Ep. 1862 Giulia Pussini | Wine, Food & Travel With Marc Millon

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 pods. Welcome to wine food and travel. With me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Listen in as we journey to some of Italy's most beautiful places in the company of those who know them best. The families who grow grapes and make fabulous wine. Through their stories, we'll learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialties that pair naturally with their wines, and the most beautiful places to visit. We have a wonderful journey of discovery ahead of us. And I hope you will join me. Welcome to wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, it's my great pleasure to travel to one of my favorite of all of Italy's many, many beautiful winelands, the classic heartland of prosecco between Valdo Bialdene and Coneliano to meet my guest, Julia Puscini, who is the international communication and events manager of the consortio to telo Delvino Conigliano Valdo Baldobbiadene prossecco. Which looks after the interests of wine growers in the classic prossecco heartland. While ensuring that quality standards are kept to the highest level. Julia, it's a real pleasure to meet you again here. We met in person last year when I visited your area with the consortium. So thanks for sharing your time with us this morning. And how are you today? Thank you. Good morning to everybody. It's a pleasure to be the guest of your podcast. I'm very well. Thank you very much. Is it a beautiful day? Yes. It's a beautiful sunny day. It also day with the air. Very crisp. Like a good class of our wine. Oh, perfect. Now, Julia, as I said, I think that the Praseco Corneliano Valdo Bayardan area is one of the most beautiful of Italy's many, many beautiful wine lands. Can you please give us for our listeners who maybe haven't been there? A visual description of this very special land that gives birth to a very special wine. Of course. First of all, we have to say where we are located. So we are in the north eastern part of Italy. We are in the Venator region, and, we are situated in a deal position between the seam and the mountains. We are seventy kilometers far from Venice and one hundred kilometers far from the mountains from the dolomites. The mountains create a perfect barrier that, permitted to have winter that are not so cold. The fact that we are not so far from the sea, permit to have also summer that are not so hot. And, actually, this was the area where the nobles of Venice used to come in the past for, avoid the the oddness of the lagoon. Coronás de Piyada represents the historic production area for prosaicco. It's an area of, fifteen municipalities. It's in entirely hilly area where we find the best expression of this wine. This area, for the uniqueness of its landscape, obtain a really important recognition in two thousand nineteen. The recognition of, unesco board heritage site, was really a great satisfaction for us, because this recognition arrived after ten years of hard work preparing to see and involving, experts of different subjects from Italy and from other countries. So the UNESCO identified, our landscape as a cultural landscape. It means a landscape characterized by a really positive interaction between, man, the one growers, and nature. And this thanks to the work of thousands of wine growers that works in our area, that we have a landscape that is well preserved. Actually, that's a very, very good point that UNESCO cite in in the UNESCO citation that it isn't just a beautiful natural landscape, but a landscape that's been shaped by man and woman over many, many generations and indeed centuries. Exactly. And, the UNESCO identified three unique elements, pretty distinctive elements of, this landscape. One is the Oakback So this particular, geomorphological configuration, ma'am, we have two series of hills that goes in parallel from east to west, and are interspersed with a small parallel valleys. Then the second element that was identified as unique of our area is the chileana. So, chileana is a particular type of terrosa that is made not with stones of butter with the grass. And there was a system that the wine growers found to to carry on Viticulture in this particular and difficult area characterized by these very steep hills. So Chilione was a system, used for reinforcing the slopes of the hills, and also reduce the soil erosion. Then we have, the third element that was recognized as a unique of our area. The, factor that is like, a patchwork. So it is an area that is characterized by thousands of smaller linear plots, interspersed with the woodlands and fellow lands. And the scenario where, the biodiversity is also preserved. Okay. That's a really, really good visual description. And I just want to, emphasize these points of the hog back shapes of these ridges of mountains so distinctive. And I remember standing and and and and feeling this this landscape around with these beautifully shaped hills. And then the the chileony that you mentioned, these grassy, terracing. The vineyards in, Kuniliano Valdo Bayadine are so steep that they couldn't be worked unless man had been able to find a way to shape them. And this is a very distinguishing, element in the vineyards of this classic heartland for prosecco. And thirdly, as you mentioned, Julia, that patchwork, which makes it such a pleasant and beautiful landscape. It's not single-minded. It's not only vines. But they're the wood, woods, and also other crops grown. And the shapes, some of the rows going vertically, some going horizontally, make it a visually stunning place. And a small zone, Julia, compared to prosecco doc, which extends over much of Fruliva, in large parts of Veneto. It's very easy to confuse. The prosecco dock larger area with this very small classic heartland. So it's a really unique and beautiful area. Exactly. It's a really interesting area, particular area characterized by in heroic Viticulture, where everything, almost everything has to be done by hand. And that we estimate around the six hundred, the eight hundred hours of work per hour per year in comparison with one hundred and fifty hours of work per hour per year on the plane. So the territory is really the main factor that, permits to obtain here a product of period quality. It's a territory with a really eye vocation for a Viticulture characterized by different type of soils, by a perfect microclimate. And, the territory is one of, the reason of the quality of Corneliano and Proseco superior radiology. Then this area is also characterized by, really, deep tradition in sparkling winemaking and, really, important to wine culture that was diffused in the area thanks to the school of analogy that we have in Conigliano the first school of analogy created in Italy in, eighteen seventy six, and schools that played, an important role in the past, in training the young technician and, also nowadays plays a fundamental role in training the technician that goes to work in our winery, training around one thousand five hundred students every year. And, also, where I is characterized by a strong community of a producer. So we talk about, three thousand four hundred families or when growers a strong community of women and men that work here within a normal fashion. Okay. Well, those are all, again, factors that make prossecco superiorre from Kaniliano, Valdo, such a special wine And I want to pick up on that point you mentioned of this being heroic Viticulture. It really is heroic Viticulture. I've walked up the steep hills when I was there, and it's backbreaking. And as you say, the number of hours of labor required to manually tend the vineyards, walking up the Chiglione and experiencing this compared to vineyards on the Pianora where much of the, production for prosecco Doc comes from. The contrast is incredible. It's two different wine zones completely. And indeed that's reflected in the wines itself. But it's amazing to think Julia as well about this prosecco boom and and how it developed. I remember visiting Purniliano Valdobbiadene more than forty years ago. And Praseca was really a local wine still. There was a strada de bienro bianco, which ran between Valdo, and Koniliana. And for the red wine, for the market Trevijana, down in the flatter lands. There was a strada de vino rosso. Now those have gone now and, there's I think there's now a strada del prossecco. Is that right? Yes. Yes. This other prossecco. Was founded in nineteen sixty six, and it was the first wine route created in Italy. And, it's a perfect way to discover the area because, as you said, it connects the two capitals of our area. So, our cultural capital where we have the school of analogy and the productive capital where we have the most part of the sparkling wine companies. And, it's an itinerary that permits, to the wine tourista to discover the, many interesting cultural sites of the area. So all castles, medieval temples, all the water mills, but also it is also a way to discover the wineries, of course, And, the, reach a local gastronomy. So, enjoying the local torteria, where, we can find the typical gastronomy or more gourmet restaurants. So Okay. Well, that's a a a a certainly. We'll discuss that a little bit more detail in just a minute, but you're making our listeners I think really want to come and visit. And I hope they do because it is one of the most enjoyable of of all winelands to to actually just meander through and experience the beauty, as well as the wines, the culture, and the foods. They're all welcome. Now, Julia, I wanna, just clear one thing first of all. And and I want our listeners to be to understand the the name. You know, we talk about prosecco, and prosecco is is found all around the world, great oceans of it. A lot of it prosecco dock. But, for the wines from the classic heartland, Corneliano Valdobbiadene proscco Superior, d o c g, is the full name. But it's quite a mouthful of a name. Do some producers shorten this? So consumer can find, in the label. The entire name. But the producers can also decide, to write just, or just, Valdupi adenim. Okay. So those are the important names for, consumers to look for to see Koniliano and Valdo biardene or one or the other on the label, as well as prossecco Superior, DOCG. Exactly. Exactly. Okay. The most part of the case is the consumers can find, in the labels, the entire name. So the complete form of a woman name. Okay. Great. Now I'd like to talk about something that's also very important, and unique, which are the rive. A relatively new concept for many wine lovers and lovers of Prasaku who may not have encountered this before. It's actually more than just a single cruise con concept because as you say, it really is a reflection of this heroic Viticulture. So can you give our listeners an explanation of what the Rivier and and and how many and and what what we can expect from these special wines when we encounter and taste them. Yes. Reven, first of all, is a local chairman. Always used to indicate the best vineyards. The vineyard situated on the steepest slopes of our heels. So in two thousand and nine, when we obtained the recognition of DOCG, we decided to introduce this new typology, leave them a typology, that is produced, sourcing the grapes just from one single amulet or village. Of our area. This topology was, created with idea of having wines that represented the true expression of a single place. The true essence of the of our heels. For example, if a consumer find on the label, the indication it means that that wine is produced, dust wood with the grapes harvested in the omelet of, omelet that has a specific soil, a specific microclimate, that consumer can find in the wine. Tasting different wines, different riva wines, it's like to do a tour of our area understanding, the subtle differences that we can find, in an area that, is true on one end is smaller, but on the other hand, is an area really rich in subtle differences. How many rivae are there? In the area, we have four forty three different, that are villages and, Italian wine podcast. If you think you love wine as much as we do, then give us a like and a follow anywhere you get your pods. So the rivee are really the grand cru, the most unique and fullest expression of prossecco superiority from Corneliano Valdo Valdo. Is that right? Yes. Exactly. They represent the cruisers of our population, the essence of our area and our reservoir. Reven, it is a local term that is used to indicate the was always used to indicate that the best vineyards are situated in the steepest, slopes of our heels. And we decided in two thousand and nine to create, when we obtained the recognition of the OCG to introduce this new typology. A topology that could permit us to enhance the value of our area, the value of our terrace and our territory. So if consumers find on a bottle, on, the label, indication, rivedi. For example, Soligeto, one of the omelets of the area, they know that they are testing the true instance of this, specific omelet. And, tasting different readers is like to do a tour of our area, an area that, is very small. But it is characterized by subtle differences between soils, micro climates that permit to obtain different type of wines. Okay. Well, that's that's a very, very important distinction. And as I say, I think a lot of our listeners may not have encountered the Rive wines. They're made in small, quantities of the very highest quality, but they really do express, terroir. And as you say, Julia, they are real examples of heroic Viticulture because some of these small rives are incredibly steep, unbelievably steep, and you wonder that it's even possible to work the land. It's so labor intensive. So I really urge our listeners in when you encounter the opportunity to enjoy and taste and really appreciate these wonderful wines. Now, Julia, I want to talk about one other wine, the top of the Presecco quality ma pyramid. And we find there, a unique wine from a very small and very special place. Cartice. Can you tell us about the Cartice hill and why wine made from grapes grown on this hill is so wonderful and spectacularly popular, especially in Italy. Yes. Cartice represents the ground crew of our area. When we obtained the recognition of DOC in nineteen sixty nine, already at that time, Cartice was identified like the best spot for growing lera grapes. So, Cartice, it is a sub sauna of one hundred and six sectors, cultivated by more than one hundred and one growers. And, it is an area characterized by a perfect combination of ancient soil. Bigger differences in temperature between day and night. That's permit to and really, really reaching us, a really great richness of aromas in the wine. Then, we have also perfect microclimate. It's always a little bit windy in the area of Cartita. And the perfect exposure, because the vineyards are situating on the, southern slopes of the hills. So perfect exposure to the sun. So, is in the the common of is situated between the amulets of Santo Stefano, and Sacola. And it's also called the golden Pentagon because it has the shape of a Pentagon. And the golden because, generally, we find, in, cartitta, wine, more golden color. Is due also to, the presence of, in higher concentration of sugar generally in this wine because the is produced mainly in the dry version, that is the sweetest technology that we have. It is a tradition to produce it in this way. But, in the last years, more and more producers started to produce this wine in the brute, also as a brute version for having a wine that, truly express the incredible characteristic of this specific territory. Okay. That's a very, very good description as well. It's a beautiful hill. You took me up the hill, and we had a wonderful vista of this magnificent landscape from the Cartice hill. So it is a a small zone with a, as you say, a very large number of producers having just small little bits of the Cartice Hill, and making this fabulous wine that that is hugely popular, particularly in Italy. There's not enough of it to go, around, in in export markets. We find it less commonly than other prosseccos. As you also pointed out, Julia, the the exposure, the higher sugar levels, the richness, the aromatic precursors make it a very, a fuller style of prosecco often, as you say, in the dry or extra dry versions, which as you point out are the sweeter versions, but I I was very fascinated to try the root and the extra root, or we could really taste the richness in a bone dry wine, the richness and complexity that comes from this unique vineyard. Now, Julia, when when I can, when I was with you, we enjoyed some wonderful meals in typical Fraterier and and simple restaurante. Paired mainly throughout the meals entirely with prossecco. I think a lot of people don't think of enjoying a full meal with sparkling wine like prossecco. But it was very, very successful. And, I think we all really enjoyed that experience. So I wonder if you could perhaps share with our listeners some of the typical foods of Pianti T Picchi of, of the area. And maybe what styles of prossecco pair best with your local foods? Of course. The local gastronomy is based on a simple and genuine ingredients. And, depending on the season, we can find, interest in typical products that are used, in first courses like a result of, for example. In the spring, we have, at this bargos, green, and white, wild herbs that are used for first courses that can match well with a brute, version of a Then in the fall, we have a team that can be used for preparing not only dessert, but also second courses And, in winter, we have, the red cheekery, called also the flower of the winter. We have also in the area, very interesting production of, cold cuts, like, suppressor or, Jesus, that are producing the local areas on the mountains, around a typical cheese, for example, is the drunken cheese, and, there is a curious legend behind it. It seems that during the first world war, local people, used to hide their cheeses from the Austro Hungarian soldier, and they put the cheeses under the palmas, the skin of the grapes. We don't know if this legend is true or not, but, what we know is that, these cheeses are really interesting. They are their cheeses produced, left to matter in contact with the poem. Of different type of grapes. Also, glera. Oh, that's really interesting. I've seen that cheese. Often with a with a red grape on it, would that be Robalo or something local? But, I didn't know the story behind it. And it really flavors subtly the cheese. It's a delicious cheese. Yes. It's true. What is that called in Italian? Rubriaco. Rubriaco, drunken cheese. Okay. Drunken cheese. Yeah. I'm also producing with the Martamino, a great for example. Oh, Martsemino. Okay. A grape that is used to produce, a pastito wine in the area. Okay. We have to say that the versatility of our wine, permit to match, in with different kind of dishes, and throughout all the meal. Because, we go from the driest version, the absolute and brute that are more in line with the modern international taste that can be matched at the beginning of the meal with the starter first course. And then we can proceed with the the extra dry. For example, though, with, second courses with the white meat. So, for finishing with the dry version with the dessert. And, having the perfect conclusion on the on the meal. Yes. That's it. It it it is that versatility and range of wines that, I think it was quite, wonderful for us to experience when we were there. And also remembering that, Akaniliano valdobbiadene, the zone itself is located very, very close to the sea. So we had some wonderful seafood but then also the more robust foods and also, good and yatta miced of grilled meats. Also paired well. I think that Fatier meats were very nicely accompanied by, a drive, a brute persecco superiori canigno Valdo Viadine that would really cut the richness of the meats. So a very wonderful gastronomic wine. Now Julia, we've already mentioned that this is a beautiful land to visit for wine tours, for people who are are looking to discover wine, but also simply want to be somewhere that's really beautiful in the wine country and perhaps just, relax and enjoy a beautiful area. So there's so much to do here, and I know that the wine hospitality is warm and genuine for many of the producers. But what would you say to our listeners who might be thinking about visiting your area. It's the perfect destination, I think, for tourists that are looking for authentic and genuine places, and, and products. Wineries of our area are many, are different. We go from the small, medium sized company to the big sparkling wine zone. And the day of different type of experiences, for, wine lovers from the, guided tour of the vineyard of the cellar, tasting in special places like, the Casera, the small, small houses that we have in the midst of vineyards. Then there are binaries that offer also, cultural, interesting cultural programs like concerts, in the vineyards. Or walking on cycling tours. So there are many, many options. It's an area that can be interesting, from different, point of view. For the cultural sites. Also, it's an area that, it's interesting for the lovers of outdoor activities because there are, many hiking trails, roots for cycling and enthusiasts, for all lovers, there are places that rent, ebikes, bus pass, there is the possibility of doing helicopter tours. One one thing that is interesting is that last year, it was creating open at the UNESCO trailer, itinerary, of fifteen kilometers. So for lovers of hiking trails, an itinerary of fifteen kilometers that were meant to discover the course on the heart of the UNESCO area, traversing, the territory from, Vidor, close to Valdobbiadene to Vitorio Veneto, another lovely town, of the area in four days. So there are really many, many option, really, very many ways for, enjoying the the area. Well, that's fabulous, Julia. You've really, I hope made our listeners all want to help on a plane and and and and fly to Venice, and then it's a short drive up to Coniliano Valdo Valdo via Dene. It's been a real pleasure catching up with you again today. So thank you so much for being my guest and for taking all of us into this very special world of Corneliano Valdo Biadene prossecco Superior, d o c g. I send my best wishes to you and to your colleagues at the consortia for all the really fabulous work you're doing and I really look forward to visiting again sometime soon. So thank you, Julia. Thank you very much to you. It was a pleasure and you're all welcome in our Thank you. Bye bye. Bye. We hope you enjoy today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Please remember to like share and subscribe right here or wherever you get your pods. Likewise, you can visit us at Italianwine podcast dot com. Until next time.