Ep. 1617 Fanny Breuil Interviews Paola Mustilli | Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner

Since two thousand and seventeen, the Italian wine podcast has exploded. Recently hitting six million 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 Steve Kim and Professor Atilio Shenza. Find out more at Italian One podcast dot com. 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 a Italianeline podcast dot com, any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs, and remember to subscribe and rate our show wherever you tune in. Welcome everybody to Club House Ambassador's Corner. So for today, we have Fannie Broul, and then now she will be introducing Paola Muschini. So, Fanny, how many clubhouse have you done so far? I think, well, I think this will be my third or fourth time. It's always a pleasure to do it also for the exercise of, making some research on the domain before. So but I think it's three or four now. Yeah. It's also a pleasure for us to have you as our moderator, and it's really enjoyable to have you with us. So thank you so much for yes. This is another episode. So thank you. So for those who are now in the room, hello, everyone. Okay. We've have Rebecca, Andre, Paul, Angelo, and Elena, and we also have Renato, our new guest. So this is our clubhouse investors corner. We've been doing it, I think, for two years now, and we are really consistently doing this because we enjoy, and we enjoy having our ambassadors have their conversations with their favorite Italian wine producers. And so today, we have Fannie and Paola. Funny here is our via ambassador since, when we when Tucson twenty one. Two thousand twenty one. Yes. It was here in verona. Right? Yes. Yeah. Okay. So so she's also working in genuine wines together with ellen Yacob Smire. You told me that you recently had your harvest. How is that? Well, it's it's has been a complicated vintage, a little everywhere in Italy the same too. But in the end, we will be able to to do good wine. It's it's quantity will be, little little quantity. It will be a year. We we call it a year of wine growers. It's not something easy, but yes, we were challenging at challenging vineyard. Yeah. For sure. All along the vin all along the vintage in spring, lots of rain or not enough rain falls. It's, ultimate or not enough. Yeah. I I can imagine because it's been quite difficult also. I guess you and Paula will be talking about it later as well for her experience in this harvest for this year. Before I ask you some questions, I'll be introducing you. So, Fanny, she's from Anjay in Lawa. And have always been into wine. She studied agronomy engineering and analogy. She worked as a winemaker in France Italy and chile, and then as a salesperson for a wine importer in the USA. In two thousand eight, she founded her company, genuine wines with A deep willingness to help wine growers located in lesser known or other appreciated wine regions, but that had great potential. She started with Jura and Emilia Romania since then, she has been helping them with their export markets as part of each team. So these are it's French and Italian domains, aside from that, from her main activities within exports. She also has a small Italian importing venture in France. She also works in Labadins, wine project, She makes wines along with Thomas We, a fellow Hawaiian lover. So, yes, I hope I pronounce all the French words correctly. It's really a challenge for me, but I hope so. No. Like, I know where we're cutting. Perfect. Thank you for this presentation. Thank you. So let me ask you first, why did you select Palamasteelie for the show today as your favorite wine producer? It's really, the the discover I have made when we visit when we did the Jita Scholastica in Compania last year. I have been, totally thrilled by everything. First, you arrive in this, village, Santa Gauty, on top of, a cliff, and then you arrive to the domain itself, the Musili domain, It's all about history. They have a beautiful antique salon that still was in use until the the early two thousand. They were daring to battle wines from Palangina that was not known to be, an important, grape variety. So a pioneer, a family, and also the style of the wines. We tasted still sparkling. We have been welcomed like royalty in this inner courtyard with local products. It's I was charmed by everything. And, it's all way it's also our our our goal to all of us, talking about local grapes, a top nurse grape, and I think we study is, really doing a a great job, for this. That's really beautiful. And, also, it's really nice to also have these Chitas Colastikas within the Via community because that you will also discover new producers and also discover what they have. It's like, you know, discovering hidden gems in Italy. So that's really nice. So tell us what are the learning objectives that we should be expecting from this interview? I think I hope, this interview will be timeless. I think, so we will be listening to the story of this estate, which has managed to showcase a local grape variety and flag the flag for being different. But I also see this interview as an encouragement for all the young estates that are just starting out or importers or distributors who are facing with the same challenges, how to help a wine, a group variety, or an estate to be recognized. We are going to listen to Paola who Stilly, tell us about the road traveled by her family, Pionie, as at a time when it was rare to take a deviation of the well trodden path, and about the steps it took to re up the rewards of its work overtime. They are still same obstacles today. Whenever, when you are young, a known estate, wanting to sell your wine, or when you are a wine professional, wanting to promote a known estate. And I think the history repeats itself. And we can learn from the past. Even if the times that were different, tenacity and patience are term that still apply today. And the story of the mysterious state shows us that in the end, it's okay. To take the time to explain the wine to make it known and to be different from everyone else. That's beautifully explained. Thank you so much for that. And now I look forward. I really look forward for the interview later. Tell us, well, did you discover the wines of Musili winery? I have to to admit it was really during the same travel, the same travel we did in Chitaskolastica. We had, they opened really lots of wines to to show us the different expression of each grapes Falangina, but also Kidiraso, Ayanico. So I really discovered the wine there. And then I was able to luckily buy some, but it's not easy in France, but yes, I was able to continue drink the wines Okay. So right now, I'm going to mute myself, and I'll give you the floor. Okay? Bye. Okay. I will be introducing you, Paola. Kili. I have a short biography, and then I will be, running this interview to try to give as much as possible, element to understand this state and this, really rich history. So Paula, she's the eldest of three children. She was born in Naples in nineteen sixty two. She grew up in the countryside and helped run the family business producing fruit, tomatoes, and wine, After graduating in Agrienne's studies with a technical economic focus, Paola has worked for year in Roma for a company that dealt with research in agriculture. In particular, she was followed the various phases of development of the national opinion register by carrying out monitoring in various regions of Italy, surveying existing vineyards, verifying their currency, by aerial survey, of the territory. In your nineteen ninety one. It has been really a turning point for for her because she met Buddhism, which she still practices today. And she decided to return to her family to take care of the business with her parents. In nineteen ninety six, she married a musician who is still her life partner, and with whom she has four children and a boy and a three girls. Until twenty eighteen, in addition to one production, the Musille domain also have a restaurant and hospitality business in a historical building from the late seventeenth century. Just few words on the domain too. The first vines planted by someone from Murseley family was back in seventeenth century seventeen hundred, excuse me, but the family estate has been created in nineteen sixty by Paula's father, leonardo Musili. He really rediscovered the local indigenous grape variety including Palangina. And today, the domain spreads over fifteen hectares. Yes. Do you agree with this presentation? So I I'm so excited for your presentation, Fani. I call you Fani. And, this is a big responsibility for me because, you you use the such important words to describe my family and, our, our business. So I don't know if I can be right for this, You gave me. So, well. So I'm also very honored to spend this hour with you and listen to you. Tell us about your work of our generation. Thank you so much. So your estate is located in Campania, very well known for Falangina grapes today. Your coronary has a long history with this grape, even the name of your estate is linked to Falangina grape. As you were the first to bottle a wine made of Falangina. So my first question to start, how did this idea of making a wine from this particular grape come about? Was it a desire? For a new challenge or a firm belief from your from leonardo of the potential of this grade. So the first difficult question, do you have one one one year? Listen with the my answer because, I have to go in the, back in the times. When my father, Leonardo, decided to run the, the the winery. He, made the research in this area because the the vines that he had, where, with the, not native varieties, but with the international varieties. All the south of Italy, especially, company, especially, samuel, because we are in a part of company called samuel, which is is the most important area for wine production in Campania. We have more than ten thousand hectares of vineyard here. So the tradition of the farmers, the wine farmers was to to sell wine in bulk, not bottled wines. But, mainly, international varieties, such as natural cabinet varieties that were easily, sold on the market. To blend the wines from the Northern Italy and the North of Europe. So, the majority of the Wengrovers were, focused on international varieties and the local varieties were, unknown because there was not, the market didn't demand for these wines, but they were not lost because the local farmers used to, grow these local varieties and made the one for themselves. So, when my father, decided the two leave in a country. Leave in the country because the family used to live in Naples. They, go back to the roots of the family. And because it was an engineer It's hydraulic engineer. He decided not in the 1960s, from the south people who went to the north working in the fabric in the cities. He made the the opposite direction. He decided to go back to the roots and he was focused on the, typical product. So, he made a research with other producers. And they, were searching in the vineyards of the samuel area for local grapes. They found eighteen different buying grapes. They harvested them made the macro identification of this. And among these, there was one called calangina that they thought was very interesting. So it started the production of this one in nineteen seventy nine. And they made just three thousand bottles. So, to resume your question, yes, there was a desire of a new challenge, but was, a desire that was that the community, need to change the production of the area. And, and, of course, after this discover, the path was, very hard. Because, there was no recognition of, companion wines at that period. I mean, even in the, restaurants in Campania, people used to drink wines from the north. Wines from Fruley, wines from Venetto, wines from Piononta. There was no recognition of the production made in Campania, of the wines from Campania. So this was very hard for all the winemakers that started this challenge in the nineteen seventies. Well, first, bravo Because, yeah, it's a really the the word pioneer means a lot here when I'm listening to you, explaining what was the situation before. Just to understand, at that time, was Palangina known. So not to the public, but was it known to the local? I mean, for the everyday consumption that they are the workers, or was it unknown? The reason. It's called Bonena where Palangina was grown. And the, the production was very small and was sold. All the production was sold to blend the wines from Castale romani, which is near Rome. Because Palangina has a good acidity freshness that, improved the wines from that area. So the Palangina was known but was not valorized. Nobody believed in this kind of wine. So how does a pioneering winery go about introducing an undiscovered grape variety to the public? The different step from where do you start? My father started pro with the production in nineteen seventy nine, with three thousand bottles of Valentino, and it was the first. So it was very, very natural. Because, in that times, there were so many that started to, grow and and to, organize themselves. There was an association of analogist my father started just selling wines to friends. Friends went to the restaurant. Ask it for mostili. Nobody knew mostili. They called us and asked it for this wine that was discovered. Was Palangina, or was the first new wine from Capania. Of course, they were already a fiano and the Grego Dutouto for productive in Campania. But the Palangina has two point, very, the strength point. One is the the versatility. It's a fresh light, fresh white wine. In Campania. The majority of the the people drink white wine because it is a good pairing with the the food, companion fruit. So for this uh-uh characteristic was immediately appreciated by the market. Even restaurants called us to buy the Falangina wines. After they tasted Falangina, they believe it in this wine, they started to invest in this wine. So this was very, very naturally introduction in the market of Falangina. After these other winemakers understood the importance of Falangina and, started to plant Falangina. Grapes, the Falangino vines. So from, which surface did you start at the beginning? How many hex stars did you have to start? A Falangino. I mean, yes. I started just with one actor. I want to describe the falangina because, there are two different falangina called the falangina both. One is grown, along the coast from Caseta, Naples the coast. And it's called the Campiflegre, Palangina. The other one is called the Benaventana, Palangina, Benaventana, grown in Benavento area. These two Falangina are totally different, genetically different, but They have the same name. Maybe the region of the name is because when the plants were supported to a pole, so this is the the reason of the name, the supporter of the the plant is called the falanga, which means Paul. This is the ancient, theme for falangino. So in the past, you are you also pioneer the organization. I'm thinking of the Vide, the Vide group, Vined Exelaince, of which Victoria's Viprianas, top power or so members. This organization brought together a producer who were all convinced of this of the importance of the quality of their wine and, of the close link between the wine produced and the terroir, the te territory from which it was coming from. They also share and command a focus an indigenous grape, worth belonging to a group of strengths to help get recognition for your wines and the region. I think that belonging to a group of it's always a strength. And, our first, association was growing in, Vide. That was an association to promote the the wind of the most important, winery in Italy. Then when, this association closed, of course, we're going together to the exhibitions. We made the promotion together. So, the most important thing for me in that period was, to have an exchange with the other producers because especially in that times in nineteen ninety, there were very, very few women working in the wineries. So during the association, I had the opportunity to exchange my thought, my experiences with other people from other part of Italy and also with the other women, which was very, very important for my growing. So I entered also in a Glagonard in Vino that was an association of women of the wine born was born in nineteen ninety, and that was very important too. And now, that Vida is not alive anymore. It was closed. I belong to another association that is called Phoebe. Association of, independent wine growers that does a good job for the small, artisanal producers in Italy. And this association is also joined with the other, association like this in the other part of Europe, France, Spain, Bulgaria, other countries, other European countries. And we have a person that, is connected with the European community and also Italian government. And this person, makes the interest of the small wineries because we are a small artisanal winery. And, the business, the wine business is mainly, the, monopolized by the industry. So we need a voice, a common voice, unique voice that makes the interest of the small binaries. I understand. Thank you. Back to the grapes. Pediroso is also a little known grape variety. Could it fall the same path as Palangina in your area? No. Absolutely not. Because, Pediroso, which is one of the most important red wine from Campania is, a very wild, vine. The production is so low that is, is convenient for the farmers to grow Pedro. So, this is the first reason why the Pedro also will not have a future. Unless, the, the quality of the wine will be recognized well on the market. And so the wine growers could get money from the production. But at the moment, the small production, is not a good, a good reason, for planting upillaries. So I don't think, unfortunately. And can you tell us more about your ter the terroir? What was the type what's the soil? What's your climate in your region? Wine to wine business forum. Everything you need to get ahead in the world of wine, supersize your business network. Share business ideas with the biggest voices in the industry. Join us in Verona on November thirteen to fourteen twenty twenty three. Tickets available now at point wine dot net. Yes. So, Campania is by the reach of different climate, and third world. First of all, the most important, soil is, volcanic because, we have an important site that is called the county flagray. Which means a fireplace because, thirty, forty thousand years ago in that area, which is North of Naples. There were more than forty volcanos volcanos. And still now, there is earthquake, almost every day. The ground is shaking. There are many crops there. And thirty thousand years ago, there was a big eruption. And the mancoma covered three quarters of a company region, included the main soil underground, the main, rock below the soil is organic in company region. Then we have also limestone The climate is, Mediterranean, of course, among the coast, fresh inside because we have also the up and the middle of the region. That are the Apanini are along the mountains that are along old old Italy in the middle of Italy. So we have fresh climate inside in land and a Mediterranean and hot climate along the coast. We are in the middle because we are under a mountain that is called Tabuthno. This mountain we are on the hill around Taburno direction, Caserta Napols. So we are, a border of a climate changing because there is the fresh air coming from Taburno mountain and, warm hair coming from Naples. We are just in the middle. Thank you, Paola. I have a question from Paul who is also listening to us and who also enjoyed very much the visit he did in in your winery. He he's written he has written a very nice message saying, I am encouraging everyone to discover them. So his question is, it's more about the character of Alangina and the aging That's the one benefit from midterm aging. Or, and if so, is there a guideline for optimal drinking? Or is it best as a new release where freshness is highlighted? We have models of Alangina in nineteen ninety six. We tasted and, still good. And, also, two thousand two. These are the two vintages, very, very impressive. Even if this wine were made for the fresh consumption, we saved them and after many years, we tasted very good, flavor. So I think that Valentina can age well. There are other producers who are focusing on the aging of course is a challenge. But, I think, you could drink, you could appreciate both, aged one or, fresh one. And you personally, at the domain, and, I guess, you have a private salon. Do you do you make some try? Do you do you keep some bottle gaining some age? And what's the oldest falaangina you have drinking? And how does it taste? We have, Palangino from nineteen seventy six, Grego, nineteen seventy nine, Palangino. Nineteen seventy nine is, just, a small, production. Now we have just three bottles of this, so we are not going to open it. But, nineteen ninety six is very, very good. And, of course, when you taste a wine that is so old, the varietal, perfume is not present anymore. And you can, taste the the profumitive, which means, hydrocar puris, hydrocar puri. Do you understand this word? Perfumes petrol. Yes, for for example, petrol. Yeah. So not anymore, fresh, fresh fruity and flowers perfumes. And the acidity, does it smoothen the acidity? I guess it's fresh and vibrant when young, and then maybe, rounder while not so also fresh. There is a yes. There is still acidity. The wine is still fresh. It didn't lose, didn't lose the acidity. The reason why the wine can age so well. The the spine the spine of the wine. Thank you. So what on the other grape variety planted in your estate? We have Gregov. Of course, sir. It's it was the first, vine that my father planted. And then, we have two red, P. D. Lushso, the one we, we we talked. Before and Balja Nicole. And are they all very well adapted to well, there is we are all talking about we are also talking about the climate change, especially the the the last years. Are they all well adapted to the change, the climate change, or, or some more adapted than others? I don't want to be pessimistic, but, I have to because, the changing of the climate. We cannot, sub value. I mean, there is, this year, especially this year. There were many, many disease in, in the fields, in the vines, also drew stress. We were very lucky because we didn't have any, fungal disease. Because my sister is very, very, careful. She she goes every day in the vineyard, checking, the sanity of the grapes of the the vines. And, but we had draw stress. And, at the end, we had also the visit of the wild wild boars. So they started to eat the ripe, the grapes. And, we had the small product for this reason, which is a problem for all the producers. Also, the the the draw stress, sir, because we don't irrigate the vines. It's a big problem for the climate. The climate is so hot. Even now, it's thirty degrees, and we are in October. We already finished harvest when, I I remember when my father started the harvest in nineteen eighties, he started middle of October. Now, this year, we started end of August. Yes. So we're back to another type of question. Another topic when I visit the estate, I was really struck by the journey back in time, especially with the visit in this historic cellar, more than ten minutes below ground. It was fantastic, and we could also see the traces of time on your wine labels. Because you combine, old fashioned like those in, renaissance portraits with cheerful colors. What's the well, first, what's the connection with this period of time, the renaissance? So you you hit the point from me. You are very sensitive person. And, yes, we have a very deep roots. Our family is an old family. And we have portrait of our ancestors in our house. We decided to use their face for the label of our selection lines. The connection with the past is very strong in my family. And this is, one of the reason I decided to come back in nineteen, nineties to work in, my family, business. I think that, I can, express myself leaving, trying to make real the past through the story that, I tell when people come for testing. I think the most important thing is not only taste the wine and the quality of the wine, but is also, make a connection with people. And, I am so proud of the history of my place the village where I live, the Saniti, the population that used to live here in the past. That's, I, enjoy to, tell people a piece of history. Because history is our future also. And we, we have a responsibility to, tell to the next generation, all the steps, all the, the faculties and all the the the hard work that, people before us made. To let us, enjoy what we have now. I don't know if I was, clear in the explanation. No, but I really like, when you when you say the past and the future are linked in, the additional cheerful colors on the, the old paintings. It's things like it is. No. I like it very much. It it's a hint of, modernity, but still on the strong basis of, the past, the culture. And, so what what's the name of the wines, artists, or Regina Sofia, Regina, Regina, Israela, Israela, Israela, it's, a fantasy name for describing a Falangina, that was selected by my sister, and this is just a small production made on one actor. She selected the best, the best vines and crafted on one later. So, Vigna Segreta, it's, the name of this Palangina. Represented by my ancestor that is, she belongs to sixteenth century. We, to modernize her. We, we, we made, a butterfly on her face, a mask that has a shape of a butterfly that reminds us, any landmarks, of the arithmetic because we love music of of my period. I am a boomer for my for my children. I I was born in nineteen sixties, so they defined me boomer. And, the Artusa. It's the name of, medieval, lord of Santagata, Corte Artusa. So this is the origin of the name for special pedro. So that is aged and implemented in, for us. And, Cescodinesha is the name of the, hill where we have the the vines, the vineyard. So this is the reason the name. For Regina Sophia and Regina is umbrella. But Regina Sophia is, a tribute to the last queen, the last, queen of the Nepal kingdom, Virginia, Sophia, wife of Francisco, And, was also, one of our, wine made by my father in nineteen eighties using, Alianico, green. He made a white wine with a red grape. Called the Regina Sophia. So when we finished, when we didn't produce this one anymore, we kept we kept the name because we, we lived at the name, and then we used this name for, the pet nut. Rosset, pet nut, wine from Ayaniva grapes. The Regina Sabella is another, queen of the king of, bourbon called the Francisco primo, that, was, king of of Naples and Sicily in eighteen twenty five. So we used these historical names always because we like a connection with the past. Yeah. I like it very much. So since you like the past, but also the past is linked to the future, If there are new generation ready to take over, when it will be the time for the Muschini family? From the Muschini family, I am four children. So we we we hope the future will follow the past. And, they are very, helpful because they help us in, in, in a vineyard, and they help us in the cellar with the testing, especially with the testing with the with the public where they are very good with people. So, yes, of course, so we hope they will, get, the, the witness of this day, the testimonial. Get the future in your in their hands. When I decided to work in my binary, I didn't have any pressure from pressure from my father and my mother, and I was very grateful for this because, it was my decision. I decided with my heart to go back to the family. So I I am doing the same. I'm doing the same. I'm I don't want to push anybody. I think people need to be free to decide what they want to do in their life. But I I have a very good, impression and hope for this. Thank you very much, Paola, for, for your time and for, explaining so much about your history, your wine, your philosophy. I'm asking the audience if anyone has any question. I I could, I could ask it to Paola. Feel free to to write it, on the little, room chat for me, I have really enjoyed a lot this time with you, and and I have read a lot before to, you know, to prepare this interview, but you went much more far to give us insights of how do you work, and it was fantastic to listen to you. Thank you, Paola. Thank you, everybody for listening. It's me. So we wish you, a good, vintage And now I guess everything will be in it's everything is in the cellar. Right? Yes. Everything. Yeah. Yeah. So now I'm a big part is made, but still, fermentation and aging, it another second big pile. So I wish you all the best for this winter that we will be very happy to to taste in few months or years. Thank you. Thank you so much. Thank you, Karla. Give me giving me the opportunity to tell my story. You're very welcome. Hi, everyone. No. Don't close it yet. We're still here. So, yes, if you have any questions, so feel free, you can raise your hand, and then let me know if you have any questions. So I think right now, Steve is still busy talking to Manuel at the moment. Sorry that she cannot join the meeting today and close the room. But just don't forget that we have our upcoming clubhouse ambassadors corner next week. So look out for our social media channels on Italian podcast and then see what's upcoming for the next clubhouse. But definitely, there are going to be two ambassadors corner for the next week on Tuesday and on Thursday. So thank you. Thank you so much Fanny for introducing Paola with us. Thank you Paola for your time, and it's been a pleasure to listen to your interview. So this podcast will be recorded and we'll put it up on Italian Podcast. Okay. That's it. Thanks a lot. Goodbye, everyone. Good day later. Good day. Goodbye. Thanks. What's again? Here we go. Swirl, sniff, sip. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Emli FM, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italianline podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, production, and publication costs. Until next time.