Ep. 2165 Anna Obuhovskaya interviews Graziano Nicosia | Clubhouse Ambassadors’ Corner

There was definitely a wow moment, and, I absolutely loved how vineyards look like these terraces overlooking the sea. And, it's really a time to remember, you know, when when you get to taste wines, in the vineyard on a great day with a beautiful weather, what what else to add, and everything is just perfect at this moment. Welcome to the special clubhouse session of the Italian wine podcast. Listen in as members of the Italian wine community engage in fascinating conversations about contemporary wine topics. If you enjoyed the show, please consider donating through Italian White Podcast dot com. And remember to subscribe and rate the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your pods. Hello, and welcome to another episode of the Investors Corner. My name is Carlar Avanyado, and today I'm pleased to welcome Anna Obusoya, and her guest Graciano Nikosia from tonight to Nikosia. Hello, Karla. Thank you for inviting. Oh, Karla. Hello. Hello. So Anna has been the host of many ambassadors corner, but for those who are joining us today for the first time, I'd like to share a brief introduction about her. So Anme is an Italian wine ambassador with fifteen years of experience in wine retail, marketing, and sales. In addition to working in a number of big, wine importing companies and independent projects, she has also founded an Italian wine club in St. Petersburg, Russia. Driven by her passion for European wines, she moved to the charming slovenia where she works as portfolio developer and sales specialist at dobravino, a one importing company in Lugiana. So, Anna, please tell us, why did you decide to invite Graciano here with us today? Hello, everyone. Well, last year, I was on Aetna press tour along with other Italian when I'm passengers and also with journalists, and we had the chance to visit Tinutani Garcia, and we tasted the wines, in the vineyards overlooking the Sea. That's basically how we met with the Gratiana first time. And I was absolutely charmed by the stories, he told and by his team. And I must say that my biggest impression of the visit was the quality of Aetna Bianca wines and also sparkling wines of Tinoutin Nikosia. I think it's a new wave and a younger generation approach, and that is so interesting, really. So I guess you already answered this question, but how did you discover the wines of the neuta nicosia? And maybe how did you deepen your relation with with them. But as I mentioned, we had the chance, to visit the state and work on on the vineyards. And you know how it is with wine. It's either strike you or not. You know, it's in many ways, it's, your personal impression, the first sparkle you get from a place, from wine, from people you talk to. So there was definitely a wow moment and, I absolutely loved how vineyards look like these terraces overlooking the sea. And, it's really a time to remember, you know, when when you get to taste wines, in the vineyard on a great day with a beautiful weather. What what else to add? And everything is just perfect at this moment. So this is why, Karla. It sounds so lovely. I'm so jealous right now. But I'm very much also looking forward to listen and understand what are the learning objectives from this interview. We'll be in a big fan of Edna Bianca in sparking. I would love us to talk about factors quality for Aetna Bianca wines and also the perspective of these wines on the markets outside of Italy because in many ways, Aetna is mostly known for reds, but, I see it as my mission, to help people explore also whites and sparkling and sparkling of Aetna. So this is what I would like us to to learn more. That sounds great. So I'll actually leave the room to you. So looking forward to hear your your story. Okay. So, Chow Gretzana, let me introduce you briefly to our enthusiasts. So you're born in Catania in September of eighty six and you represent the fifth generation of the city's most important one producing families cultivating vineyards on Mount Aetna since eighteen ninety eight. So that's really, really a long time. From your young age, you immersed yourself in the world of winemaking. You witnessed the the growth of the family business and at twenty five, joined the company full time, working closely with father Carmelo and with, older brother, Franchesco. It's really lovely to know that you were a former boy scout and also DJ. What a combination. And you're married with two young children, Nicole and Andrea, and you love spending free time exploring natural beauty of Mount, Aetna. Gretiano holds a degree in business administration from the University of Catania. Early in his career, he traveled extensively with the company's expert managers quickly realizing the immense global potential of sicilian wine and Aetna brand. And since two thousand eighteen, Gratin is a member of the board of directors of the Aetna dog consortium. Initially serving as a vice president and now focusing on the development of metadoclassico, which is traditional method, sparkling wines. Gratyan, who is deeply committed to the growth of metadoclassico, Edna, and he's dedicated to in in Chansing It's distinctive quality and establishing a hallmark of Aetna's winemaking identity. Of course, being a cecil a true cecilient graciano, especially Nirella Maskaleza, for Edna wines and Farapata for Victoria. Well, I must say we share same passion here and, deeply connected to Gracana is deeply connected to homeland and cultivated division that combines the promotion of sicily's indigenous grape varieties, also premier wine regions and modern analogical expertise. And Greta is dedicated to receiving sicily and shared winemaker tradition rooted in beef while promoting sicily as a cradle of civilization and meeting point for diverse Mediterranean culture. I guess I'm finished with the with the introduction. It it's already so fascinating, but, my first question to you, Greta, would be, could you please briefly tell about the story of Tinutani Garcia since your fifth generation? Just what happened was in this, years of the family business. Hi, Anna. Of course. Thank you for the introduction. And, yes, we are right, but the fifth generation. Our winery was born in eighteen ninety eight. It all starts with the Franchesque then, Carmelo, then, Franchesco, then my father, Carmelo, and me, Graciano. So, typical, traditional history of family in Sicily. In the fifties, we started the bottling. It was a rosso da pasta because, Docetna didn't get fixed. The doc was born in nineteen sixty eight. In the nineties. My father began, working about the contrada wines here in the Aetna. So he buy he bought some, some vineyards in Trecastani. That is the village where we were born. But also another, little village on the east side, the southeast side of the athena. So the Santa Ana and other vineyards are always in the same years, it buys the first vineyards in Detroit. So from, twenty five years, we are also in the in the the role of Victoria where we produce a and in Sonya. And, in twenty twenty, we move also in another, special place in Sicily. So to Notto, where we have eighteen actors of vineyards. We begin for now with Merodawala, we just plant the Moscow. So we will talk about the Moscow in the future. And, this is the five generation short drill. Well, that's that's so very interesting. Yeah. The new project sounds quite, promising. And I don't being being a valued wine ambassador. I discovered, different sicilian wines, and I think from, notice one of the, most special, wines, sweet wines of Aetna, of of of Sicily. I'm sorry. It's it's absolutely gorgeous, very gentle. Has a very beautiful character. And what are what are you due to seeing the winery right now? Yes. I started working full time in the company after twenty five years old. I'm now the CEO of the winery. And, my duties are focused on marketing and sales. So I work on, on export market, but also in Italian market, and then everything we do in, in marketing. This is my focus. But, as in every family wine, I'm in contact with every aria business from the wine tourism, and everything that I'm around the winery. So, firstly, I work on marketing and sales, but, you know, in a small, family, wine business, you do everything. So do you do you ever participate in the mail or, process of when they can. Do you ever step in the seller? Yes. I attend them. Every year, I attend the different, harvesting. So this year, mainly the harvest in the afternoon. Some here in, they are visiting in Victoria. Interesting. This is this is the area that I haven't been, visiting yet. So it's my goal for the next two weeks for sure. Yeah. I would love to. I love the style of, of Nero Dabela from Victoria. Since, our main goal of the interview are, wide sense parking wise, could you please describe, speak a bit, a bit more about the factors of quality fourteen Nucosia wines. What makes them so special and, what mostly what is the influence of, southwest exposure and small volcanoes that are near? Yes. The the characteristics of, south side of the ethanol is the presence of the volcanic on, you know, all the crater, from two two thousand a year that they've been put out to lava. And in this all the crater, volcanic cone, you find the the vineyard. And, it's a very particular. And then we are near to the sea, because the southeast is the the area who have the sea in front that they will come from behind. So you have a good mitigation of the temperature. And, I think that, kind and, respectful approach to the managing the, and the grip variety are the key factors. Our ability to culture, practice the on the volcanic cons, allow us to have excellent exposure to light, to sun, good ventilation, and to enjoy the presence of the sea, which indicates the per the the perimeter of the area. And then we are present in, two, volcanic cones. One is, Monte Gordon. So Monteca nicolo is, calling at five hundred and six hundred and eleven meters. While Montecarna, we arrive to seven hundred sea level meters. So they are very near one kilometer. It's the distances between the two cone. And we have totally different wines because the the soil is formatted by volcanic lava, and the volcanic lava is different in the two ponds. So I have a different, micro elements, but also different temperatures because the the altitude is different. So you have a warmer wine in, Montez or a more elegant wine in, Montegarten. And this is something unique in the afternoon because, every contrada, every small, part of the retina as its own characteristics. I remember visiting the vineyard. There was a breeze all the time. Was it just the specific of the day or it's a it's a common thing to to have some wind. No. No. It's a common thing. We have a every every day, the same wind. It's a good for, for DVD culture. In the tire because you have, a lot of rain because the medium and desire is about six hundred millimeters per year. That is, good. But you have no problem because it's windy. So it's perfect for our vineyards. And hold the vines. I just remember that your vineyards are not, vines are not the same age, but what are the first ones and what are the youngest ones the youngest, we arrive. We have a medium, twenty five years old plants, that is when my father begin in the new history of the family, you know, And, but you can find the same thing very old, like, sixty years old. And, we continue to plant. So we have a also very young plant in the ethanol. But the medium, we arrive around the twenty five, thirty years old. Did you grow the area that's your plantings of your vineyards recently? Or did they stay more or less in the same in the same format we grow the vineyards and the butter, always in the southeast side. We arrive now to forty five hectares planted and the other forty hectares to plant. So but, the the southeast part is, we arrived to Limoglossa, the the part more, near to the north. And so every year, we plant free for actors. But we we have enough space. That's quite fascinating. I think those who are interested about the ethnAVines, we just follow the statistics of the vineyards of Aetna, and we know that numbers of plantings are growing. The the the area, the hectares of Edna Docus, is actually growing in the last, years. Do you think, do you think it's bad or good and How how you feel about it? They depend. This year, for example, the consortium stop stop the possibility to plant new vineyards they release only fifty actors per year. So we manage the quantity of actors in the Aetna because now we arrive around one thousand and five hundred hectares of vineyards in the athena. But, twenty years ago, we had six hundred doctors. So you can understand that it is a huge growing up, depending on the market. If the market is good, we can growing up but I think, not so fast. It's important to to growing up slowly, understanding the market and, respect the the right side. Yeah. Absolutely. Agree. It's very important not to lower the quality of, of the wine and find, markets, which, which, which would consume, which would buy these wines for sure. So the whole production, is more sufficient. Could you could you speak a bit more about the soil composition and what's make it so particular? You said it's, mostly volcanic ash, but is it is it, homogenic or or something else, but volcanic. Our sides are composite of a volcanic sand. That is, rich minerals. Such as, iron, especially, montagorno, potassium, man. And the minerals that you, find in the the vineyards often, you'll find in the bottle. No. Is, if you drink a tomato sauce from Montegarner, you can, taste the, I don't know. The soil is also rich in, black, red pomace, which are excellent, for, drainage, and, the accumulation of water resources for the plant. So it's a rich in palm. Everything is by destroyed, the lava stones, you know, that is that there are. Yeah. That's that's that seems very interesting. And I guess, because of the composition of organic sand, the vineyards are probably mostly manually maintained. Right? Heavy techniques cannot really approach this, terraces then or how you manage the picking up the grapes. Everything is made by end also because you have, the terraces sometimes a very small terraces. And, we have a a good intensity of the plants per actors. We talk about, also six thousand plants per actors. So you have the most space to to work with machine. In that, and I can say that ninety percent of the work is made by end. Yeah. Definitely. This is, what also influences the, the price of the lines. Also, yes, so And you have also a small quantity of production. We can arrive with a paradox to ninety tons per hectare, but the medium, we arrive to sixty tons per hectare. So if you think other place where you can produce, also two hundred tons per hectare. So it's a very small production. And if you, have, old vines, like, sixty years old, we arrive to fifty. Dollars per actors that are, more or less, three thousand metric per actors. It's a very small. But I I also have to add that even if you have this small production and, everything is managed manually than any to continue to my point has, what, some of the best price and quality range for it. Yeah. Being being being a wine importer. It's always my, point of interest. What is the price? Because then it may fit certain, category in the portfolio and the certain customers and all and all. So I was happy to discover that the quality and price is a new way for that. But also because of the long history of the winery, when it, you know, in the afternoon, we were only ten producers, with some prices. So we maintained the same, political for the, the last years. So we produce wine at the best quality, and, we look out to have, the best price, a good price for what we do. May I ask you a question if you don't mind me? Of course, climate change is a big topic. And also when we think about Aetna altitude is one of the main factors that contribute to wine production. But may I ask you if climate change has been influencing your vine growing practices or or, like, do you see any changes in Aetna? Yes. Aetna, we are very lucky because, the altitude that you say is, for us, it's important that we don't have a lot of click climate change. Now I'm, discover that we have some problem with the new plant when the plant is very young. We needed to to use the water. As you know, in the afternoon, we have no irrigation because it's a good rainy. And the but in a young plant, we need irrigation because the water is every year or less. In the summer, we have, a lot of, ultimately made. So so we need to get to give the water to the young plant, not for the plant to arrive to ten years. Mhmm. So how are sisilian wine producers making up for drought problems, especially in summer. Like, do did you have did you experience any drought? We are also in a inventory note, as I say, the there is a more, more difficult than in the we are trying to do something different when we plant. For example, in the past, when you plant a vineer, that you look for the sun for much time possible. While now, we turn on the vineyards to have less sun in the in the vineyard. So this is a an example. But also, there are some techniques we are studying to work without a water because there are study in the world about area. We like it easily. So where there is a less water, and we are studying how to do. I have a question, regarding, starting ones. I'm only familiar. I'm sure to of the alternate and the ones that we tasted that you're wondering, sparkling ones definitely stand out. So, could you tell a bit more about which varieties, they are made of? Is it only Karicante or, some other varieties? And how much, you keep, the Monday? Okay. Yes. We produce, sparkly minted from, about fifteen years. So we start with the first of the internship to twenty eleven, and that is also the year when a a consortium put on the rules of the the production of the medical class. So from twenty eleven, you can produce, you know, spumante Medudo classical. And, our at the number was the first at, you know, root, to be produced. And, we start using Kalesa and the Karicante. And, for, many years, we produce anarela Masa, thirty six months on the lease, and, the Karicante, thirty six months on the lease. In, twenty eighteen, we start also with the Nerello Masales rosette. So we do twenty four months on the lease. And we start with log engine, sparkly middle with Nerello Masales. So We have, with the winter twenty sixteen that has been a sixty month on the lease. And then next year, we'll be ready with the credit card, the sixty month on the lease. So now we have five, two from Karicante, one from And, we are growing up very, very good with, sparkling method. You have to think that now we have in the ethanol twenty five producers of, spumante. So it's, We we were a ten producer ten years ago. So there is a very interesting, production of us, momentum, and the characteristics are unique because We we use a carry count and the yellow that are our top turn grapes and not, like, in the rest of the world, where they use a, and and so it's a very typical for us to use a carry And, because we have all the characteristics to can produce this per month altitude, the grid, a city in the wines. Yeah. Those are so interesting. I would love to taste it. If I have a chance, I would like to taste the sixty months, Nirello and the credit card. This is a very different from the thirty six months. We started with the sixty months in two thousand eighteen because it was the birthday of the wine, only one hundred and twenty years. So we produce only eight hundred bottle just for, for the birthday of the wine. But we we liked it. So we decided to produce it, and now we have in our wines. Well, many of us know how, well, how in still wine develops and also, but when it comes to sparkling wine, how does this sparkings on the with long aging? How they develop? What are the main notes are in the glass? Would you would you get in the glass with all this aging? Can you describe? Yes. You have a great acidity in the grapes from the atmosphere. So remote grapes in So, when you arrive to sixty month on the lease, you, have a better balance of the seed within the wine. This is the first difference. We begin with a carry count to eighteen months. In eighteen months was a very, very vertical wine. And I like a lot, but maybe, people prefer wines less vertical. So we decide to arrive to fifty six months. If you go to a sixty month on the lease, you have more complexity in the in the wine, and you can feel right through it, pasty, taste, And, we have experience for now only in Narello Moscow. Because Karicante is, on the list, we arrive now to fifty free months. So we wait, next year to to see how caricante is, but the the the results. I'm just wondering, where these wines would be available. What are your main markets right now? Which are the trade trade market? Which are most important for you and maybe what are they developing once? Yes. So we work with, fifty five countries in the world. Our first market, and also first to focus. Are, the USA where we work with the Weibo. But also Canada, a UK, are big market for us. The markets on which we will work in the next few years are, South East Asia, And the South America, they are growing up so fast. So are interesting for us. And, we are trying to improve a good strategy for this market. For tomorrow, I find the testing of those market that I have a strong approach to sustainability that the full and the values of our companies such as the So we have worked a lot on, sustainability. And, we find some market that is in line with our values. And this is for us good to to sell in that market. And, we are present also in, all the Europe, but, we can say that our folks are at the market. I say it. Do you have our expert to Japan? Yes. It it it feels that, this wise would be so great with Japanese cuisine. Yes. We work with Japanese from, twelve years with the same partner And, it's a very interesting to see how, and also partly meetups are good with the day, cuisine. And, and we are we have a feeling with the Japanese people. Maybe for the volcano, we have attended is a good market for, for retinal wines, of course. Well, this might be a silly question, but, do you ever and I'm living on a volcano? Do you ever worry about eruptions? I mean, is it is it something that you have inside this fear, or you feel absolutely relaxed about? No. No. I'm I'm I'm very relaxed. Mama, you know, as we we call it, is not a dangerous volcano because the eruptions occur at the high altitude, and the the lava moves slowly. So we would have time to escape. Maybe the the earthquakes Aetna, the Tetna houses will be more dangerous, but, all of Italy is a network risk area. So it's, it's the same. We receive more benefits from the will come with the risks. So this is the reason that we we we love that, you know. And, we have also reign of ashes, volcanic ashes, especially in the last year. That, cause some problems for the population, but, represent a fortune for agriculture because they continuously revitalize, the soil, reaching it with the minerals, substances. So, no, I'm not worried about Tethana. For us, it's a more, a landmark. Yeah. Well, I love being on it. Just because in in in your mind, you think, oh, it's a volcano. It's an active volcano. But when you are in the area, it's such a peaceful, female. It's always, a sort of magic for me to discover this much peace on a on an active volcano. And, I have my own idea, my own explanation for that, but how would you describe why it's so peaceful? Eternays are not only a land market for all of us, but also a place for the soul. The world nature of the will count on its peace and, vital energy. It's called also that, change it with overseas on the rate of its active quarters that we we listen. The month I know that you can meet especially when, there is no, the unmistakable taste of all of the products, grow, measure, all these makes it in a a unique and mystical place is, like, to go on the moon. If you go to two thousand meters, to visit it, you know, this is something strange, something very. You you can feel that these are team. And the there is a good atmosphere in the in the afternoon. It's definitely. I can't I can't wait when he arrived to Sicily and I have a portion of stack you did De Bronto. Yeah. Yeah. I love it so much. I just can't wait to taste it again. When, you show your area to foreigners, What are the main things you want them to show? And what are the main things they should know? I hope to invite them to visit because, is it more, more good to to get touch with the with their ends, their ends. But I say every every time that, Sisi is a a continent rich in history and culture and, with the beautiful landscapes, Sisi is a continent all also for the production of wine. From Marcella to Athena in only four hundred kilometers. So you have a lot of difference. You have to think that in the afternoon, we have a one hundred days of, of our best. We begin end of July in a in a company, and we end on the internet end of October. We talk about that, you know, that is the highest active volcano in Europe overlooking the ship. Here, you can ask you while looking at the scene. It's a very beautiful place. And, you know, activity culture has been a practiced year for millennia. But, moreover, since it is the region with the largest area of organic vineyards, in Sicily, organic is a very team that the interest of the winery And so we we can talk about Cesar, about the Cesar link proceed, for hours, but the that are the elements. So they they will count on the culture, the history, the landscape, all, that is around our winery. Is, something that we tell when we know someone for years. Yeah. This is all sounds so interesting. And, there's more attention to Aetna wise, with each year. And, how do you, being being connected, so closely with the consultant for the dog? How do you see the future of the ones, in particularly from, south east of Edna? And, have a feeling that this wise don't get as much attention as they should, but, what are your perspectives? The Southeast of ethanol is the area where many of historic producers are present. They like as, but also this is the the most suitable area for the production of the caricante and the classic meat of the sparkling wine, but also for, elegant threat. In a in this area, the red wines, don't have the same body and alcohol content as those on the northern side. But, precisely, for this reason, our our wines are perfectly aligned with the contemporary taste. And I think that the future trends will favor the southeastern side. So we have all the characteristics for what today is the trend, you know, white wines and, sparkling methods. I think that the Southeast can grow up a lot in the future, but, in general. I think there is a lot to think about. And for all of us, why not use us, we'll always in Aetna and discovering, new contrades, new areas, new producers. I would have one last question, if I may. Sure. Just because the sparkling, was very interesting to me, maybe because I'm I'm a gen z. I don't know. But thinking about a Rosay sparkling one from Sicily is just very much refreshing and interesting. So I have one actually, multiple questions for you. One, how was it perceived from the from the public? Two, what is the dosage? And actually, my most important important question is how do you think you can recognize a sparkling, like, how does it differ from other sparkling, Jose? And what is its, what is the best consumption occasion maybe? We produce a a sparkling meat of the process from, from the winter twenty eighteen. So, actually, we have the twenty twenty one in the in the market. So we have a three years of experience with the rosette. And the our spotty meters are, zero dosage. So we don't have nothing, but we start in twenty eleven, and we we use dosage. But with experience, sir, in the next, harvest vintage, we don't use, do such. So, also, they will say it's a zero dosage. It's easily easy to to talk about and, matching with food because I think it's okay with, for example, Also, I try with the with pizza. Simply pizza for me is a perfect match. And, just that we are in Sicily also with the fish, like, tuna tartari. So our wine, maybe for, aperitif, I suggest more the the caricante that is more, more vertical, more, more elegant. But, from Indiana as a black soul, because we also have a good body. So do you actually think, because now that you mentioned, the pizza pairing, Do you think that the secret to, Aetna wine success is also their versatility with wine with food pairings? Of course. So for me, it's a good point for the Aetna Aetna wines are really where saddles in a match with food. And, also, we have a different wine for different food. So if you take a young antenna as its own characteristics, but if you use, for example, white with the logo engine for example, six or seven years from the hardware store, you can enjoy a lot of, foot paintings. So, not only fish, not only pizza, but, all the world of, cuisine, you can use aetna, and you have to choose the, the correct one. That sounds lovely. This was a very interesting interview. I think, we covered so many different, aspects of, at Navianco and sparkling and terroir. And why vineyards are so special. And, yeah, thank you so much for this talk, and hope to see me, Cecilia. I hope to. Thank you everyone for this lovely conversation. I think this is a wrap, but I hope see you soon again. I suggest you to come and visit us. In a a winery, we have also a restaurant. So if you aren't easily, come and visit us. I'd love to. You'll see me there. Pleasure. Thank you. Have a great one. Bye bye, everyone. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud Apple Podcast 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. 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