Ep 2345 Lia Falconieri | Voices with Cynthia Chaplin

Being of a different heritage, is bears also some advantage if I can say because, you are very recognizable. Among other people. And, of course, people remember you. And that can be a good thing, but also a bad thing. 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. Welcome to voices. This is me Cynthia Chaplin, and today I'm so happy to have Leah Falconieri with me on voices. We've been trying very hard to get this conversation going, so we're both very happy to be together today. Leah lives in Piamonte where she works at Czech, the family winery founded in nineteen eighty five by her father, Remo Falconieri, and they create the most incredible wines from the native grape, Air Belice, a white grape, which I was very lucky to taste at Grande Alange in Turino just a couple of weeks ago. So thank you so much for taking time out. I know it's a very busy time of year. So delighted to speak to you, Leah. So thank you very much, Cynthia, for inviting me. I'm very happy to be with you today. Well, I love your story. You're you're such a very, open and humble person. You call yourself a factotum at chief, and the word means an employee who does all kinds of work. I love this description of yourself. You know, I think it resonates with a lot of women in the wine sector. We all do lots and lots of jobs, not just one. So tell us about what's an average day like in the life of Leah at Check? Oh, well, Cynthia, I think that being a total is kind of of the job of every woman in the in the world. In the wine industry and out meaning that we must be ready for anything that comes in our in our day. So, with our family, with our job, and especially in a very small business, like, ours. We need to to do a little bit of of everything. So a little bit like a jack of all trades, but we are always trying to do our best. Meaning, we start in the morning while reading emails, trying to to categorize more, urgent things and things that can be postponed and be done later. We don't have a very, we have also some something planned. And so we have to put everything together and try to to reach a at least at lunchtime. Then lunchtime, we can make break and try to plan the afternoon. But always as many things, you you cannot, think in advance, so sometimes you're just go and and do whatever is needed. Yes. I think that's true for everyone. Sometimes life throws you a curve ball and you find yourself doing something that wasn't on the schedule. So I think your approach to being flexible is is a really, really good one. I I know that you were born in Seoul, South Korea. So this is really interesting me. Can you share with us a little bit about the back story of your journey into Italian wine. You know, it's not every day that I'm at a wine conference, and I meet a woman with South Korean heritage running a winery in Piamante. And I'm sure you get some, you know, fairly surprised reactions from time to time. So tell us a little bit about your journey from Seoul into San Georgia Di kind of easy in Pimonte. So, like many other people of my generation, Korean people of my generation, I was adopted by an Italian family, and that's how I came to be in Central Jokanabeza in nineteen seventy one. So as many people say, I am I've been very lucky because it I was adopted in a in a family that at that time, my father was really doing another job, but after ten, fifteen years, it started the wine business. So that's why I I I think myself so so lucky. Oh, been of a different heritage in those years, meaning the seventies wasn't so difficult in a in a land, like, San Georgia in in Italy because there were There were many people coming from from abroad. So meaning, I never had like, I never lived bad situation, like, racism in my small small town. I think people were more curious about my difference, but not the they didn't ever, like, a bad a bad feeling about foreigners. People were were curious about about me. They wanted to know. And being of a different heritage, is there's also some some advantage if I can say because, you are very recognizable among other people. And, of course, people remember you. And that can be a good thing, but also a bad thing, depending depending on on you. And also thinking about my personal story, I think that being an adoptee in a in a very apparent way, is it's something that the help you, think and reflect about in-depth about life and see if you that makes this, I don't know how to express this. Sometimes you guess if you deserve what you what you got. That's such an interesting thing to think about. Probably it's something that everybody should think about, but being, but as of two people, often, are confronted with these thoughts more often than than other people maybe? That's a really interesting point. I I think I think that's a a very introspective point to make. I'm not sure many people would think that, but I I agree with you. It's it's a very interesting point of view. And I it's it's interesting what you said about having, you know, no no bad situations in your little town of San Georgia, which is lovely to hear. And you referenced your father, Remo. I know he was working at olivetti, which everyone worked at olivetti in those days, as a typewriter designer, I think. And, you know, I mentioned he started the winery in nineteen eighty five, you studied economics at the university in Tarino. So did you think you'd go into wine with your dad? How did it all happen? Not really at the time. We need to in I started university during the the eighties. So it was a very, very different times compared to, today. No, it really was ninety, nineteen ninety. So we have really a a different, view of the future compared to today. Everything was still growing. And, the our business was very small at at the beginning of the story of of our winery. Let's say my father started without a business plan. Our winery was really like a Sunday, Saturday and Sunday hobby turned into a job. But at the beginning, it was just a way to spend time doing something that really you were really passionate about, but without, like, a business plan, without many, plans for the future. So at at the time, I I I I started university thinking, well, I will look for a for a good job in the future that I'm now I'm happy with my career, meaning that what I what I learned and the experience that I made in university can be put it at the service of our winery. And but at the beginning, really, I I wasn't thinking about that. At the time? I don't I don't think anybody thinks about going to work for their parents when they're young. I think that comes later. That's not not so easy, meaning that, yes, you you share all your day. I mean, that at the time we were still living with my family. So it we were working twenty four seven. That's and all we were always talking about the wine, you know, the winery and the and our vineyards. And so it was it was kind of tough. And also the relationship of father and daughter, was something that was inside the the winery, but also outside, and it was very difficult. Also, because my father is, not very young. Our, my father is nine now ninety two. So it is almost forty years older than me. So we we we belong to very different generations in different way of thinking. I think you and I have you and I had very similar things when we were small. I think we're about the same age, and my father was was also quite a bit older than my mother. So, one of the things people don't think about when they think of romantic Italian wineries is that the families have to live there and work together and try not to kill each other. So I think it's a it's a good point to bring out that it wasn't something you planned, but it happened as the business grew. And now you're also a member of Ladonna Delvino here in Italy, which, is the association for women working in all aspects of the wine sector in Italy. I was a member of Donna Delvino when I was living in Latcio. I really must do something to, renew my membership now that I'm in Verona. I I wanna ask you how you view your the role of the association. For people who are listening who don't know, there have been a couple of tragedies in the past few years, a couple of women who were members of Ladona Delvino, who were murdered by their partners or ex husbands. It's become quite a talking point. So how do you view the role of the association? You know, what do you think the main goals are of the women who are members now? What's the mission of Ladona Delvino now in twenty twenty? Very long, associate of, Ladona Delvino, because I, I was lucky that our, our colleague, Kayla Marinko, presented me at the at the association in two thousand and two. So It's been twenty three years. Lato Dovino Association was very has been very important for my personal and professional growth. During the last, twenty three years because I think I I entered the association in two thousand and two. Thanks to, Mikaela Marinko that presented me to the association when I was probably thirty one or thirty two years old. Well, at that time, the especially in this in this land, the the wine sector was very different. There were much fewer wineries. So, and our region was kind of isolated from the other regions, winer, the other while producing regions of Pemonte. So for me, this was really a link to know other women working in the same sector facing the same problems every day. Some of them were my my seniors. So, and they were so kind and willing to share their experience and to help out the the young, the the youngster, help the the younger girls to grow both professionally, doing sharing experience and doing things together. And so it was very, very helpful for me. And besides of personal and professional growth, I also found many good friends and very long gone trend. And now we are, the association has, grown a lot. There are many, the, all the old, the old members, new members, younger ladies, And I think that together we are much much stronger, and we can afford to, do interesting things that probably alone we couldn't do. These days, our president, our local president has organized the, training about artificial intangement and marketing. So it's also a way to stay up to date with new things. Something that the people working on their own with their own business sometimes, it's it's hard for us to to keep up to date with new things, new technologies, and, and, indeed, so the association is helping us a lot. That's so important. I think we all get caught up in our own daily lives and and having our own responsibilities and work to do And there is so much new technology, as you said, AI, being used in vineyards and in sellers and in marketing and communication. It's great to know that your chapter of Donna Delvino is doing seminars to help people understand that technology I I just wanted to ask you, do you think that LeDonna Delvino will ever get to the point where they'll be able to provide scholarships for young women to do wine studies? Like, do provide some more mentorship, provide some more job opportunities and internships? What do you think? No. Yes. The the association is already helping young young girls. Our local, Kidmantee's association is helping women that are not only entering the the the sector, but also women that are working online, like, They we are offering scholarship to some areas. We are helping women and and also young boys, studying in, Estitutal Berguero. So it depends on the the plan too. And so we we support them about playing wines to making to make take wine classes at school. So material for learning and sharing things. And I think that these are all for the association It's it's very it's very important because sometimes, the people studying that school lacks experience. So, by hosting them in our in our wineries and going to their schools and sharing our experience can can help them. And also another something that I forgot to mention is that our association is not only a professional association among wine producers, but the, some also other women working on on wines like so many journalists, women running restaurants and are also member of our association and we are sharing views and experience together. We are building a network. We are, sharing also, we are also doing business with each other. And so it It's very it's a fundamental, membership for for me. I'm so glad that it's it's keeping that dynamic atmosphere and moving along with, with the times because it's it's true. What you said, young people need to be supported financially. It's very expensive to study wine, take sommelier courses, and things like that. And also to get work experience, it's not easy to to get a an internship, an opportunity to have something practical to put on your curriculum. So I'm really happy to hear LeDonna Delvino is is keeping that sort of, really important you know, tangible work going because it's it is important if we wanna keep women in the wine industry, we have to do this. So, I wanna talk a little bit about your winery too. I know Check will be certified organic next year. And you've said that you're working on sustainability and a training project for the younger generation, and you work, as we know, primarily with Erbeluce, which is a native grape, and it's relatively unknown outside of Piamonte. You're making these fantastic quality sparkling wines and still wines, with sort of a burgundy esque style about them champagne for the sparkling and chablis in the beautiful vigna missolvula wine that I tasted with you, in January. You've also got a wonderful sweet wine, a lady, that's kind of a Italian pacito style. So you're blending these various styles sort of a French style, Italian styles, promoting this grape that not many people know about. So tell me what the plans are for the winery, for the future of the marketing, the future of the wines, as as everyone can tell listening to me, I fell in love with these wines when they tasted and you were very enthusiastic about it. So I'd like to hear what the plans are, how you're going to use AI and marketing and, grow the winery. Well, you know, people from in the white business, we are most of us are very traditional people. It and it is something that is probably due to many different reasons. One is that we are very we have a strong link with our land. And with with it's like traditional way of, growing things, the different grape variety, traditional grape varieties. And Also, there is a tradition of learning things on the job, meaning that many things are transmitted from father to son and or daughter, of course. And so I think that our winery will not leave the the things that we, with the way we we are not I'm not going to change things a lot, meaning that, Ervaluche is our is it in our art and it's it's the core of our of our winery. And it's also the things that we know to do better, meaning that we have built an experience in, air balloon training and air balloon making. So it's it's it's the things that we know, we know how to make. I mean, I think that this this is something that cannot be changed in our in our winery. We try every year to learn new skills to learn new ways or to improve the way we to do our, to make our wines. We try to be always more attentive to, the environment and not to not to take from our land more than we can give back. And but Arberuchi will will remain the the focus of our of our winery. I think I I cannot see a future for our winery without our balocha. Absolutely. Absolutely. And I I like the idea of not taking more from the land than you can give back. That's a that's a key principle to to sustainability. And I know you built a new winery about ten years ago. Let's let's just talk a little bit about, you know, the next generation this focus on sustainability, the, you know, the certification of organic coming up next year. What do you think will be your legacy when you decide to retire? You know, if you ever do, I doubt you will. Your your dad is ninety. He still comes into the winery. So I suspect you'll be doing that. What do you see coming in the future with sustainability with the new winery and the next generation at Cheek? This It's tough because it's a it's a particular moment in the life of our winery, meaning that my father, that I'm lucky, I'm lucky to say that he's nine is going to turn a ninety two. This may and is still in good health. It's coming every day to check things. Also at the same time, we have a new people, And we are trying to build a a team with younger people working at our winery. And, I'm lucky to have two two young, men. They are twenty five and, and a woman. That is, a little bit older. And we are building a team of of new people, and they are also enthusiastic and passionate about their job. And we are really working, at at the at the project. And because the the legacy of my father will be transmitted to everybody, not to my to my to me because I'm not really a technician of the, of the winemaking or or or of why over our vine growing. I'm more like a factoid as I as I thought, but I really would like to share my my father heritage with our with our team because they they are team of of the people, people that know the know the job. And their passion and enthusiasm enthusiasm can, really help our the heritage of my father to stay in the winery. And be transmitted. I hopefully to my son, which is not, who's now too young to to join the business. But hopefully, he will someday. Well, I'm gonna ask you, you have a son, and you've said, you know, you've seen over the over the years, you know, more women, in the PM Montezy wine world. What do you think about the role of women in Piamantezi wine now? You know, how do you think it's going to grow in the next decade? You know, we know that there are a lot of incredible young women coming up in Piamante. And from, you know, famous families and from small wineries as well. And I wonder what do you think we can do to encourage and support them in, you know, you said a very traditionally male dominated wine region. What would you like to see happen in the next couple of decades for women in Piamonte in the wine sector? Oh, I think that young women in Piamonte in and excited the wineries are are are are very, are very clever, are very, focused. Probably a little a little bit more than their male counterparts. Meaning, I have a Sunday's nineteen and is still he doesn't know what he will do in the future, but I know that, if, female colleagues, they are much more focused. At the same age. So I think that young young women should be should it make be collaborative together. I think that if they they should they improve and increase their ability to share and to go together, they can be really so strong. I And that was great. I agree with you. I agree with you. I have the the great privilege to work with quite a lot of young women in the wine industry right now in all different sectors, and I feel their strength, and I like what you said about collaborating. And, of course, La Dona Delvino is is all about collaborating, and increasing their ability to share and to reach out to each other and to to be strong together. I think that's a really good way for for the future to come in Piamante. So I I can't thank you enough, Leah, for giving me this interview today. It was really lovely to speak to you and to hear such a different perspective. I'm here in Rainy Verona, and you're way up there in Piamonte. I will tell you this coming week. I will. I will. I hope you have a wonderful day, and I will see you at Vini Tilly. Thank you very much for your time today. Thank you very much, Vinca, for inviting me. Thank you for listening and remember to tune in next Wednesday when I'll be chatting with another fascinating guest. 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