and we are closer to we are very close to the Lake of Israel. All these, aspects give us, even if we are quite small area because we are talking about, forty, square kilometer area. We have many different weather, conditions. This, together with the soil condition where we have a flat land, which is, most rich in, sand, and, which is quite common. Then we have, gentle and soft teal, where we have, a bit more of clay. And then, we have, the mountains or, actually, not all, mountains, but, a bit more steep hill, where we have, rocks. The trade of the VINification, it's a traditional smart smarting method. Most of, the appolation uses the list of tanks for, the first VINification process. Even though it's not forbidden to use, oak. And then we have second network fermentation in the bottle. This was, groundbreaking, technique here in Italy. As, we set a standard, a very high standard as a different area, abolition has been awarded as the first ever DOCG appellation about, traditional metals sparkling wine in Italy? Yes. Speaking about speaking about weather, I must say we visited you, in November, and it was quite warm. You know, would discuss that already because because you even didn't I mean, I I think you were was wearing a t shirt, and I I was just wearing a light jacket, and that's it. So it was, it was quite warm for November for, another knee today. You know, so so climate is really the key. And to my impression from what we tasted during the visit to French Cort area, I must say that the style of French quarter wines is so soft. You know, it's also, has has to do with, with the soils, but it's also it has this peeling, you know, if you if I would compare it with painting or with a with, I would I would say with an art, I would say it's a pencil drawing by Rafael because it has such soft lines, you know, in in all French quarters with tried has this very soft feeling in the taste. You know, it's not bone dry. It's not, sharp acidity as it might be on, chalky soils of, of champagne, but it has this really soft, character, in Frontier Corta. What do you what do you think? Yes. Absolutely. I remember we talked, about this during your visit. And, just a quick, thought about the climate. Unfortunately, like, all the rest of the world, we are experiencing some major change And it was quite, uncommon to to have such a warm, such a warm, November. And, yes, I remember I was just wearing a a a t shirt with, a very light jacket, but it was warm. This is going to be, the the the future challenge we are going to to have, but, still to this day, I can tell you that, if we leave the fruit on the plant, we will get to our full ripening, fluid. So, our, choice. It's our choice to have, a early harvest. So that's why probably We have, a less aggressive, acidity. It's a it's more balanced between, all the parts of, of the wine, that is coming from the fluid. Of course, we are one thousand one thousand kilometers out there from France. We have, a warmer climate, even, if we used to have a very cold, winters, But, again, in August, we can get, easily at thirty, thirty five, sales use. So if, we wait for mid September to pick the grape, we can easily do, twelve point five thirteen, hardcore white wine. So it's our choice to find a good delta between, the alcohol we can develop, the acidity that we have in order to have a a well balanced acidity that will be not too harsh in the mouth, but still granting our wine, a lot of freshness during all the, ERs that we age this, this wine in on the jewelry. Yeah. I know that, some producers, start to use herbamat, great variety, which is very acidic. In order to fight, in order to balance out this, climate change, you know, in in order to get, to, to get balance within this, climate change, challenge. Do do you think you will be using Ebermas as well? Do you what what do you think of using it? We there's a a couple of, things that have to be said about there. I'm not a big fan, first of all. Nevertheless, I try to to follow all the experimentation process. Our, consortium did in order to to understand whether, at the end of the day, this Erbamat could, give something, more interesting to us. The Erbamat is an out talk to us, varietal of the Bresha province, but it's, most common to find this Erbamat on the Lake of Garda. We, I would say, we imported that first of all, as you said, I'm not to increase the humidity on the base of our conveyor. And now it could be used, also, about this climate change. I can tell you that, we are, pointing nowadays a bit more toward the, the development of, regional. We, varietals, who are resistant varietals. That could be probably even more interesting as, it can reflect the aromas and you know, the the life cycle of, the varietal that we always use the year manipulation, which are chardonnay, you know, Blanco, or pinot bianco, and pinot noir or pinot nero, as you want to to call them. But, yeah, it could be interesting. The project, of our consortium about Erba mater. It's, still developing, even if it's, project that now, it has about, eight or nine years, I would say. But, yeah, it's something that, it needs it takes times. And, like, everything in the wine, business, it takes times to to take, to have a result or even to have a, an idea of, the final result that can be. Well, since you mentioned, great varieties, could you please speak on the role of each variety in a French quarter production? In in in the blend, what what each, variety gives to a blend in furniture quarter? Yes. Absolutely. So, it's the most, used the most common and the most widely planted, to these days or so. It, reflect, pretty much, the elegance and the finesse. It's the the one that also works better on the tree soil, I would say macro group of soil that we have as you can develop, a good, bouquet of aroma from the sand to the rock soil. Of course, the rock soil, grants also a bit more of, minerality and, a bit more of, depth in the flavors. But, Chardonnay is also the one that, it's easier to to grow. It's quite resistant to disease. And, the cluster, it's compact, but it's not to, the the the berries are not to squeeze the, pinot noir. It's a varietal that, for many years, was, a bit forgotten. And that was, something we have to to regret a little bit. So shame on us about that. But, there was a time here, in Italy that, there was a, a rejection for, Rusey Weis. And, as in the appalachian, it's forbidden to do, a red, a spark in red. So we had the Rusey but I would say from two thousand and four to two thousand and nine, I would say. Most of the market was rejecting the rosette. So the it was, for beep. No. Not forbidden, but forgotten. So most of the wine that is stopped to plant, pinot noir, But on the long run, it meant that, for about, ten years, we we had that new, vineyard of pinot noir. But it's a very interesting variety as, it can develop, a nice, red fruit bouquet, even if, it's a early harvest. So we don't get to full maturation. We we wait about thirty five to forty days after the after the Verizon to to be kicked. So there's no phenolic maturation, but it's a good maturation point between, what we need and what, a proper pinot noir, can give you. And, it's a very interesting wine. Actually, we were one also of the first winery here in the Appalachian to produce blank terroir. So, a white wine, a white France Corta made with, only pinot noir grapes. And the last but not least, the pinot bianco, which is Actually, the the origin of the Appalachian starts from the Pinobianco. In the sixties, there was very little knowledge about, the difference between, Chantone and Pinobianco, So everything was called a pinot pinot pinot pinot pinot, but it was pinot blank, pinot bianco. And, even if there's no aromatic varietal in our appilation, we use the pinot bianco almost there's a, aromatic varietal. So he's the one that give us a lot of, white flower notes, and, it's very interesting. But the downside of, the pinupianco is that, is a very it's very weak. So if if the one that's suffered most diseases and the the cluster, it's very compact, the barrier the barrier is very, very are very, very squeezed. So the disease can, gives us some hard times. Yeah. Well, that's, that's very interesting. You know, when we tasted wine, together, you mentioned that, you say the word, simple. You you take it as a compliment when somebody says, that about your wine. Why? Why is that? Why? Why you consider it a compliment? The word simple. You know, maybe because, sometimes, we forget that, wine. It's a as a it's a food is the same as, addition you can order to a restaurant. And, sometimes simplicity, it's the hardest things, is one of the hardest thing to to achieve. Many, many years ago, My grandfather, told me, Andre remembered that, a good bottle of wine, it's an empty bottle of wine. That, not because we need to, to get drunk every time we we pop a of wine, but it's because you enjoy so much the moment. You enjoy so much. The the food, the pairing also with the food, and, you enjoy so much the company of the people you are drinking this wine with that, the wine become like a a a a side. If there, you can feel it. You enjoyed. You appreciate it, but at the same time, it's not the center of every conversation that you have. So for me, a simple wine, it's a wine that can be, enjoyed both from, from the no visa to the most knowledgeable person about the wine in the world. That's just the, a point of view. We are, also consumers. So for us, it's very important that also the the final consumer don't waste wine and money leaving half of the bottle on the table. That's very well said, and it's close to to my opinion about the wine. No matter, how it was made. Of course, we'll pay attention how it was made where and and and, etcetera, all the historic aspects and everything, all the cultural aspects, but, I agree that it's it's always about enjoying wine. You know, what's the point of, of everything else if you don't really enjoy the wine. So that's really the key. And thank you for for mentioning that. I know that you love history and mythology. And could you tell us about your choice of names for, for your QVs? Yeah. I'm a little bit of, I've heard about history, and, I take advantage of, being Italian you know, every place has a lot of history, but, here in Italy, it's really countless. How how forgotten pieces of art and history that we have. For example, Bresha, my hometown as a Roman Temple, Aruman amphitheater. Sorry. And, there's also a medieval caster And, it has also are in a science square. It's very interesting that, in, a circle of, less than one kilometer, you touch pretty much, the heart of the European history in, in a matter of, really, twenty five minutes work. And, that was, I grew up starting a lot of, history, and, the Roman, the Egyptians. So you get into mythology. When I took over the marketing part of the winery, I decided to to do a little rebranding of our, labels and our wine. So I choose names based on, on what head tangible, bound with our, with our area, with our room. And so I choose, a two Roman two lady names. Sorry. For our, entry level, Francacorta, which one is, nites, which mean, fine, elegant, and the other one, it's, outess, which is those are zero. So it's a and, a audience means, very bold. Then, and this is about history and, with the biggest part of, the Roman history that we have here in Bresha. Before having the Roman though, we used to have, in our mountains here, a population from, the cells that, they used to, to work with the iron. That's why the Roman founded the Brixia, the Latin name of, Breisha. And, so for the Vintages, for our millisimati, I decided to to use, celtic, sir, the deity. And I did a, quite a long study. And the one of the positive side of the pandemic was that I have plenty of time to to do my research. I also needed the help of my little cousins that, speaks German because most of the texts are, German. So, yeah, it took me about nine months, but, I was very, very happy about the final result. Mythology played the, big part of the human kind history, and, I think, it's a good way to pay tribute to to this. That's very interesting. What, what you're saying. Indeed, in Italy, history is alive. It's it's really a wonder to me that you can actually touch the history with your hands, touch the stones that, that are thousands, years old, and, that Romans were were touching. And it's it's really, about knowing your history, without it, you cannot go forward, you know, without, knowing well, where you come from, who you are, what's the history behind behind you. So that's really very impressive. And, I know that, you are making some hospitality facilities, in your state, infantry quarter. Could you tell us about it, please, when it will be ready in what what are your plans, for for, for for hospitality facilities? Yes. Yes. You know, tourism now plays a big role in the world of wine. We wanted to be part of this as, we all be we always get very, very positive feedbacks from people that visit our winery. So we wanted to give a better experience about, about what we do and what we are. We are going to finish the new hospitality part. Hopefully, at the beginning of April, we are running quite fast in the last few months. One of the downside of the pandemic for us was that, the construction site had to had to stop for, several months. So we had, a big delay that, the final result was more than one year of, final delay because of this stop. But, we can stop, to think about the delay, and we started to to work in order to to get this new project, starting running in April. We will develop a new testing room for, private, but but also for private event. We are planning to have, a bit more of, specific event with our, friends and, customers. So, special wine dinner once in a while, maybe more in summer or, yeah, I would say summer because, It's probably the most, interesting, season that we can, we can, do something about, especially in the open, that that we we did, a garden, with a couple of, gazebos or a couple of patios. And it's going to be a very nice, place. But, yes, we believe, you know, entertainment is going to play a a a very big role in the future as, more and more people are willing to to travel, to discover a new appalachian, new wineries, and, you know, offering something extraordinary. It's always, important to to leave a good memory of, or a good experience. Yeah. Well, I I definitely have to come when you're testing room with, is ready. It would be a lovely travel different support area. Have I had an impression that it's really a paradise place. To see during the, spring and, summer, and it's not so, hectic and so busy and so touristic as Gada, but it has all the same climate and the same pleasures as, other lakes of, of Northern Italy. So that's really pleasant, you know, the smaller towns around, around Lake Ozale, and, really, really good food, a lot of lake fish, lots of lots of activities, and I think the area. The the consortium is doing a great job promoting what's available in the area because I have a map. I I got myself a map, where all the restaurants and all the hotels mentioned and other activities and some, train there's a train, that you can take within the area. And, and so it's yeah. It's it should be a a really lovely, travel spot. Yeah. You know, you know, we don't ever the same facility of Lake of Garda. The neck of Israel, it's, very, very small compared to that. But it's, it's a very nice place. You know, first, lovely. If you like hiking, you can go hike. There are plenty of, routes, you can go, you can, go by bike. And then we have, the location. So it's quite convenient because we are very close from the city. That offers, again, a lot of, history citing. It's about fifteen minutes drive. We are very close to the airport from, of, or your stereo because in twenty five, thirty minutes, driver, you are there. We are not even one hour from Elano. We are one hour from Verona. So we it's very convenient. Probably also the fact that we are not as big as the hospitality that you can find in Lake of Garda gives you a a a better chance to to live a a better experience, not too much, crowded, not too many people, but still plenty of, good things to to see and, of course, also to eat. Yes. Definitely. I totally I totally agree. Well, we are running out of time. Slowly, and I think I have, another question to ask you. And that would be about the main markets for French corporate because that's the topic that is, discussed in a professional, term profession among professionals. So what are main markets for you and how you consider, to what do you consider to be the most perspective for French Quarter? Main market. It's, Italy, we wanted to develop our, national market before, moving forward. But, we are developing quite fast, different key market, I would say. Switzerland, the biggest market for France of Corte is Japan. It might seem stranger, but it's, a huge, huge market for, for our wines. How do you explain that? Why? Why Japan? I would say that, first of all, they they Crave, Italian products. And they found I would say that they found, an alternative to the champagne, and, an alternative to cover that was coming from Italy. So as they it seems also they they like, they need something from Italy because everything that is Italian has a huge perception in Japan. I would say that out of one hundred and thirty two winners in front in France Africa population, more than half of them, ever wines in Japan. And I would say also that it goes very well with their cuisine, with their food. It's very easy to pair Franceacorta with the most, known Japanese food, which is, sushi and sashimi, of course. But also when you go, into a bit more deep into the Italian, the the, sorry, the Japanese cuisine, you you find very interesting, pairing with, with our minds. After Japan, United States, it's a very interesting market together with, Canada. Then personally, I can tell you that, as a as a winery, the Marquezena, works with a little bit of, every country in the world, especially, something that we can say, strange or out of the spotlight market like Malaysia, Columbia, Romania, Bulgaria. You know, it's easier to be in the bigger market like, Germany, like, United Kingdom, but it's also important to us to be also in very small market that can, have a very niche request about, France. And in in on those markets, what what is your main, competitor to your point? Do you compete, Champagne, or you compete other Trento Doc or, other Spartan wines, of the world? To your point, how it goes? Yeah. And pretty much, we the the the biggest problem that we need to overcome is, explaining that we are, more much more similar to Champagne. Actually, we have the same working process, more than being closer to the prosecco. I'm not talking about professional. Of course, I'm talking about, the final consumer. They mistaken us as a prosecco, which is a tradition, which is not a traditional traditional method. So that's the first things we need to to overcome. But, I would say that, our competitor, in the next future, it's going to be more, Alta, and trying to talk as we don't have enough, production to compete with the champagne, Cava, or prosecco. Probably, it's going to be Alta Lanka and tend to dock the competition. But, I would say that as long as the product, it's Italian, and the product, it's, high quality. Everybody has, a space to work safely. Yes. I I revised some numbers. After going to, French court and and, if if you take and and in first of course, it's really a niche product. It's very rare on the market. Only only ten percent of French quota goes out of the country. Ninety percent is consumed in Italy. So if you compare, for example, production of champagne and, and the distribution of champagne, if we take expert of Champagne as hundred percent, then export of, French quarter would be one percent. So that's how rare a French quarter is in comparison to Champagne. That's that's pretty amazing to my point. Yeah. Yeah. Absolutely. I can't add anything because your analysis, it's, extremely on point. We are, very small. The total production of France Corta, it's around eighteen million bottles per year, which stands very, very low compared to the three hundred three hundred and fifty million that Champagne can produce or the five hundred or six hundred million bottles that Proseco can produce So that's why I would, stay on somebody if I have to choose, or or if I have to see a real competition, it's between, somebody that can fill our niche because we are not going to compete in any way to Champagne as our number are completely different. But still, it's a starting point. And, it's a way also to make people understand that even if, we are on the same level of, production. So the verification process is the same, we have difference given by the weather given given by the soil and also given by the different approach that, we, as one makers, need to, do in order to maximize what we have. Our our competition is going to be on a smaller number compared to champagne or prosaic or cover. So we we need to maximize what we can do as friends of Corta producers. And, just make people understand that, we share the same working process of champagne. But, we, we put our spotlight on different, characteristics of the wise? Yes. Definitely. It's, it's very important to find your own, way to communicate market. You know, it's not it's not easy at all. Coming out with this new product, especially when it was first made just in the sixties, it's still very new to most of the markets. Still very new. I totally agree. So I I would like, to invite, all the listeners, ask questions as we have a few minutes left. Maybe you have some questions to ask. You can raise your hand or type in, in the chat, and I will read it. So, otherwise, Andrea was, Andrea was very informative as usual. I bought all the aspects of French, Corta. And, I think there's still something else to mention. So please, if you have any questions, you're welcome. Well, I can tell you that, if, if you follow us on the social media and me personally, whenever you you feel like you have any question, also in the upcoming future, I would be more than happy to to try to answer you. I really appreciate the opportunity to be here on the podcast. I really hope I didn't mess up too many, words. I always try to express myself, the best way I can. But I know my English is not, so good as I wish it was. But, yeah, thanks again. It was great. Thank you so much, Andrea. I think, everybody enjoyed this conversation. It was really great. Thank you. So I'm returning the floor to Steve. Okay. You guys did such a great job. It was so thorough and interesting. I think you've covered your bases very nicely. I know Jamie, had raised the hand we for in the very beginning. I don't know if you would like to invited you to come and speak. Jamie, if you'd like to come come up, but, let let me know. Otherwise, we are going to close-up the room because it is getting very late and we're coming to the end of the hour. Just one question quickly, Andrea. How many labels do you have and what, how many bottles do you produce? So we have, nine different labels of Francacorta, two long vintage, five vintages, and two reserva. And, we stand at about four hundred and fifty thousand bottles, produced per year. So, Andrea, I mean, I think, I just wanted to go back to the fact that you said, French Corta is incredibly popular. In fact, it's your number one market. And I think it is we have to give credit also to the consortiums all the different activities that you've done, in China. I recall seeing Frontier called the, very active in Japan. So, I meant to say Japan before So I think that is one of the reasons, and it is a very good solid success story of Italian wine in Japan. So I I really appreciate that. Here it comes Jamie. Hello, Jamie. You have to unmute your mic? Hi. Hi. Hi. Hello, everyone. Can you hear me? Hi. I well, you were on the trip with, Anna. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Exactly. Yes. Exactly. I just because my network was not very well. I I may just make some of the information. So I was very curious about that the fact that that the Rennery has added two wines in two thousand and twelve. It's the especially for the Boyd nature. It is the choice made better climate change. Well, it was made not by climate change, but it was just, you know, most of, the job that we have to do is, do experiments. Experiment gives you a lot of chance to improve or, to develop new wines, and that was the the the case. So we ended up, adding the, the, and the the, you mentioned. It was a a a choice. We decided to to follow after some year of experimentation, and it was just a way to reflect another another shade of our knowledge and, experiencing the financial course of unification, when and when making, industry. Thank you. Thank you, so much because, yeah, this I I'm just very very interested in the climate change subject. I think. So this is why that was the question. Thank you very much. Thank you, Jamie, for your question. I'm just going to quickly bring up like us so she can tell us what's up next, and then we will close-up the room. Hi, Stevy. Okay. I'm here. So the next, session is going to be Wayne Young. It's going to be on Friday at six PM. He will be inter interviewing Marco Primosic. So that's it. Very good. Alrighty. You guys. Thank you so much, Andrea. Anna Jamie, like, Joy one home already, and that is it. Signing of One second here we go. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, HimalIFM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication until next time.