Ep. 1863 Nixon Munga | Voices With Cynthia Chaplin

Welcome to the Italian Great Geek podcast. Join us as we explore personal stories of travel and tasting with Italy's must know grape for idols. Chart your own course with my Italian Great Geek journal, your personal tasting companion to accompany the series. Available now on Amazon. With thanks to calendula and partners for their generous support with this project. Welcome to the Italian wine podcast. I'm Cynthia Chaplin, and this is voices. Every Wednesday, I will be sharing conversations with international wine industry professionals discussing issues in diversity, equity and inclusion through their personal experiences working in the field of wine. If you enjoy the show, please subscribe and rate our show wherever you get your pods. Hello and welcome to voices. This is Cynthia Chaplin, and today I'm so happy to welcome Nixon Munga. Nixon's from Nairobi in Kenya, and he's an architect by training and a wine lover by choice. He's the recipient of the Berluke scholarship for the Vinitally International Academy, Italian Wine Ambassador flagship course, which will begin next week here in in verona on April fourth. So thank you for taking the time away from your studies, Nixon, to come and talk to me today. I really appreciate it. Oh, thank you. Thank you for having me. It's it's wonderful to, you know, get to finally meet the people behind, the course and, hover charts? Well, it's like we're all the wizard of Oz. You get a million emails from us, and then you finally meet us in person. Well, I've heard a lot about you from, some of my mates in the country and, you know, really good things. So I am very sure that I will have a fantastic time in verona. I'm glad things are being said that are good about me. That's nice to hear, but yes. You'll love Verona. You're gonna have a great time. I guarantee that. No problem at all. So let's let's talk a little bit about this and how you got involved because I know you're an architect and a furniture designer and What on earth got you into wine? You know, how did this new journey into wine start for you? I mean, it right now, it it's been a while. I would say I started out as, a wine lover. I really do live cooking. If you check out my Instagram at wine architect, then all the posts were mostly about food and oh, I cooked this. And then when I got into campus, I was like, Oh, food goes well with wine. And so I started exploring wine. Not not so seriously of, taking it to a professional level or getting to study about it, but, you know, just buying something that and, you know, you know, encompass with without so much purchasing part. And so most of the jam, I will be buying, wine that will not be over fifteen dollars. And then one day, I remember there was a time, I went to this white shop and someone recommended a rioja. And I was like, I was leaving about it, but then I picked it up. Then I believe, should be February in twenty eighteen. We had that wine with a a biryani. Go to biryani and that was the moment. This part I just was like, I have to know about wine. Oh, that's amazing. I love it when people find their way into the industry through a food and wine pairing because it does really bring people together, and food should always be involved when you have wine. So that's a fun one. And I love pairing with spicy food, so a biryani and a Rioja sounds great, actually. Well, well, you've been working as a sommelier for the past year or so. I'm wondering how's that going. You know, it's very different from sitting in an architecture studio all day. You know, how are you finding it? It is interesting. My first gig I started, under, my mentor, one of my mentors who brought me into the industry as not the professional side side of it. I believe that was it back in twenty twenty one. So, you know, going for some testings here and there, then I decided to get into service and worked, I worked with moving peak hotel and residences in Nairobi, and I was so green in service. So you can imagine going into going into the floor and you're meeting all these guests and you don't know a thing about Avis and It was real crazy for the first, one month, but then you get the gist of it, and then you go with the flow. And then after a while, you're like, oh, this this is quite nice. So I did that for about a year, which was a really rewarding time. But I saw the results of what, we achieved with the wine list and even with the beverage sales in total, but also more importantly for me was, you know, getting to educate, the staff and insisting on a very rigorous beverage training. So then after that, then right now, because there's, because I have my architecture degree. The last year in architecture school, which is really crazy. So I stopped that and right now I'm consulting so that allows me to juggle between wine and school. Very good plan. Very good plan. It's it's difficult to leap right into wine right away and and have that be a career that can put food on your table. So very good plan to keep all things going. I'm wondering, what's what's the wines mean like in Nairobi these days? You know, who's who's tasting? Who's buying? What what are the most popular wines in Kenya right now? The most popular wines, I would say mostly the fruity style of wine. I would say. So say, for example, I know, much of us, for example, much of us is one that has been flying off the shelves because it's one that is easily approachable, as well as, those a Malbec, I believe. Yeah. There's a Mal there's a Malbec in the market that is also flying off the shelf. So generally looking at the trend is, more of fruity introductory style of wines. But then, comparing to the Weinstein about seven years ago, you can imagine seven years ago. WSTT did not have an APP, Nairobi. But then we have one now people are getting more into wine that's seeking out the education. So it's one that is really vibrant and growing. And just, in January, I yeah. In January, at the end of January, when we had, Gumbero Rosa do their first roadshow in Nairobi. That was one of the biggest events with a huge turnout. So this it's very vibrant. People are really open to learning and people are open to testing new wines. So who's who's drinking wine in Nairobi? Is it young people, old people, men, women, everybody, fill us in? Mostly, I would say, mostly I would say, In terms of ratio of, females to males, I'll say females. It will be about, seventy and males about thirty percent. They're still quite multicultural where, you know, To some extent wine is frowned upon if you're drinking wine and german, you'd be like, oh, you should be having with pure spirit, but people are getting there. Then in terms of age gaps, the young people not so much because most of the time I used to be so disappointed when I would go to a testing and find that I'm the youngest, at least that has changed in the last one year. So, I'll say the edge will be between, somewhere about twenty seven upwards. And then there there's, the connoisseurs who know the wines who will ask you, I want a Magolo or someone you know, someone really surprised me, and they'll ask me that do you have, you know, a nice passito from, from Sardinia. And I'm like, oh, you know your wines. So there's all that melting pot of, everyone who's having what they want. That's exciting. It's good to know when a new sort of emerging market for wine is is coming out. How much Italian wine do you get in Kenya? Italian wine, I would say about should be in terms of figures. Don't I don't have it right off my head, but, I'll say it will rank fourth because I know South Africa, obviously, because it's closer to Kenya. That is the first. But then, more uniquely is, the Italian culture that is in Kenya because when you go to the When you go to the Kenyan coast, you find this, you know, a melting pot of, into marriages and you have intermixing of, Swahili and, Italian culture. So right in the coast is something that is really up there and you find a lot of consumption of Italian wines. Then in Nairobi, more and more I see, restaurants opening with purely Italian wine list, purely Italian or Mediterranean inspired, cuisines. And so it's really opening up. And just going back to, the which was the biggest that Kenya's ever had. It just shows you the hunger that, the Kenya's have for Italian wines, especially I would say wines from the south because as I mentioned, wines that, you know, easily approachable. So I think it's one that can do really well in the market. 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 foods, and taking in the scenery. Now, back to the show. Well, that's very exciting. I I guess we have to say Kenya's thirsty for Italian wine. So That's that is good to know. And and that sort of brings me around to the Vinitally International Academy, Italian wine Ambassador course, and how did you find out about the program and what inspired you to apply for the course? I found out, about the program from, Victoria. Obviously, you'd know Victoria. She says nice things about you. I know Victoria very well. Send her a big hug. So Victoria, Victoria is one of my mentors as well. And, yeah, we were having a chat one day. And, you know, she goes, like, if you're really interested in Italian wine, so just expanding your wind repertoire, then that is a course that, I can't explore. And, you know, doing this, having this chat with you today. And after reading through the books, I'm just like, I did not know anything about it. Italian. Not a little bit. So it's it's something that is I'll tell anyone. If you're interested in Italian nines, you have to do the course. So I found it about it through my mentor. And for me, I always seek out opportunities to learn, learn, learn because in this life, you never stop learning. Well, you are the perfect person to receive the Burlisky scholarship I'm excited for you to meet Christina Zilliani, who's the owner of the Berlicki winery when you're here next week. We're all excited to have you. I can see how dedicated you are to your education side of this, and that makes me so happy because I'm an educator too. So I can't wait for you to get here. And you're right. You know, it's it's a very well known fact that the Via Course is extremely rigorous and, you know, the most in-depth Italian wine course in existence at the moment. And you've been studying for a couple of months now. So how are you finding the program? You said you've been reading the books and watching the videos, learning a lot. So how how's it going for you? At first, at first, I have to admit, I felt that it was really challenging, if anything. I felt like I did not know anything about Italian Alliance you mentioned you know, the plethora of grape varieties that you have. And then there's that intertwined with the culture itself, and then you go into the history, the rich and deep history that you know, overlays within, the winemaking philosophy. And I'm really finding that I'm learning so much, but then at the same time, it brings me to a point of appreciating wine, the Italian wines even more because then I would say, oh, I know about this, or I have an idea about this. So let me see if it's, you know, if it's what the book says, So it's it's been a really interesting journey, quite challenging, because of, trying to balance with, my school work, but then so far so good, enjoying it. Good. I'm so glad to hear this. This makes me really happy because the Via Course has been near and dear to my heart for several years now, and and I'm an ambassador too, of course. And the book, the new book, the Italian Wine Unplugged two point o book that came out last year, of course, won an award, and that book was my baby. So I'm so happy that you're enjoying it. And I I wanted to just get back a little bit to the WSET going on in Nairobi. There's one APP there. We have an APP here where I teach as well. And I know you passed your your WSET level three in October. So I'm wondering what's next for you and wine after the the VIA course, you know, are you gonna try for your diploma? What are you what are you planning in wine? What's the goal for you? Tell me the the wine dreams of Nixon. So when, you know, I when my mentor because so my mentor, as I mentioned, one zero, we met through an online situization program by wines of South African. They are doing this, series of, talking about, searching grapes, Shannon Blanc, Cabrenio, I believe, also as cup classic, as well as pinotage. And all through that, those programs, attended all of them. But then I had not taken any I had not taken any professional certification. And so at the end of it, one zero, Gibson says that, you know, it's good that you've started early. It can be one of the best in the industry. And so in my mind, I think at some point, I'd about master of wine. And I was like, I want to be master of wine. Up until now, I know what it takes to be master of wine. Yeah. But then that's still the dream. So I have dreams of getting my diploma. I have, dreams of going all the way to master wine because I believe and even after that, you know, just going on going on visiting different wine regions and learning because the beauty about wine for me is that it just has a way of bringing put together a round table with food and then, you know, there's always laughter. And, you know, if anything, I don't know the secret to happiness, but I've never been sad that are interesting. So, yeah, Must of wine. Oh, believe. I think we should put that on t shirt. I don't know the secret to happiness, but I've never been sad at a wine tasting. I really like that. And you have big dreams. I mean, master wine, that's a big dream. We just we just got our third master of wine in Italy. We had our first one in twenty twenty two, and then the second one was this summer in twenty twenty three. And just last month, Pietro Russo from Donna Fugata in Sicily became the third Italian master of wine. So it's not easy to do. It's it's very difficult, long road. Thank goodness. You're young because, that's gonna help you out. Everybody says it gets them exhausted. I would love to do it myself, but I think I'm too old. But I I do get that alert. Like, everyone tells me, oh, thank goodness you're young. You've started this when you have no commitments. Not crazy bills to pay so you can go the distance. Exactly. But this is I love this about you. You have this big dream. You have goals. You have a plan. I'm gonna keep my eye on you. I can't wait to give you a hug when you get here next week. And I'm excited for you to do the course. I'll I'll want to hear what you think about it after you've finished. And hopefully, I'll come and see you and Victoria in Kenya pretty soon. So thank you so much for coming on today, Nick, and I really appreciate it. It was so fun to talk to you. Thank you. Thank you for having me. Just, you know, it was really fun. More like chatting with an old friend. Thank you for listening. And remember to tune in next Wednesday when I'll be chatting with another fascinating guest. Italian wine podcast is among the leading wine podcast in the world, and the only one with a daily show. Tune in every day and discover all our different shows. You can find us at italian wine podcast dot com SoundCloud, Spotify, Himalaya, or wherever you get your pods.