Ep. 1719 Victoria Cece Interviews Matteo Marenda Of Sesta Di Sopra | The Next Generation

The Italian wine podcast is the community driven platform for Italian winegeeks around the world. Support the show by donating at italian wine podcast dot com. Donate five or more Euros, and we'll send you a copy of our latest book, my Italian Great Geek journal. Absolutely free. To get your free copy of my Italian GreatGeek journal, click support us at italian wine podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pots. Welcome to the next generation with me, your host Victoria Cetje. This is your podcast to learn about all the cool things Italians thirty and under are up to in the food and wine scene. And yes, that includes all the best things to eat. Hello. Hello. Everybody. Welcome to another episode of the next generation. Today, we have a lovely guest, Matteo Miranda, who we pulled out of the wine to wine madness. I don't know if I can say voluntarily he's here, but we got him here. Tomadell. Good evening to everyone. Good morning. I don't know. Whoever's listening, you might have a cup of coffee, you might have a glass of wine or both. You know? Who knows? Yeah. Yeah. For sure. For sure. And then in Veneto, it's like, grappa, central always. Okay. So as you can tell, Madel's not from Vanessa. Awesome. I'm not a huge fan of the group, but Oh, that's awesome. What are you besides wine? What are you a huge fan of? I'm a huge fan of. If you're not talking about the food industry, wine industry, or general looking? Well, in general, like, if you're gonna have a coffee and you have to make it correctly, what are you gonna pay? Samuga. Samuga. Samuga. Because he is wrong, can you guess? Rome. So So tell me a little bit about yourself. So you just dove into your family's winery, which is in Montecino. Montecino. Yeah. In Tuscany. Okay. But you grew up in Rome, so let's dive tell us a bit about you. Let's say I've just entered the winery, the beginning of of December. It's been an amazing experience, and if it's just six months more or less. It's completely different from what I was expecting. Obviously, it's my family winery. So I've, grew inside the the winery, but I only saw the, the funny part, you know, the, the harvest, the, the easy part. The tough part is behind the harvest, all the preparation, the the work, and all the details that are very fundamental to to do this job. Yeah. Okay. So after seeing, the good bad and the ugly, as we'll see. Yeah. No. It's not it's not a hackie. It's just, No. No. I told, you know, it's not ugly at all. I've actually done two harvests. So I can say that done some stuff. Definitely, obviously, don't work in a winery. But after seeing all of it and growing up in it, what made you wanna go back? To the worry? Yeah. Let's say I didn't go back because I started to I gave you too much credit. I'm sorry. Yeah. That's it. I've always lived and studied Rome. I grew up. I both bore. I grew up in Rome. And, then there were some decision to take and, regarding my future because I study something different, not completely, let's say, apart from, from the wine word because my background is in is in finance, but I had to take some decision if, to keep going with the winery, or maybe that the other option was selling the winery, so I wanted to keep going with this, amazing experience. Yeah. Because right now, right now, the the winery is, manager run by my in Grand Patants. They're two lovely Grand parents, but, pretty old, even if they're in a better shape than me, for sure. But they're pretty old, they need, helps in, all the process, because they are literally following everything, and so went to help them. Yeah. Oh, that's so beautiful. And so did you grow up in Rome and visiting your grandparents in Tuscany in Montana. Yeah. Usually during summer was always there working, helping them, but now I'm full time. Okay. Yeah. No fun and games anymore. No. No. But that's so beautiful. You're so blessed. That's incredible. I can only imagine how much that just like formed the person you are because spending all that time with them, like, is there anything that you that like sticks with you from growing up and going to those summers? Let's say they they didn't put any pressure into entering the wine. I just analyzed the situation. I took my decision. Also, it was also an an emotional, decision because I grew up, not only Rome, but there during summer. I wanted to, to keep going this fantastic experience of my grandparents. Yeah. You didn't develop like a fusion accent like a Roman Tolskan. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. No. Like everywhere I go around the oh, yeah. You're from Rome. Yes, I am. Yeah. You can't hide that. You can't. No. No. No. I try I try to. Let's say, I try to, but it's impossible. You could be like, Unhafe, and they're like, what are you doing? No. You're still from Rome. So I, obviously, through this podcast, it's been obvious that I love food. Elguin, obviously, I'm on the podcast, but was there like one dish you would have growing up with your grandparents that you would only eat there? Because, you know, the cuisines are super different. There's another point that I should have mentioned. Oh. Is that my grandparents are not even from Tuscany. So that they are from Pemont. Oh gosh. Wow. That's another weird. Oh, I love this. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. They're originally from, Turin in Piedmont. They were born there. They married there. And then after a few years that they were married, they they moved to Rome because of my grandpa work, and it was not in the wine industry. It was a a banker. He worked for forty years in, into Inteda San Paulo bank and, yeah, in the, in the whole, in commercial bank. After debt for for retirementa, they had to decide if to go back, so in the Barolo area, or stay close to Rome where all the nephews were born because I'm not dull in nephew. There's me and my sister and my my two thousands. Let's say that in the north, winter are more rigid, and Tuscany, the winters are not that rigid, and they're close to Rome, so close to us. And, that was there, the the decision making. And, casually. So Monteaccino had a complete casual, location. They bought the property without considering producing wine Oh, wow. Just for retirement, and then, they started producing wine. When did they buy the property? They bought it in nineteen eighty. Oh, okay. Oh, yeah. To say Montal Chino is casual. Now it's kinda like Alright. Yeah. No. It was, a good coscascuality. In life, in life, you you need also to have luck But, actually, they weren't planning to, produce wine. They wanted just to, to relax, in retirement, but since they don't know how to stay, you know, chill, relax, that they're another generation. They're gonna be another generation. Alright. They they had to do something also to to balance all the costs because buying the proper team maintaining of the forest, everything is costly. The main business growing was, was the only one that they they planted the first vineyard in nineteen eighty two, actually our vineyard of brunello now. Yeah. We're pretty small. We're pretty small, but that's so fantastic. Also, you're I'm still laughing internally. No. About the comment about, like, them keeping I'm going. Like, my grandfather, he's he passed away now, but, it was like he, he worked in, like, real estate and, like, fixed apartments. So, like, that was what he worked towards. Amazing, amazing men. And even to, like, he had dementia, but you couldn't stop him. They had to take everything away from him because he wouldn't. Like, he was Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. He set up table only to eat. And maybe he took a nap, like, for like a half hour. And then it was like Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. I know that it's actually the the secret to to keep leaving. No. It is. It's so true. Like, I remember when they took they started I understood why they, like, took the car away and stuff, but I shouldn't say this. So I'm gonna say this. I honestly think the worst thing that happened at the end of his life was because of the doctor's orders, they took his wine away. And my grandfather made homemade wine. Okay. For years in the basement. Nothing special. No problem at all. But the minute they took it, I swear that was like, I think that's what made it. Just like, they tried to give him cranberry juice, and this guy was just losing it. I was like, you can't take as well. Okay. Another fun fact is that before starting everything, let's say, with my grandma, my grandpa was even drinking any alcohol at all. Really? It was Your grandma was a drinker. Yeah. I I feel like now that's pretty much And she introduced him into the wine world and they they started this experience together. Oh. Because of my grandma in the in the end. I love that. So what why did she introduce him to the wine world? Like, for passion because she enjoyed drinking some wine while, actually, it was because of her father. So every time that, they were at lunch or dinner, her father had to have one glass of wine. So her father introduced her to the wine world, and, she introduced my grandpa to to the wine organ. Are you enjoying this podcast? Don't forget to visit our YouTube channel, mama jumbo shrimp for fascinating videos covering Stevie Kim and her travels across Italy and beyond. Meeting winemakers, eating local food, and taking in the scenery. Now back to the show. I can imagine growing up in Piedmont that, like, especially I mean, wine is a centerpiece of the table across Italy, but especially in Piedmont where there's more of like a longer history of established wine making. Yeah. Obviously, it's changed. It shifted, but it's more of like the quality, I would say, has more of a longer history, whereas, like, where my family's from is like water. Just, you know, not in a bad way, like, in the way that it wasn't about the quality at all. Mhmm. Mhmm. But so has super awesome. So you started six months ago. What are you doing? Everything. Oh, saving. Actually, everything. Yeah. Yeah. Wow. Because I'm not so specialized into the wine world, even if I'm very passionate But, yeah, now I'm focusing a bit more on the technical part. Okay? So I'm doing some, some of the courses, to get into the technical part. But also So I'm doing everything from the tastings. I go to the seller, vineyard. Obviously, the problem is the time managing. So I have to balance everything in order to do everything. Specifically, I'm trying to focus also on a little bit developing on the weaponry, specifically on the technological part because we we're not that, developed. That's my, my main focus right now. So entering the winery, knowing all the process. That's very important. Otherwise, it's pretty difficult to manage something that you don't know. That's my my my idea, my grandpa idea. So, I'm doing things from, from the scratch. So Amazing. And by the way, he's only twenty seven. I should have said that earlier, but Twenty six, but it's okay. He's only twenty seven. Am I losing it? Sorry. He's when is her birthday? Oh, is it tomorrow? No. No. It was, one more second, more or less. You turn twenty six. Yeah. Okay. I'm so sorry. Don't worry. That's fine. You're in your twenty seventh year. You're in your twenty seventh year. Yes. Exactly. Exactly. You wear color candy. It's a it's a I'm twenty seven. Twenty seven's a fun, it's weird. It's it's a good time. You know, better than twenty six. I was like, no, I'm not lying. Hundred percent better than twenty six. Okay. Okay. So you have some good for it. So who good time is, is coming? It is, it is coming. I know you're really out right now. But next year, you're gonna be happy. Okay. But actually speaking of which, you're talking a bit about the marketing side and kind of bringing the winery a little bit more, you know, into the present day. But what do you think is kind of missing from the marketing of wineries in Italy for the young generation. So it's a pretty, yeah, it's pretty complicated as a question. I think that one of the since I knew I'm gonna tell my point of view, and then it's almost an outside point of view. Yeah. But I think that's fantastic. I don't mean to interrupt you, but I think that's what I love is that you just recently dove into that. And that's such a big thing to take on. And I feel like we only hear documentation when people start to get success. So you're reflecting from a successful point, but you're in the midst of the mess right now. Exactly. Exactly. So it's a difficult point, but, talking about marketing and, branding. Okay. Let's say that we, we are in a good position because of Montalchino. So whole Montalchino area has to keep going with the quality that we are given to the market right now. We need to keep that the level. There was actually in, here in the, wine to wine. There there was one, one curse. Yeah. Can I say curse? One lesson that, even if there are some period of time of, crisis. We need to keep, going with the quality and not, give more quantitative and less quality to the market. That's that's the main point in my opinion. Specifically, I think that one of the main success of the product was given also by the consortium that has done a very, very good job. And, he needs to keep improving, specifically on the market inside the communication. Sometimes there's a little bit of lack of communication from the consortium, even if I can imagine it's very complicated to to communicate, to do a whole world. But that's the the main thing that should also allocate resources in a good way to communicate in the best way, most efficient possible. Yeah. Way. I understand. Like, the longevity, especially because it's, obviously, it's not like you're going to try to make a twenty two year old drink Bruno de Montecino. Yeah. Yeah. That's that's the point. Specifically is is good to attract young generation and young people because right now, obviously, the Bernelo is, high range, high price range. But at the same time, I also, make comparison with my friends. Sometimes they're, they're scared into entering the wine word because they say, oh, no, yeah, I don't know anything about the wine. Yeah. I just know that the Panello is, it costs too much for me. Is the same as, as another wine that, costs a bit less. So I'm gonna buy it. That's the main key. Okay? So communicate the the wine, and and say, why the the Moreno has history? Has its quality. And, at the same time, do not be scary into entering into the wine world. Yeah. Yeah. That's the the main point. It's true. It's a price point thing is a big thing. I mean, that's another, you know, discussion with, like, you know, what people can afford now and whatnot. And also, like, for example, we were chatting about Rome before it's, like, seeing right now there's so many bars that I've opened up, especially, like, for natural wines and, like, having these, like, more can't say they're all affordably priced, but definitely not at the level of like a model. Yeah. Yeah. But also not allowing lines to kind of fall into these, like, you know, categories. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. And making places that are known classically still accessible and respected. Mhmm. Not like, oh, that's for the, you know, these kinds of people only. Exactly. Exactly. And so is that something that kind of motivates you a bit, like, with what you're doing? Or Well, this topic Well, no. No. In a with your winery. Like Oh, my winery, everything. Everything. I mean, I see a lot of potential inside the inside my winery. I also decided to move there because right now, our main business is only selling wine, but there are tons of things that we can do inside the winery. But, the things that motivated me mostly is during the tasting, knowing all the people coming from all over the war, New Jersey. That's what motivates me. Even if I'm super tired, I'm sick. I'm always happy to receive people at the one hundred. That's that's one hundred percent. That's a positive energy. That's yeah. That's that's yeah. Sometimes I analyze myself while while I'm working, And, I don't know, it's like, a click in my brain. And, as soon as someone arrives, I start talking, I, I'm, I'm not an interest people. Okay? Let's say that. I like to know their story. Obviously, I'm gonna tell the story of the winery, but then, in the end, also, I'm happy to know all the story from all around the world. It's very very nice. Yeah. Sometimes it's not as talked about, but, for a winemaker and or someone who owns a winery, you have to balance those two of being in the dirt and then also being able to present and really talk to people and and communicate. I mean, you don't have to necessarily be that way, but it helps because you're constantly you're gonna have to travel and really share that the animal is the soul and spirit of your wines. And, like, you are the it's like, it's like, I'm the person in my hands are in this. Oh, it's so special. Actually, I have a question for you. Yeah. So if you were or maybe you have tried to, like, sell your wine to, like, one of your friends who's afraid How would you do it? Like, how would you present the wine? That's a very, very nice, nice question. Let's say that I always try to since I'm I'm not very, very technical. I I know my own wine. Okay. I know perfectly my own wine. But, the problem is that I cannot go into technicality, but the same time is good with my friends because they don't want technicality. They want to feel the wine. It's a completely different point of view from, someone who's a familiar. Okay? They are scared of, technicality. So I'm gonna communicate the wine in an emotional way, trying to, you know, create a connection, link between, me and my friends. Obviously, the, the most important thing is that then, Once they they bought my wine, they have a story to tell to someone they're gonna drink the wine with. That's the most important thing. Yeah. Something I always think about with your wines. We don't have to go through all the labels. Yeah. But can you share with us maybe like one or two wines and, like, what they're perfect for. Like, this is the perfect first date one. And then this one is, like, we're married for your fifteen years and you pissed off your wife. So, yeah, I I was measuring before that we are very small. Even if my grandpa doesn't want that I say very small because I don't know. Okay. But we are, we are very small. We produce around twelve thousand bottle or less paid here. We have only three labels. Perfect. Alright. Right now for news on in the winery. So then we've got a or, let's say that, for example, or an in the bracket, an easy drink with, with some friend of yours, and it's very enjoyable. A lot of, all of my friends tells me that, that they enjoy because it's, also easier to understand, okay, Delosunimontalchino, they they loved it. They they literally love it of the Delosunimontalchino. And that's maybe for, an aperity, a bit more than aperative, but they really, really enjoy it. If you want to, to have a nice dinner with, an overcooked, meat, let's go with, or a good Valentino. Oh, yeah. With the umbrella or specifically the umbrella or machistra. It's a perfect combo. No. And also the montalcino is so underrated. It's it's such a shame. Yes. It's so underrated. I think it was so perfect. You brought that up because I think that is the wine that gets people into Montalcino. Yeah. Yeah. And understanding it. And don't necessarily have to go and drink the Bruno. You may do you may, like, on a special occasion one day, but you can live a very happy, happy life. Drinking. It's so good. It's very good. And, as you said, is, is an is an entry level. To get, and start understanding a better way, the Pronelo. How's the the potential of of the Pronelo? Actually, I, I love the Rosume Motaccino too. So Oh. I'm a huge fan of the roses. So it's so funny. I mean, we're wrapping up this, podcast, but again, bringing up food. I have a very specific question. Would you ever put lemon on your food? You're not eating a steak? Other guys told me I really Toki talking about me. Yeah. Toki about me? No. No. No. No. No? Okay. I only had to ask because I had I would never, but I had a friend try to do it once, and he was so sure. He's like my friend, in this part of Tuscany do it, but then the guy at the restaurant that's Tuscant was literally livid. What he was like, you wanna cook meat. And I was like, I think just for now, let's put the lemon aside. Okay. I'm kidding. If you just made me think of that because, like, it was, like, one of the last times it had to be stuck off Yorindina, and I was, like, the fight almost happened, actually. So don't pull them on the good idea. Yeah. So get your bhunaro. No lamb and No. No. No. Use the acidity in your brew now. Otherwise, you're gonna ruin this stick and the bread. Exactly. Wow. We just solved it right there. Oh my gosh. Well We solved the problem. We solved the problem. Oh, mateo. Thank you so much. Thanks, seriously. You're joining us in the the interview. The podcast booth today. And I wish you all the luck. Like, seriously. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Thank you very much for interviewing me. Thank you. Bye bye. As always, a big good answer for hanging out with me today. Remember, you can catch me on the Italian wine podcast every Sunday and anywhere you can get your pots.