Ep. 2028 Giulia Stocchetti interviews Alessandro Serughetti | The Next Generation

Who wants to be the next Italian wine Ambassador. Join an exclusive network of four hundred Italian wine ambassadors across forty eight countries. Vineetly International Academy is coming to Chicago on October nineteenth is twenty first. And while Mati Kazakhstan from November sixteenth to eighteenth. Don't miss out. Register now at Vineeti dot com. Ben Venuti. Welcome to the next generation with me, your host, Julia Stochettie. Join me as I take you on a journey to discover young stars of the Italian food and wine world. Pranti andiamo. Hi, everyone, and welcome back to a new episode of the next generation on the Italian wine podcast. This is me, your host, Julia. And today, I'm so excited to introduce you to Alessandro Surugetti, who is a young and promising winemaker based on Aetna. But before deciding to find his winery there, He was actually traveling all around the world to different wine regions to improve his skills and his wine making techniques. Also doing some quite interesting research and also enlightening research, I would say, on the effect of amino acids on the verification of sauvignon blanc grape variety. That's it. I'm so happy to welcome Alejandro to the show. Chalessandro. Chow, Julia. Hello, everyone. How are you today? Ma'am, very well. Very well. I'm, in Enera at moment. It's a really dry summer, but, the weather, it's, very good. Yes. Nice. So your vines are doing well. It's not too warm for them for now. At the moment, the quality is really high. The yields, Hector, it's also good. Ma'am, we need the water because, from January to now, there was, like, three hundred millimeter of water. So it's a really low comparison the last years. Because in general, you imagine that in Aetna, we have one thousand four hundred millimeter of water in one year. So this year, it's really summer, really dry, also winter, dry. So we will see. We will see. Alright. Alright. So fingers crossed for this vintage because until now the quality seems outstanding, so really all the best to you to carry to the winery amazing grapes for this upcoming new vintage. So, Alejandro, can you please introduce yourself? Yes. I'm really glad for this episode to talking about myself. I'm, Alejandro Serogetti. I'm thirty two years old. I am born to Palermo. Palermo is, in West Coast of Sicily, but now I live in East Coast of Sicily. So in Etran, one region is Catania province. I'm a maker in the Viticulture. And from two thousand twenty two, I'm a small producer with my wife in Aetna Webija. That's amazing. So that means you started a family business, but How come? I mean, how come that you decided to become a winemaker and make wine on Aetna? Everything started when I was a young, because I reminded when I was in a country house of, migrant mother, the artist period is, always happy memory. So when I finished the school, I said, okay. Now what are you able to do? I'm start the university of Palermo, Viticulture and Technology. From there, start, my page So, wait. Your grandmother used to make some wine. Beautiful. Yes. Yes. You imagine when I was really young in the past, we take the grape. We put, in something big tank, altogether, we push down the grips with my feet. No way. Yes. I don't mind. It was really at the moment. Everyone, altogether with my parents, my cousin, my uncle, everyone. So it was really a nice period. I remind you when I was young, it's, I think, the best period that they are best. And so when I finished school, I said, why non video cultures and technology? Cool. So Thanks to this beautiful memory. You decided to start making wines. Also, nowadays, funding your own winery. But before doing this, what were you doing? Difficulture and technology in University of a Palermo in Masala, Masala Town in West Coast of Sicily in Company province. It's a famous masala for forty five wine. So I do their, video call terminology for three years during, these three years, I said, why? I able to work. Like that? I can understand the better what I studied. So I start as scholarship with wine and oil Institute because it's from, Cecilia region. I worked with them for two years. When they finished the bachelor degree in University of Palermo, I did a mask in a science, a bit of culture and technology in a state. I moved to a state to start my master in a video culture and technology. I did my fifth year in a state. Second here, I did the in Portugal. Amazing. So you are making port or what kind of wine? Yes. I made the port because before, went to Portugal, I said that I able to send my CV in some one area because, I want to know better the the tradition on the culture. So I did the two thousand sixteen, the vintaj in Newport, Newport. One, it is, in in Dorovale. Dorovale is, north side of Portugal is the most important region. They made the port wine for me was really amazing experience. After this vintage, I move in, Lisbon to start my second year of mass their medical terminology. During this second here, my teacher of, Kimicala analogy, giving me the opportunity to do my master thesis in New Zealand. Amazing. I said, why not? Yeah. Of course, I want to go to New Zealand. I never been, this is the best opportunity to go because, I went to New Zealand. The buyer's scholarship for me was perfect opportunity. I went to New Zealand for six months. Started my master thesis, and, I work it with other wineries. So after Portugal, you moved to New Zealand. That's in New Zealand that you started and also, of course, finished your research on the amino acids. Right? Yes. It was really, I think, interesting master thesis because, in New Zealand, you have to know that seventy five percent of white variety is a sauvignon blank. And my master's thesis was the influence of the amino acid during a colleague fermentation, understand also during a colleague fermentation, the development of our own compound in San So you have to imagine that, during alcoholic fermentation, there is taste that eat nitrogen. So my research was, to put different amino acid. So I was, like, tortoise sample. It was a lot. At every three sample, I put a different, single amino acid. For example, aspartic acid, glutamic acid, alanine, serene, Arginine, Brutadion, and also we use two different blocks because I work at also with two different winery. You did all that in wineries. You were working, or it was like an Institute of Research. Alora. The unification we did in Institute of Research. It's a plant food research, and the the vineyards was, from two one area. So we was, two blocks different Like that we can understand better which amino acid, give more, I don't compound. But it was a really interesting, results because, for example, Serena, this amino acid to give more tie ups compound. The Tiox compound is a typical for Sabignon blanc, like a patient through it, serena, amino acid, to give more patient fruit expression in the wine. So you unveiled all the secrets on sovignon blanks when making in New Zealand? I mean, the secret that you can find in Google if you write my research, but is not secret. It's public. So everyone gets read. So how can we find it? Because lots of our listeners are like wine geeks. So they really want to dig deeper and deeper in this scientific stuff about wine. So please tell us how to find it. You can find, in Google, plant food, research institute, or write my name on Google, Alejandro Surugetti master thesis, you can find the all work about, the influence of the amino acid, including acrylic fermentation, sauvignon blanc. Well, I think that's the perfect summer reading because sauvignon blanc is a wine that in summer is, I mean, one of the best glasses you can ask for because it's refreshing with this vibrant, crispy level of acidity. And, you know, what a better thing just to enjoy a glass of wine, why it learning, why it tasted, like that. You know what I mean? Just to understand the Sabignon planck in New Zealand at the pH between two point nine three, a total activity nine to eleven. It's really fresh because the pacific ocean give really refreshing influence, and the wine is super fresh, really good, really good. What did you enjoy the most doing all these Hello. The most, because after New Zealand, I would like to explore this part of the world. I went out in South Africa and Australia to do a In South Africa, I worked with, Cortoba wines. It's Taibos wines, the day production, Jose wines, and the premium red wines. They in particular product in South Africa, Shannon Blanc, and the cabinet, Sabignon, for red. They do a blend for Sabignon Blanca, a blend of different variety, but they do a really nice job. I did the the office is fell in bush. Spell embouchure, it's a really in south coast of South Africa. It was a really nice experience. Also, Australia, Editha Bintech in two thousand, twenty twenty was during the COVID period. Was really bad. I'm was really sad for that because I didn't travel to Australia and just work during the intouch. That's it. And then I come back in Italy. I didn't see see that enough think it was impossible because they closed everything, but it was a nice vintage. I worked in the marketer River in the west coast of, Australia. And they made in particular, Chardonette, for white, and, cabernet sauvignon, and I like it because, during my experience, I made a nice mentor, and they give me really good vibes about the culture, about when making style, about quality. Also, to understand the for, different variety, which tank is better is wood or concrete or plastic. I did really nice experience in district towns, revealing. That's beautiful. So happy to hear that. I was wondering, do you prefer making reds or whites? Or sparklings. Okay. This is a really good question. I can say the Rosaire before that Jose wines. I really like it because, my fifth Vinta, when I started my business in Aetna, I did, my fifth Rocet with Nerelomascalese grapes typical for Maetara. Because, in South Africa, I understand the quality of Roset wine because, the Roset, it's not a half white half red, but, it's important to start from the vineyards. So from the vineyards, you can understand. Okay. From this plot, we can made, rosette, from other plot, we can made, maybe, the green wine. So because, the style, but also, the beach culture is part is totally different because for, Rosai, you want more acidity, more freshness. So I like to start with the Rosai wines, and then, for I really like to play with, red grapes. Yes. And what's your favorite grape variety? Except of Nora Lomascales, of course. I think if we're talking about the international grapes, Sarah, really good grades because you can do a lot of things with the Sierra. You can do a rosette from Sierra. You can do, younger red wine with the Sierra. Also, really a premium, strong red wines. If we're talking about international variety, the Sierra, I think, the fifth one, I can say yes. Nice. But, Norello Maskaleza sticks in your heart. Right? Norello first. I'm in love with Norello Maskaleza. Also with Narendo, you can make both, right, Rosay, and red wines. Yes. Oh, nice. Nice. I was wondering after traveling and harvesting here and there and making such great experiences, when and why have you decided to start your own winery. And especially why on Aetna? This good question. I started to work in Eetna in two thousand eighteen because, after travel, I said, I have to come back in C City because I want to do something special. I want to give what they learn in this year in my region, in my town where I born, you know? So I started to work in Enera with a one area, you know, the side of Enera. And then in two thousand twenty, I met Loredana, now my wife. Oh, that's beautiful. So she's from Aetna. She's a volcanic woman. Yeah. She volcanic woman. Yes. I met her in two thousand twenty, even in Jazin in Wauwani because there is a special events during the summer period, and someone already do Jazs, DJS Act. We met. We started to talk the day after we wait in the moment time to do tracking. After this tracking, we start our, relationship. My wife, it's a volcanic woman. She work also in wines. Sommelierra. She worked with, a winery. In two thousand seventeen, she started to work in the wines because my wife, have a bachelor degree in literature. And then she changed work because, she have also patient with wines. And then in two thousand twenty two, we say that we need to start our business. We love, this place. We love wines. Why we don't start. So in two thousand twenty two, we bought, all the vines because these vines was planted in nineteen sixty. They really old old vines. Training system is alberlo. Alvarello three is a typical from Aetna. Oh, Buschvines. Yes. It's really old because it's a nineteen sixteen. And you imagine that inside this plot, there is a mostly, typical variety of extra. But inside, there is also Niella Bianca, Niella Niella, Niella Nieira. This two variety is really uncertain, relique, of vector. That's incredible. I mean, you have a treasure there. It's amazing. Yes. Absolutely. In fact, it's all the vines. In this plot, we have, three different terraces. You imagine that the fish terrace, it's more sandy soil, sandy volcanic soil. And the other two, it's more rock rock soil, lava stone. It is, for me, it's important because the fish terrace is perfect for rosette because it's a full organic compound. And, the second at the third, there is a stone rock of lava. So the plant got a little bit stressed as perfect for production. Yes. Beautiful. So you can make both your favorite wines, rosette and red. Yes. Absolutely. In fact, I started my first vintage in two thousand twenty two. Now, what's your total annual production? My total production, it's a three thousand bottle at the moment. It's a small production. It's not really big, but we wanted to grow a little bit because, we want the high quality because it's all binds, all the binds and don't give, a lot to production. I mean, they it's, it's really low. So you measure one plant to give to you one kilo, one point five kilo, it's really low production. Yes. But it's a really concentration. For us, it's important to make quality. Pure concentrating deliciousness. Mhmm. Great grapes. And you make two wines, right, one rosette and one red, or you have more labels in your portfolio. We have, two labels. We have, extra rosato that we call Luna Buana means for us good luck because it was our first to be in touch. And, they are also. We call them too. In Italian, we say the Anno Ventura means, what you can see in the future. No? This eventuro, we dedicated my son, Andrea. He's born in two thousand twenty three, but, we know him in two thousand twenty two. That's beautiful. So sweet, I think, when there is the family together, the patient to do something, for us, we have, think more power and more patient to do something, you know. You're totally right. I wish I can really come to visit you guys because I mean, sounds such a lovely family making quality wines in the beautiful spot of Aetna. By the way, can people come to visit you? Yeah. Of course. My vineyard, it's north side of the arena in, Robitello. Robitello is Tración of Castillo Town. And what's the name of the winery? It's named after you. So it's like, or you have a specific name? The name of, the one it is, yes. We decided to give my name because, we like to do a name, you know. Also, if the people want to taste in this wine, think, oh, this is the wines from Alessandro Cerrugetti and the Sarugetti family because when I do, tasting with some buyers, some journalists. I talking about family, my wife and my son. I think the most important things. So today, I do my business. Thanks to my wife, Florida, of course. That's beautiful. You're a great team. So, Loredana, you met her at a jazz night. And since then, she's jazzing up your life. That's beautiful. I just love it. I have another curiosity, like, I guess you have also amazing delicious food on Aetna. So if you have to choose just one food and wine pairing with one of your two wines, what would it be? Okay. Rocet wines, everyone told me that this Rosa, it's more gastronomic. So it's perfect with the strong cheese because I have a good acidity. In Naprodie mountain, we have a typical of wild pork. And from the white pork, we made the salami. It's really fat salami. A rich salami. If you drink a glass of ethanol Rosato, you can clean very well your mouth. It's perfect, you know, if you eat the meat from wild pork, it's perfect, also with pistachio because we use pistachio up the meat, the meat of wild pork is a really good combination. Yes. Because a pistachio is a from Bronte. A Bronte is also important denomination in Aetna. It's a small denomination of Pistachio, in terroir of Aetna, Lavastone. So Aetna is like a volcano of delicious things to eat and to drink. Absolutely. Except for an amazing and magic place because I know that people from Aetna call it, like, mamaetna because she is the one who rules, right, Exactly. I mean, the volcano is the one who rules the whole life on it. Absolutely. Of course, the fish. So we are in Ireland. So we fish two time a week. So I'm jealous. I mean, you have the mountain. You have to see. You have everything on Aetna. That's why people just love it and they crave to go there. Now I get it. I can call one paradise because, we have a morning time and we have a disease. So also etna. I think it's really much a place because we work with altitude because of my vineyard. It's seven hundred meter above sea level. And also, you have to consider the denomination of the cathedans start from four hundred meter above Cilevo until one thousand meter above Cilevo, you have, the mountain of Aetna in one side and, they see in the other side. It is really interesting because, the vineyard can see the cool from the night. It's a summer period. The temperature during the day, it's really hot, thirty five degree. But in the night, the temperature go down we have eighteen, nineteen. So the difference between day and night is, fifteen. So it's a lot. So there's a super high during the range. Super difference between day and night's temperature. That's perfect for the grapes. Exactly. Because preserving, the fluid, you know. And like me, when maker, I'm so excited to play with this grape because, you can give so much in the vanity and then elect the fluid to press itself in the most natural beautiful fashion, incredible, really. That's fantastic. Just one last question for you, Alejandro, before we wrap up the episode. I was wondering, what's your favorite vessel to make wine. Like, you prefer oak barrels, concrete containers, for stainless steel tanks. What do you prefer? We do different research because in I think have a good potential. If you use, concrete of wood on just, stainless steel, everything depends how long you keep the wines in this container. The nevertheless, love a lot of big big wood. So, like, twenty, two liter of big wood and not the small one because it take a lot of wood. But I think depends how long aging in this, different, tanks, you know. But, for me, I really love between, stand still and the wood. But, I taste in other wines from amphora, also from concrete, Nerelomaskaleza. I think, we have also good results. Yes. That's beautiful to hear. Thank you so much for sharing this with us. Alice, since you're so young, I was wondering, what do you think about the young generations? I mean, how are you addressing new potential wine lovers and wine consumers? I think that the young generation, they more interesting about the wines. They also the wine word. I think the young generation, from Apple twenty five, because let's of twenty five. Maybe they still prefer maybe beer of, gin, gin tonic, like that, super alco, but the aqua twenty five years. Maybe they start to drink wine to understand the the culture, different territory, different when region to understand that is just not the white wines or red wines, but is, inside wines, there is a lot, a lot of grapes and also indigenous grapes that change region to region. So, yeah, you think basically There are some people who are young, but also interested in wines. Yes. Absolutely. Yes. Well, Alessandro, is there anything else you'd like to add? Yeah. I would decide that, the younger generation don't have a scare about the future. I mean, don't have a scare to follow with a patient because, if you find really what to want to do, you do just a nice job. I think you are really happy. What do you do? Because when I'm started to start a difficult trend in technology, to work with one area, and then to start, your business. I mean, you made something really good and the US be every day for what you do. So when I wake up in the morning, I'm really glad for, what I did and what I want to do all in the future. So I think, the most important thing to follow the patient and, also what you would like to do. Wow. Alejandro, Thank you so much for this amazing conversation. I really feel inspired after this. And I hope that also our listeners can feel this great love and great passion you have for your family first, for your land, for your homeland, and for basically everything you do in your life. I wish you all the best. I thank you so very much for your time and for being with us today. Thank you, Julia. Thank you. Also, to give me this opportunity because I really like, to talk, my my family and my experience. Thank you so much. You're most welcome. And thanks so much. To the whole of you, our listeners, don't forget to tune in also next Sunday for a new episode of the next generation on the Italian white podcast. Gracier for being with me today and listening to the next generation on the Italian wine podcast.