Ep. 1607 McKenna Cassidy Interviews Gabriella Favara | Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner

Since 2017, the Italian wine podcast has exploded recently hitting 6,000,000 listens. Support us by buying a copy of Italian wine unplugged two point o or making a small donation. In return, we'll give you the chance to nominate a guest and even win lunch with Stevie Kim and professor Atelio Scenzza. Find out more at italianwinepodcast.com. Welcome to this special Italian Wine Podcast broadcast. This episode is a recording of 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 italianwinepodcast.com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. And remember to subscribe and rate our show wherever you tune in. Hello, everyone. Welcome to another episode of Clubhouse Ambassador's Corner. So I'm stepping in today for Stevie because right now she's on a business trip as usual. She's not always in the office. So right now, I'm going to introduce the concept of Clubhouse Ambassador's Corner. So there's not much people in the room right now, but remember that the interview is recorded, and they put it up on Italian podcast, Spotify, SoundCloud, Cloud, wherever you get your pods. Clubhouse ambassadors corner ranks as one of our top shows, so that's really, really good news. Clubhouse ambassadors corner is where we have our ambassadors from our Venezale International Academy team. They get to interview their favorite Italian producers, and then they can ask any questions they want to ask. And then at the end of the discussion, we will give the chance for the audience to participate. So for today, we've got our co moderator, McKenna Cassidy. Hi, McKenna. Hi, Leica. How are you? Afternoon. Yeah. I'll see you next month during wine to wine. Right? Yeah. Yes. I can't wait. Have you there. Thank you. Yes. It'll be awesome. Yeah. So Makena here, she's going to be our future host on our next generation together with Victoria Cheche. And we're looking to have her for next month. She'll be visiting us, and we'll be interviewing Italian wine producers on our podcast marathon on wine to wine business forum twenty twenty three. Let me introduce you first. McKenna found her love of wine while serving in the Napa Valley Tasting room. Later graduated from the University of Notre Dame and pursued wine on the East Coast with E and J Gallo Winery. She has worked in wine distribution for restaurants and luxury retail stores for the past three years. Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, McKenna is a certified specialist of wine in 2021, certified sommelier in 2022, and Italian wine ambassador 2023. She loves country swing dancing, hosting brunch parties, and sipping Italian wine. So, McKenna, tell us why you selected Gabriela Fovada as your favorite producer. Oh, yes. So Gabriela and I have something in common. We both well, I used to, and she currently works in hospitality for an acclaimed winery. I first met Donna Fugate, I think, in New York City trying the Benriere, Pasito Di Pentelaria. So I'm very excited and grateful for the chance to interview Gabriela today. Okay. So what are the learning objectives that we should be expecting from this interview? We'll do an overview of Sicilian native grape varieties since Dona Fagata has properties all over the island. And then we'll also do a cultural deep dive into this iconic Italian wine producer. And just by learning about their innovations, it particularly in hospitality and wine storytelling and art. Okay. So you already mentioned that you've tried the Mille, Una Notte iconic wine. When did you try it? Oh, yes. Well, Well, yesterday, I actually got to have so the Mille Una Notte, Nero d'Avola Syrah blend. I got my hands on a bottle in Brooklyn this weekend and was able to taste a a 2016 vintage, and it was so, so delicious, rich with flavor, and a fabulous body and texture. So very, very cool. One of their famous icon wines inspired by Arabic literature. So very special. Okay. So I actually look forward to listening to that that question. I think you're gonna ask that later, I hope. Yes. With wine. Right? Okay. Fantastic. So willing to mute myself, and then, yeah, I'll leave the floor to you. Okay. Thank you. Great. Gabriela, can you hear me okay? Yes. I'm here. Hi. Hello. Hi, everyone. Welcome to the space today, and we're so grateful for your expertise and to learn from you. So thank you in advance. For everyone listening in, Gabriela Favara is the daughter of the founders of Dona Fugata. So Gabriela was born in Sicily and raised among the scents of the harvest and the stories of her grandparents, Giacomo and Gabriela. Gabriela, I assume you're you're named after your grandma? Yes. Exactly. I've got this great responsibility. Yes. Definitely. I'm sure you wear it well though. So after completing your studies in economics and business management in Italy and abroad, you worked for two, Italian family companies in marketing that are leaders in their sectors. And today, you represent the sixth generation involved in this quality winemaking, and it gives you a strong bond with Sicily and your family, bringing you back to your homeland ultimately to join Dona Fagata since last October 2022. And you're currently part of the wine tourism team dedicated to hospitality, leading visits, and tastings around Dona Fogata's estates. And I'm excited to hear all about those estates, and I know that hospitality is a big passion for you where you cultivate relationships and share your love for Sicily and for important family traditions. And I also learned that in your free time, you love to travel and you have a passion for classical dance, photography, and music. I do. Yes. That's me. Fabulous. I think so. What what kind of dance, Gabriela? So I used to do ballet. And, actually, I was very little when I start. I was only six years old, and I did till I was 18. Then I left Marsala, that is my the city where I grew up, moving to Milan for the studies. So then I quit it, unfortunately, but I'm still in love with it. That's awesome. That's a joy. Yeah. It's interesting how life takes over and you can't practice every day like you used to, but still a joy to keep the passion running. How awesome. Still at this point, I like to be on the other part of the stage and to enjoy some ballet whenever I'm around. So I'm still enjoying this session. That's perfect. And how many years out of university are you? So now I ended with the university because I did my bachelor degree in Milan and did that. And then I'm a master of science in in The UK as you were saying. So then I worked for four years, between these two companies around Italy, mainly specialized in the food industry. And after these eight years, then I moved back to Sicily. So now I'm happy to be back and to start this new adventure in the family business. Good. Yeah. You're almost a year in now to working more directly for the family, and I'm sure you're happy to be home, it sounds like, which is very cool after traveling and learning so much. So just a quick moment of context for everyone listening in. Today, our discussion is gonna focus on the island of Sicily. This is the largest island in the Mediterranean. Sicily is historically the center of of much cultural change. It was the place where Odysseus in Homer's Odyssey started his journey through Italy, and he, this was where Odysseus encountered the Cyclops Polyphemus, and they, in the story, they basically get Polyphemus drunk on wine, and then they escape on sheep from the, the Cyclops's lair. And this it's based in Sicily, that scene. So, obvious like Sicily is such a cultural icon, but also just the place of a lot of exchange and travel. This many different peoples have lived there over time in particular, the Arabs. And so we'll get more into that later, but Sicily is also a v