Ep. 2056 Giulia Stocchetti interviews Valentina Kirichkova | 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. Tea. Welcome to the next generation with me, your host, Julia Stochetti. Join me as I take you on a journey to discover young stars of the Italian food and wine world, Bronte andiamo. Hello. Welcome back to the next generation with me, your host, Julia. So today, I'm excited to take you again to Kazakhstan to meet Valentina. Valentina is a young wine specialist based in Almati, Kazakhstan. Currently, she's working as brand manager at Montebianco, leading importer of Italian wines and products that operates seven wine shops. Valentina was elected second best son of Kazakhstan in twenty twenty three. So welcome to the show Valentina and congratulations on your achievement. How are you today? Hi, Julia. It's great. How are you? I'm good. Thank you. I'm so excited. I should say. Oh, nice pronunciation. Thank you so much. No. But today, it's all about you, Valentina, because I'm so eager to know you better. So can you please introduce yourself and tell us a bit about your background? Yeah. Sure. So my name is Valentina Karishkova, and I was born in Nazi in Kazakhstan, and now I'm living here and working as a brand manager of, wine importing company, Montebianca. And also, I am teaching in wine school called I wine also based in, Almaty. So it's it's about mind wine theme, you know, and main what I do. I think that's two two these two things. So it's a life dedicated to wine, basically. Italian wines, especially I hope. Yeah. Yeah. For sure. But You know, I started recently. I I mean, in wine, I'm I'm only four years in wine. Yeah. And before I was working as a designer of, graphic things, like, some posters and whatever. So that's beautiful. You're basically an artist. That became involved in the world of wine. That's true. So, can you tell us briefly about your journey into the world of wine? I mean, how come you started working into wine? So, I have a degree in design as I already mentioned. And I was working as a as a designer for around five years. And, during the COVID, I was bored just to sit at home and working as a freelancer and decided to find myself new hobby, you know, And, I found wine school in Almaty and, like, spent there two weeks and learning, like, basic course about wine. And I felt in love And in two weeks, I quit my job and start working on a basic position in one stroke as a cavist and studying wine at the same time and studying a lot. And already in six months, I passed, w two level three. So for me, that's, yeah, a big thing. And, I start to participate in each competition. I could, what I could find. And, I don't know all the advanced trainings in Kazakhstan was mine. So it was just went deep into the wine in really short time. And it's actually funny because, you know, I don't know any person at least in Kazakhstan who actually, after high school, woke up and said, okay. I'm gonna be a wine specialist. You know? It's just everyone who I know they all came into the wine world from something from some other job, you know, and for me, it was designed. Interesting. So different backgrounds, but all of you driven by this passion of wine, this passion about wine that developed within the years and your careers. But you've been so brave. I mean, you quit your job and just dedicated your life to wine and to study wine. That's impressive. That's amazing. And by the way, congratulations on your WSTT level three because it's not an easy achievement. But did you study in Kazakhstan to get that or somewhere else? No. We had a course in Kazakhstan. Yes. And, it was like one week education program, and then we passed the exam. And, I I think the the results we've got in half in a year or something because it's always take too long. I know. And now I'm studying diploma. Yeah. So I passed four exams out of six. And waiting for the results of other two. So So fingers crossed. You're almost done. Yeah. I did the diploma too, and it was a great, great experience. I graduated, like, three years ago. It was April remember the moment. I felt like I was flying, you know, I was like, yeah, I made it. It's a really, really a huge, huge step. It's like a milestone in our wine carriers, I guess. And it will help you to open new doors into I mean, advance will soon your career. You will see. Yeah. Thank you. You're welcome. So, like, what inspired you to become a brand manager at Monte Bianco? How come you're working for this amazing company? Mhmm. You know, in custom, like, At that point, we didn't have many importers. I would say, like, and, Montebianco, for me, it was the best because of the company philosophy and approach to the wine and its selection. Because Montebianco, it's about, you know, honest desire to show consumers the diversity of, wine world. You know, it's about education and information of consumers. It's about not only promoting the wine, but promoting the culture with which accompanies the wine And for me, it was, like, you know, the think which which I really liked, and it's really, like, my heart when I'm thinking about wine, I would I would say I have the same the same perception and approach to the wine as this company. So and, of course, focus on the great producers, on the best producers. It's also also the point. Beautiful. And what drew you specifically to Italian wines? I think, like, one of the main reasons, it was because my first wine trip was to Italy. And, I just jumped into the atmosphere and culture of the country. I was, speaking with people who were admire of about the wines. I was realize that, there are a lot of things that I don't know, and I think it takes whole life to know about, you know, Italian wines. And there are a variety of the styles and, yeah, food and language and people and beauty of the nature and everything. I was so impressed. Until now, I don't know. It was, like, three years ago or four years ago. Till now, I have my, you know, role morning routine to study Italian language each morning for fifteen minutes per day. So everything is. That's beautiful. Just say something in Italian to us. Oh, that's fantastic. Well, Antina, you're I mean, you're amazing me. Every time I ask you a question, I discover something so impressive about you. So, wow. Really happy to talk to you today. Really inspired. Thank you for invitation. For me, it's amazing opportunity to speak with you and to tell everyone about Kazakhstan something. And, I think it's always nice when people share something with each other. Beautiful, especially because wine is sharing and wine is for sharing. So happy to hear that. By the way, I mean, basically, how do you select wines when Montebianco has to import wines? How do you choose new product? Okay. When when Montebianca started, like, beginning like, started with, with wine before we were importing, Italian products. We understood that it's always connected with wine and start to importing Italian wine from the beginning. But for now, when we're trying to select new wine, it's always starts here in ALmaty, and it's about about deep search and and about, some, like, you just you're just searching the the producers in the internet and trying to realize who is the best, who is who will fit to Kazakhstan, who will, you know, the best best of your portfolio. So first, you gather all the information from all the sources at your disposal and then you decide according to the Kazakhstan market what to bring into your portfolio. Right? Yeah. Kind of. And as also we we are visiting always wine fairs such with Italy or Provine or something to speak with representative of the company and, to try the wine, of course, and, and to bring it to Afghanistan. But sometimes, you know, it happens like, I don't know, you're sitting somewhere in wine bar, trying the wine, filling in love, and just bringing to bringing it to Pakistan if it's possible. That's beautiful. So you really carefully select all the wines in your portfolio and you're really careful about quality and also how they're produced. So it's really important, I guess. So from from how many different countries do you source the wines? Now we have around seventy countries in our portfolio. Oh, wow. So it's yeah. But we mainly focus, of course, on Italy, France and Spain. It's like, I don't know, sixty or seventy percent of our portfolio, and then rest is other countries. For example, we have also Switzerland in our portfolio. Really? Yeah. Yeah. Oh, it's impressive. Thank you. And, like, how often do you update the portfolio? How often do you insert new products? You know, I think it it it happens like every day because every day we, we observe, how the customer react on the wines, and we're trying to get something new. And then, I don't know, for example, we will have, I don't know, five SKU or five five wines for one part. What from one producers, one producer, and then we realized that only three out of five will are are really nice for for everyone. So we will leave the tree and try to to bring something else. I don't know. We it's always, like, in the movement. We don't have, like, okay, we will, now we will have, like, more producers for now, and then we will not it's like, every day we're searching something new. That's amazing. Your customers are so lucky. They always find something new, something different, and basically tailor selected for for them. So I guess, like, in Kazakhstan, lots of people are enthusiastic about wines. I wouldn't say like that because we we Muslim country. So it's a bit difficult because, a lot of people who don't drink the alcohol at all. But, one of our main purpose as a wine import company, it's education and promoting. So we're trying to explain people, why wine is so good, why it is not just alcohol and so on. So it's like we're trying to promote every day some and bring something new for the cost customers. So how do you promote Italian wines on your market? We do many activities. So we've, like, started from, some basic, you know, a wine tasting for wine lovers in our wine shops. I don't know about prosecco or about pinot bridge or something this light and, easy going wines. And, then we do many academics. So for wine professionals, and we do online connection with, representative of the company of of the producers, for example, And I think the main thing what we actually do and it's really differ differs us from other. We, organize trips to Italy to visit, producers that are represented in our portfolio. And for example, in September, this year, we will take a small group to the north of Italy, and we will visit, Laspineta via, travelini, and Prada, and other producers. So with with the customers, with our partners, and with wine lovers. That's beautiful. So you're taking the people right to the source of the wine. That's amazing. So how long are you gonna stay in Italy? Normally, this kind of trip, it it takes like five or six days. Not not more, but, we're trying to do it often, like, at least once in the year. We we do this kind of, you know, trips. And you select the people who can come or basically everyone can sign up and just take part into the trip? No. We choose, we choose people. We, Normally, it's our partners. It's someone from our company who, who, who kind of control the group. And then we choose some people who achieved, like, like, a lot or I don't know, sold sell a lot of our, products or maybe we see the potential of the person and just want to help to the person to see more about Italian wines. So but now we're thinking about wine trips just for wine lovers. Mhmm. You know, it's just, but we didn't make it yet, but maybe next year, we're planning to do this. And are you going to in September or not to Italy? Me personally know it will be my, my colleague, but, I did it last time. Oh, beautiful. And where have you been? Me personally, Italy. You need Yeah. Oh, almost everywhere, I would say. Wow. I never been in Marque, Brutso, and this adriatic cost. Mhmm. But, all others, I would say, I I I've been always almost everywhere. Last time, it was, napoli. And iskia? Beautiful. Yeah. And iskia, I I was so impressed by this small island. I visited there, Tinuta Kanavale. Mhmm. It's small producers there, and I just took electric bike and just go around the island for one day. It was it was amazing. Yeah. I bet. You're so stunning places. And I guess, you know, it's only better than I do. You've been to so many places. No. Don't tell me about it, of course. And do you like Italian cuisine? Oh, I got the pasta. I wish I could eat it more than than I can't. But you have some Italian pasta in Kazakhstan, right? I mean, to restaurants, and stuff. Yeah. But it's not Italian, you know. It's like you you you can't do this in in other place. Like, it's but I love everything about Italy. I love people. I love food. I love culture, art. Everything. It's a beautiful place, beautiful country. I I I couldn't say more, like, because it's just in my heart, you know. Happy to hear that. So, like, what is fascinating about Italian wines for you and for customers. You know, I'm I often do some Italian events, some negotiation or about, I don't know, Northern Italy or central or something. Some to be some topic. And when I ask or wine lovers, or customers, like, what do you think, or what do you what what association you have when you think about Italy and each person can say many different wonderful association that he had in in his brain, you know, in in his mind, like, food, fashion, history, culture, art, sport, and so on, you know? Beautiful. Yeah. And I think, this kind of answers the questions quite well because because everyone can find something they like in Italy. And, as the wine in Italy also really diverse, each person can can can find something for for for him. And for me, it's like one of the best things and that's try. That's what I try to promote from Italy because every every each person can find something for for for themselves because of the variation. I think that's that's the that's the really great thing about Italian wines. So it's like carrying emotions through wines and experiences. That's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. And it's like it's really deeply in in history and in culture of Italy and the it's, you know, when you when you drink Italian wine, you can you can feel it that, you know, it's like it's it's part of the history and it's amazing. So, like, a bottle of Italian wine is like a journey. Yeah. You can taste and feel the country, the culture, and everything. Yeah. Yeah. So let's say, like, who is your customer base? Like, who are your clients, basically? You know, I think that's the the main customer customers are those, you know, wine enthusiasts because, yeah, when you coming in the into our wine shop, you can find something that not not everyone have in in their portfolio, I would say like that. Because I don't know, for example, when we're speaking about Italian regions, let's say, Latso. And when we speak about Latso, you can say, okay. The the most, known, it's, I don't know, orville. And, we don't have orville in our portfolio. We have great variety called Belona, Oh, and the, you know, that's that that's that's our focus. And the, for us, people who will come to our, one shop or whatever, he could find something new and try something new. And it's not about Pina Gridio and Sabignon blanks. It's about those really rare and unique grape varieties, and that's what we try to promote. Just to explore and open wine doors for for people who want to explore it. So wine enthusiasts and the and one more thing which is also important. We are not in we are not represented in the Mhmm. Supermarkets. It's only Horika. So people who want to explore explore wine, that's that's our our people. So you sell both to, like, final consumers, to end consumers, and to restaurants, bars, and cafes. Right? Yeah. Yeah. Yeah. So you're also distributors. Yeah. Yeah. But I would say that the main sales we're doing through our wine shops, it's like we we we have, like, seven, already eight, around Kazakhstan. So, and people knows our wine shops and come there not anyone anywhere else. I saw, so you're pretty active on social media, and I see you, like, in this reels talking about the the wines you have and everything. So I think you're also engaging the wine community in Kazakhstan in a interesting and exciting way. Yeah. We I don't know. It's it's like it's it's the thing what we're trying to do, yeah, promote the wine and the unique wine and the best wines from the world to to to Kazakhstan. It's not easy for us at all, but we still, you know, stand on this on this thing. So The next question, like, comes natural to me, like, what's the Italian best seller and why? Oh, it's it's hard question because as we have not, really, you know, big market, and it's still new. Like most of the people, they know and drink, you know, three pea. It's prosecco, primitivo and pinot grincho. And if we're speaking about selling and best selling. That's three of those styles. But, because of our, effort, now we have customers who come and say directly, okay, you have Ferara intern to Doc. I would like to d to have this, sparkling. Or you have Cortabella. I would like to have this. So people trying to ask something new and something that not from this category of three p, as as I told you. And, about best selling, that's Prosetka primitive and Pinacringer, but, rising stars is other, really nice wines, like, like, I, like, like, I mentioned. Yeah. It means you're educating your customers. So they're curious to try also something new and something that you actually propose to them except for the famous three piece, let's say. Yeah. Yeah. Have you noticed any trends in consumer's preferences for Italian wines over recent years? Yeah. But it's like, you know, we just trying to explain people that, okay, if you have, if you like prosaica, try better producer. If you, if you like primitivo, try something else. And, this kind of, you know, big trends I wouldn't say so. But, slowly, we see some change from from from the preference because, recently, we introduced, wines by glass in our wine shop. And we, we place there some, wines that are unknown. For example, the Belonia I told you about, from Latso, we put it in, in the leased by glass. And, in in in one week, we sold almost everything that we have in wine shop Oh, wow. By bottle of this wine. So it's it's crazy because people just, you know, you should just show them how how good wine is and they will buy everything. So they are quite open. So it's it's all about us and our promotion because it really works. So we can, you know, we can manage this trend, I would say. Because if we will show something, people will like it and they will buy it. That's really important that they actually trust you and they're open to try something new. Because that way, you can introduce every time you want something new, and they trust you, and they try it, and they're enthusiastic about that, and then they get back. And they know they can actually rely on you. They trust you. So they're like, okay. If I wanna go wine, I go to Monte Bianco, I ask for Valentina, and she definitely knows how to, how to make me try something that I've never had and that I might fall in love with. Who knows? You know, it's not always like that. So you're pretty lucky. Yeah. Yeah. That's we we worked for it, like, twenty years. So we try to, you know, get this, this trust from cost consumers. And, now we are, you know, we feel it. We we feel the the result of our work. Okay. Now I have a really difficult question for you. Maybe the toughest one I would say. Do you have a favorite Italian wine or region, at least at the moment? No. I hate this question. Sorry. Impossible. Okay. Like, what do you like drinking at the moment? What's among your favorites? Now that it's summer is warm, or maybe you have, I don't know, a favorite white or sparkling, or I don't know. Uh-uh. I already mentioned the producer. I love ferrari. If we're speaking about sparking, But in terms of styles and, and wines, I I prefer, you know, elegant and, pale red wines. And, for me, volcanic Trevor of Aetna is, really, really nice. I love Nerella Maskaleza, and I love, Niebiolo as well, and it's amazing, but it's, you know, not for for young drinking. For drinking young. And, but I hate this question because, you know, when you are staying in in Napoli, it's good to drink Valentina. When you're staying in Florence, it's good to drink San Juoza or or something we had. So it's impossible to answer for this question. But, yeah, it's a tricky one. Yeah. Yeah. But I would say, yeah, like, I love, San Juvez as well, but from Bernella, for example, yeah. Yeah. If I if I will think about any, you know, region from twenty, I would say, okay, I like this here. And, in in in, basilicat, I love this one. In in, I don't know, in lots, so I love this one. So I have perfect wine style and perfect wine from each region. So it's impossible to answer. Maybe I can answer you, but name twenty wine styles. But let's say, yeah, it's time to Piedmont. I I would say these these two interesting And what do you think the future holds for Italian wines on the exact stage? I noticed that, people start traveling more and, trying new wines abroad. Sometimes consumers come to Vine Shop showing you the label and asking you, okay, I've tried it there and, do you have it? And that's really nice because it gives us opportunity to offer something from our portfolio because we have, like, almost everything in our portfolio. It's easy to say that we don't have from Italy, you know. And, So Italy is well represented. You have wines from all the regions. Basically. Yeah. We don't have Melissa, but there is a joke about Melissa. I know, like, even even if it's even exist here. Yeah. That's what he's saying Italy. Well, yeah, we have everything but Melissa. Okay. Like, because you're on the next generation, I was wondering what's the young people attitude towards Swine in Kazakhstan. Are they interested in it? Or do they prefer something else? They don't even care? I think, like, for now, it's it's becoming better and better each year. But for now, people still thinking that wine is really expensive, drink and, prefer doing something less expensive, for example, beer. But for me, like, I am a part of participant of our local, Sommelier Association. And, every time I see on some events that there are many, many young people who is actually interested interested about about wine, because association includes not only one professionals, but one lovers as well. So when I can see that each time there are many, many new faces that I don't people who I don't know. So There are some interested interest from young people, but, not as much as I would like to see, I would say. Yeah. But we're trying to to to do the best and to to kind of invite more people every time, but there are still some, you know, challenges for us. Well, you know, it's just the beginning step by step. You'll improve, you'll get better, and you'll gather even more and more people together around a glass of wine, for sure. Italian with wine. Of course. Yeah. That's your pleasure. For sure. Well, Valentina, I guess we cover pretty much everything. Is there anything else you'd like to add or to say? I would like to say thank you for for for the for your time for the invitation, and this was really, exciting for me and a bit, you know, I'm a bit, stressed. Yeah. I'm glad you're fine. Yeah. I hope was everything was good. And, thank you for your time and for your question and thank you for Italian wines. I don't know because they are amazing. And I hope at some point we will see each other in person, you know, of course. You're most welcome, Valentina, and thanks for sharing this huge passion and love for Italian once you have with the people in Kazakhstan, especially in Almati. Valentina's receivable show. So for the listeners, I just say thank you Valentina. It was beautiful to get to talk to you and the interview was great. So that's a wrap. That's it for today. I hope you're gonna tune in also next Sunday for a new episode of the next generation on the Italian win podcast, wherever you get your pods. Gracier for being with me today and listening to the next generation on the Italian wine podcast.