Ep. 1965 Dominic Zucchetto | 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 Billen, 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 wines. Through their stories, we all learn not just about their wines, but also about their ways of life, the local and regional foods and specialities 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, we travel to Venetto and to the foothills of Valdo Bialdene Coneliana to visit no, not a wine producer, but it is stillory in San Pietro de Falletto to meet Dominic Zucato export sales manager of Mosquio Benjaminino. Thank you for being my guest today. How are you? It's a pleasure to be here. Thank you very much for your invite. Everything is well. Thank you. What about yourself? Oh, it's it's a nice day here in Southwest, and, at last summer has arrived. It's looking forward to the weekend. Yes. Lucky you. Yes, Clive. It's really topsy-turvy everywhere. Because here in Italy, we're having a bit of, not the best of weather, Zach. For the last couple of months, it's been like raining every every few times. So not ideal. Not very Italian like. Now, Dominic, for our listeners who are located all around the world, can you describe where you are, where San Pietro Di Falletto, and the distillery is located. What the country is like? I'm imagining you're tucked under the Preseca winehills with the Alps rising behind. Is that more or less correct? Yes. That's exactly correct. It that's a great image you created for everyone. So, basically, yes, we're in Sanquito, that is in the that is one of the top quality prosseco's, that you can find when talking about this wine, where in San vito, that is one of nineteen municipalities, where the wine can be produced. It's a hidden area. Basically, all around us, we have vines, gleda vines. And in the background, we have, yeah, the the alps. So we just have the foot of the eastern alps, in Italy. Okay. That's a great visual for our listeners. Now before we move on to the story of Distilleria Delalpe, tell us a little bit about yourself. You're actually born in London. Is that right? Exactly. Yes. I was born in a harrow So just outside of London in nineteen ninety one, but my family, my grandparents were on my dad's side, Italian. On my mom's side, one was my granddad was Irish, and my grandmother was from Venice. So, Italian origins. After the war, obviously, my grandparents, all of them, moved to the UK for work issues to to find a job because here in Italy, it wasn't that easy. And day and my parents met because of their Italian origins and my brother was born. I was born and then we decided to move back to Italy. So I've been living in Italy for the last thirty two years. In an obviously English family. So my English, luckily, I have a good level of English because at home, you always spoke English. And, I'm trying to use that now, also in the work environment with my export, with my foreign market. So Yeah. That's the the the brief history behind behind my my life let's say up to now. Okay. That's really interesting to hear. Now let's, have the story of Moschio Ben amino. And the distillery, Dalal Bay. Absolutely. So Vignamino Maskio, was one of thirteen siblings. He was the first generation of, producers because MASkio has always been, a renowned surname in the in the grappa world. So in nineteen sixty four, he founded his own business, in San Peto de Felicton. And, obviously, their company has always been renowned for the production of grappa. So the main focus was Gharapa. Initially, the company didn't have vines. So it didn't produce wine, but it's only purchased the grape skins after the production of wines from other producers. So beginning your master, let's say, represents the production of Gharapa in the area. In two thousand and two, Biniaminamaster decided to acquire two other small businesses. One is the distillery that is a small distillery that was situated in Bastier de Bargo. It's a small village in the province of Belunon at the foot of the Kansas City of Forest. That's a very famous forest that we have in the northern Alps. So it decided to acquire the distillery to, relaunch it, relaunch its products because it has a very important background as in production. Just think, for example, that Vinayaminomarskyo today offers a vast selection of genes because, obviously, gin is very important in the market today. But this already used to produce a gene in the nineteen fifties called Foreistel gene. So when you think about Zing, yes, you have an incredible amount of companies today that produce gene but started producing gene maybe five, ten years ago. When the big boom arrived, but we're this the idea that I pay, was already producing it over seventy years ago. So it makes you understand the the history behind the company. Not only the gene, but also the cure, the capital, the cure that's very well known here in the area and knows the Rosen Bitter. That's, another product. Everyone today knows that big brand that I won't I won't mention, but, Rosen Bitter was the brand was registered already in nineteen fifty one. So it makes you understand that this is very important, as in heritage, let's say, of its production. And also, that is basically, a small winery that's still in two thousand and two. And this to offer a full selection of products. So nowadays, we're able to offer a vast selection of products, but the important thing that I want to mention is that They're still, we're still an independent family owned business. So it's not like we have a big group behind us. It's still small productions, extremely small productions, with quality as the key ingredient. Quality always has to be at first place when talking about the products from, the mass cooking amino group. Okay. That's a good overview of the history of the company, of the origins of the company, of this, very typical for the Italian spirit that we think of, particularly in Veneto, Lamonte Tarantino alto Adi La Grapa, were made from the grape pomace. And, of course, with so many wine producers, in the Treviso area in Valdo Biale. I guess there was always a a good supply of fresh, Vinache, to distill. And that was really the origins. Is that right, Dominic? Absolutely. Absolutely. In fact, what, basically, the idea of, of purchasing the the Deepgram Agwannery was to reach this full circle. So, obviously, we were buying grape skins, Vinaca. As you said, that's a great terms you have there in Italian, I must say. But the Vinaca, yes, we we used to buy it from our producers to make a orange rafa. But nowadays after two thousand and two that we have the the Bernard winery, we can do all this process internally. So we make the Prasikka. We press the grades. We make the Prasikka. We do the fermentations. And then, with the mark, with the grape skins, we go and distill them. So it's a way also, as I said before to to close the circle, nothing goes to waste because after that, the grape skins are used in the vineyards. I think it's also very good nowadays considering all the environmental impact and everything. It's a great way to to close the circle, let's say. Yeah. That's true because, you know, it's worth reminding that Gurapa really makes use of what otherwise would be a waste product after the grapes have been pressed, using the skins after fermentation using those skins, the grape palmas to create something, quite special. Absolutely. 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. I'd like to talk about a product you mentioned, and maybe have a little more information about some of the liqueurs that are typical of venetian traditions. You mentioned the liqueurre capriole Casico, which was the original basis for the distillerya Delalape. Is that right? Tell us about this. Absolutely. So, Caprio Glasgowico was basically the first product that was produced by, the Distuderia de Lylepe back in the nineteen fifties. It's basically a distillation of Juniper berries that were found and are found today as well in the Camille Forest that I mentioned before. With the addition of a other different herbs and spices. So basically, it's eighteen different botanicals, and all of them were found in the consumer forest at the time. So it's a very typical traditional liquor. And, it was, as I mentioned before, it was very well known, especially in the area at the time. It was one of the most, let's say common, the cures that you would find in, bars and restaurants. And also, it's interesting because of the capital of the cure. That we then have the forest at June because basically you're starting with a destination of Juniper berries. And as you obviously know, Juniper varies distilled is the base for June. So after that, with the adding of different botanicals, they also created the gin. But the the aquatic carpet, I think, is very characteristic. It's around forty percent alcohol, so it's quite strong, but still very well balanced by the sugar that's added. It's a perfect digestive drink has wood shake here in Italy. You would have it after a meal just to to help digestion. Is it more like an amaro then? No. It's more pungent as both in aroma and in taste because you have the distillation. Obviously, the distillation concentrates a lot more the aromas and the the taste. We do have an amaro. That's the amaro de camcillo and that was created a few years after, so it's still an historic product of the distilleria de Lape. But that is an infusion. So, as you said, it's it's more it's easier as in a product. It's a less alcohol. It's around twenty five percent alcohol percentage. And here as well, you have a mix of different botanicals, herbs, and spices. It tends to be slightly bitter, but at the same time, it's well balanced by the by the sugar. And what's interesting about the tomato, like, I'm crazy for our tomatoes. I love our tomatoes. I always love to to try different types of our tomatoes because I think it's a beautiful expression of our culture and of our tradition. And I'll give you a hint if you want that I think it's something that is gonna take place a lot, especially in Italy it's starting to now. Anamaro, if you put it like the typical, that's pretty evil. Instead of the usual after all spritz or spritz with the bitter, you put the armada instead, like, or on out of the concealer, for example, and it's a really great drink. Nice and refreshing. You have that slightly It's a list, and it's an incredible drink. I I would definitely recommend you try one. Oh, that does sound good. And I'd like to talk about both cocktails and about the culture of, Patativo as we move on in our chat. But Dominic, let's turn now to gin. You mentioned the historical origins of gin both with certainly with the distilleria Dalalpe, but you also mentioned the more recent boom in gins. As you know, because I know you come to the UK often. There's been an explosion of craft gin here in the UK. You know, new distilleries are are popping up all the time. And you can go into a simple pub. And you're offered a gin list with maybe, you know, eight craft gins on it. It's been an incredible happening here. Has that happened also in Italy? Absolutely. It's crazy. The amount, like, it's a funny way of saying, but we like to say that basically, the gene producers pop up zest like mushrooms in the forest. So it's to make me understand how many new gene producers you have continuously. I must say that we see that the gene trend, let's say in Europe, mostly is settling a bit now. So while it's, incredibly developing in other countries, it's settled down a little bit now. I think that what gave an extra boost is definitely all these new aromatized gins that we also do, like, for example, we have for the Calppio line. We have the grapefruit and lemon. So these are more appealing refreshing summary types of gin that obviously get people wanting to try the gin as well. But I think that in the end, what will remain is the traditional gin. So either being a a London dry or a distilled gin, it's that one that will always remain as it always has because it's a basically it's a drink that goes back to the sixteen hundred. It's not if not before. And so, that's what I always like to taste. Yes. It's nice to have the new the new versions, but I always like to taste the classic ones. To see because I think that there you really see the quality, that's put into the product. For example, just to give you a quick example, like, our capital June, the dry one. It's still the same recipe that the forest that's in had. So It's a recipe that has fifteen botanicals, but we have no citrus inside. So that's very uncommon for James because normally you you put some citrus, either bean orange peel, lemon peel, whatever it is. That to give it that freshness in in our case, we have, let's say, it's a more balsamic type of gin. And that's something I always like to to explain to people because we didn't go and change the recipe just to be, more, let's say, original, but we still keep the same recipe for the traditional dry capsules in as it was back in the nineteen fifties. That is very interesting as well. Talk us through the process then of distilling your classic Capriole dry just as simply as possible. Yeah. Absolutely. So, basically, as I told you, it's, fifteen botanicals. We had in our distillery two copper steels that date back to the to the second world war, nineteen forty seven. And so it's the same copper steels that were used in the history of the other life that have been brought here to the distillery and some people each one is a hundred liter in capacity. So it makes you understand how small and, refined our productions are. So basically, we start with fifteen botanicals, but only thirteen are done this way. Because basically the hop and the urinal that we use use a different type of distillation that is a vapor distillation. So it doesn't include alcohol. And this is because the much more. It gives them a much more gentle extraction to the product. Because some botanicals like Juniper need the alcohol extraction to give the best result while some others will use this vapor extraction that's much more delicate, but obviously you have a lot less extraction. So it's much more complex as in a as in a production method. But then after these, fifteen to twenty days of infusion in the alcoholic solution, we then go and pull the infusion in the island, it's in the the copper steels, and we then do the distillation normally, three to four times. This is to obtain the highest quality possible and the purest quality possible of the resulting jing because basically you have all of the oils, that are extracted by white botanicals. And so, if we do, more distillations, only the purest the purest, let's say, resulting gene comes out. And so after this, obviously, we've then blend together the different, the different, results in infusions, the different resulting installations. And then we dilute the liquid with, basically water, fresh water. And, yeah, and that's, that's more or less quickly how it's produced. Okay. That's very helpful. And I think the main thing for our listeners to understand is that capriole gin is very much a craft product. We're talking about tiny volumes, a hundred liter, Allen Bics. It's very, very small. And so each bottle is handcrafted. And I know the bottles themselves are are beautiful. I've seen your bottles and, they really are beautiful objects. Unfortunately, in some ways today, people, I think of generic people who go to shops or whatever, they look at the products on the shelves. And I think a good percentage of those are, like, buy the product based zaps on the image. It could be the label. It could be the bottle. So it could be that if you just put a great product in a a simple bottle with a simple label. People won't buy it. So what we wanted to do when we re launch the Calabrio line, for example, in two thousand sixteen, we wanted to use a bottle that would be beautiful to see, but also then inside you have a a really high quality product. So it was to optimize, let's say, the production of this product. And as you said, I think it's very beautiful. Both the Capriole, but also that I think you saw the the that are now very beautiful, but I think it's even better as in presentation. Now, Dominic, I'd like to try to get an understanding about the culture of, consumption of these products, perhaps a culture of cocktails. Is this something a younger generation are particularly turning to? And alongside of that, the culture of a parativo. You've mentioned a parativo. There's very important moment of the day in Italy, where cocktails or wine are part of a a way of life and living and indeed linking that also with food. Okay. Yeah. So, well, as you said, that pretty evil, the authority is, here in Italy, it's, like, huge, it's part of the culture. I mean, if you decide to go out to eat with friends, yes, you booked the restaurant, but the first thing you do is you decide where to go for the aperitivo. So it's to make you understand how important it is. I think that each time you go out, a lot of people tend to run aperitivo, even just daily. Even if it's such a drink, they they just need it when they finish work. It's something that makes you, like, relax and, okay, you're done with your work day and now you can just relax for the rest of the day. So it's very cultural as as an aspect, and I think that's beautiful. And that's what people really, even people from abroad when they come to Italy, they love to do that. That experience is probably the best experience that they take back home from the Italian culture. As in, what people tend to do here in Italy, it's, I think it depends on where you are because, in the biggest cities, Yepuri Tivo is normally paired with, like, you pay a certain amount for for your drink, and then you also you also serve some food with it. So it could be that in bigger cities and larger cities, but people tend to use all types of drinks and cocktails and aperitivo. Where I'm from that, it's it's a smaller village, square. Oh, no. But all of the ventil area, I think. Theperitivo is more linked to wine and to, spritz in general, obviously, spritz is, is from Venitha. So it's the most common drink, I would say you would have as an Apple Tivo. I think that this is definitely because also, money wise, it's a less expensive because I know this will sound crazy for you, but, like, hear a natural spritz, we pay it around three euros fifty. So people from vendors tend to have more than one drink normally as in a pretty diva. And so, obviously, if you think about it, if you were to drink ginotonics that pay ten, twelve euros. It would be, definitely, a more expensive, a parrotivo than the one you like. With the spritz, you have two free spritz, you pay ten euro and that's great. We could say that the cocktails, as on a parrotivo, you tend to go, with products like navy and a guicano, Those are, I think, the the strongest drinks that one normally has, as an imperative. But it's not very common to have other cocktails like. I don't know, musculine, gin tonic, cosmopolitan, whatever it is. It depends a lot on where you are, in Italy. And, obviously, considering the, let's say, wine tradition that we have, in the area in the whole of Italy, I think that we're always gonna be much more linked to to wine products and wine cocktails. Than to other types of cocktails as you as opposed to maybe other countries where you don't have this great wine background, wine tradition. When we talk about, you ask me about the pairings, it depends because normally as an appetitivo, you normally get served, maybe different types of cheese, ham, tsunami, whatever. And I think that all of those drinks I mentioned before pair really well with those foods. Well, then if we're talking about a dinner, I think it's absolutely you compare cocktail with dinner. I think it's always a matter as it is with wine of looking at it with the, let's say, analogy or contrast of the plates and of the drinks. I see it difficult for it to take place in Italy. I think it's something that will never, really happen because in Italy, people like us so in love with wine. And so it would always be the first choice when thinking about something during during dinner. Yeah. No. Well, I'm I'm really interested in, you know, there's been this big boom in gin in particular, and I'm interested to know who's drinking it and on what occasions are young people of much more interested in the culture of craft gin. So, basically, I would say to give you an idea. Obviously, I speak about the area where I live, but I think it's more or less the same in Italy. I think that, If we talk about cocktails, especially in the evening, I think that I would say seven out of ten people drinking and on it. So it's the perfect choice. Because it's it's quite easy as a cocktail. It's quite easy in taste. You don't have, any particular bitter notes or or all other strains that say, taste like would have maybe with tequila or whatever. I'm not sure. If I if you know what I mean, but gin is quite, it is yes, very romantic, but quite neutral. So gin and tonic, it's quite easy to drink. And, Definitely, the young, let's say the younger generations, are doing a lot of cocktails. I think gin and tonic would always be one of the the favorite choices. And at to do the. They look for, there's like a new, you know, you're thinking when everyone is looking for a smaller and more crafted production genes. So While, I've been before, up to a few years ago, people would just go to the to the bar man and say, make me a gin and tonic. Today, people go down and say, I would like a gin and tonic. Can you explain what genes you have? And so that's also why we have, a much larger selection of, of gins, on the shelves behind the bar. And I think that's great for all the small producers because they get to to have their products tasted by by the new generations. And, yeah, Netsen, you always have, obviously, the the big groups, but, yeah, that would be maybe your entry level team, but then now people say, okay, instead of having, I don't know, three drinks. I'll have one or two, but I'll try and choose a a higher quality product to have a a better a a better drink and a better experience. Sure. That's that's similar to what's happening. Here, certainly in the UK, I would say, very similar experience. And I'm I'm imagining too, Dominic, that since you're the export sales manager, export markets are very important. Absolutely. And I must say that unfortunately, so I am, I started working in the company less than one year ago. So my main focus absolutely considering also, my history is to try and get products in the UK because unfortunately we're not currently distributed with the jeans in the UK. So also considering what you said about the trends being the same, I think there's definitely uh-uh, let's say a good possibility, to to get the products in. So that's gonna be my total effort for this year, until I manage to find someone, willing to to distribute and talk about our products in the UK. Absolutely. Well, then based on it. Yeah. Well, I can understand that. It's a tough market because there's so many, you know, every locality now seems to have its own distillery. And people support their local producers as they do in Italy understandably. But I'm sure you will because the products are very good. Final question, is there any opportunity for our listeners to visit the distillery? So, currently, no, the distillery is not open to to visits. We do, have some visits when our clients come with, the sale clients in the different countries, come to visit us, but at the moment, it's not open to visit because we don't, let's say, we don't. We're not, we don't have an hospitality, person, and also, the distillery is we don't have a a hospitality area, I I would say. So it's something that we're definitely gonna work on because it's very important nowadays, visits to the to the company, but not at the moment. So I would definitely let you know, when that happens so that who would be more than happy to have people who are listening and come and visit us and discover our selection of of products and our history. Okay. That's good to know. And in the meantime, any listeners who particularly find themselves in Veneto she would look out for the Capriole and the aqua luce range of gins and other traditional, the cures and products. Now, Dominic, I just wanna say thank you for for being my guest today for sharing me your story, for sharing the story of Benio Mino Mosquio and the desterania Del alpe. It's been really great hearing about this. And I wish you all the best for your future endeavors. Well, thank you very much, Mark. It was a great pleasure for me. I hope, I explained everything in detail. And, yeah, if you come over to visit us, do let me know, and it would be a great pleasure. So Thank you to you and everyone who's listening. Thank you, Dominic. Hope to see you soon. All the best. All the best. Bye bye. We hope you enjoy today's episode of wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Miller. 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.