Episode 2504

Ep. 2504 Rodrigo Redmont of Tenuta Talamonti in Abruzzo | Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon

Wine, Food & Travel

October 21, 2025

2323.435

Rodrigo Redmont

Wine & Travel

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Episode Summary

<think> I need to create a concise content analysis of the provided podcast transcript about Tenuta Talamonti in Abruzzo, following the specific format requested. Let me first understand what I'm working with. The text is a transcript of a podcast episode featuring Rodrigo Redmont of Tenuta Talamonti in Abruzzo, Italy. It's an interview with Marc Millon on the "Wine, Food & Travel" podcast. Let me analyze the key themes, summarize the content, identify key takeaways, notable quotes, and potential follow-up questions. **Key Themes:** 1. **Biodiversity of Abruzzo**: The podcast emphasizes Abruzzo's incredible biodiversity, with Rodrigo mentioning that the region contains 70-80% of all European flora and fauna (about 8,000 species). This biodiversity is central to the region's identity and the Talamonti winery's philosophy. 2. **Talamonti Winery and Diversitas Project**: The discussion focuses on Tenuta Talamonti, a winery founded by Rodrigo and his wife Antonella. They've developed a specific line called "Diversitas" that celebrates the region's biodiversity, with animal species native to Abruzzo featured on the labels. 3. **Native Grape Varieties**: The podcast highlights Abruzzo's native grape varieties like Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano d'Abruzzo, Pecorino, and Passerina. The hosts discuss how these grapes express the terroir of the region. 4. **Geographical Uniqueness of Abruzzo**: The region's unique geography is emphasized - positioned between the Apennine Mountains (reaching nearly 3,000 meters) and the Adriatic Sea, creating a distinctive microclimate ideal for viticulture. 5. **Wine Philosophy and Accessibility**: Rodrigo discusses the importance of making quality wines that are accessible and affordable, not just focusing on premiumization. He emphasizes wine as a social lubricant and everyday pleasure, not just a luxury item. **Summary:** The podcast features an interview with Rodrigo Redmont of Tenuta Talamonti winery in Abruzzo, Italy. Rodrigo describes Abruzzo as "Italy's best kept secret" - a region with remarkable biodiversity containing 70-80% of European flora and fauna. The winery, founded with his wife Antonella, has developed a "Diversitas" line that celebrates this biodiversity through labels featuring native animal species. They focus on native Abruzzo grape varieties like Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano, Pecorino, and Passerina, while also working with some international varieties. The region's unique geography - nestled between the Apennine Mountains and the Adriatic Sea - creates ideal conditions for viticulture. Rodrigo emphasizes the importance of producing quality wines at accessible price points that reflect the authentic character of Abruzzo, rather than excessive premiumization that excludes new consumers. He describes Abruzzo as a region of authentic culture, with traditions like transhumance still practiced, and invites listeners to visit this "soothing" and "super safe" region just two hours from Rome. **Key Takeaways:** - Abruzzo is a biodiverse region with 70-80% of European flora and fauna (about 8,000 species), making it ideal for sustainable viticulture - Tenuta Talamonti's "Diversitas" wine line celebrates this biodiversity through labels featuring native animal species - The region's unique geography between mountains and sea creates distinctive microclimates perfect for grape growing - Native varieties like Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano, Pecorino, and Passerina express Abruzzo's terroir - There's a growing trend for chilled red wines, with Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo (a distinctive rosé) fitting this category well - Rodrigo advocates for accessible, drinkable wines that maintain quality while remaining affordable for everyday consumption **Notable Quotes:** - "Abruzzo is generally considered Italy's best kept secret. It's one of those regions, which is still extremely authentic. There has been really no influence by foreigners in terms of the purity of the culture and the food and the wine." - "Diversitas was launched with the idea also to reflect as much as possible, the Abruzzo identity of that tremendous biodiversity that we have. So, obviously, all the unique animal species that we have in the Abruzzo region that are tied to that ecosystem, which render it so pristine are depicted on the labels." - "Wine is at a very important lubricant socially. It's a very important moment of socializing with family and friends. It's multiple generations being together. And just because wine is does not have legendary status, it doesn't mean that it's not a very high quality wine." **Follow-up Questions:** 1. How does the specific terroir of Loreto Aprutino (where Tenuta Talamonti is located) differ from other parts of Abruzzo, and how does this affect the character of their wines? 2. What specific sustainable practices does Tenuta Talamonti implement to protect and enhance the biodiversity of their vineyards? 3. How has climate change specifically impacted viticulture in Abruzzo, and what adaptations have winemakers like Rodrigo had to make in recent years? Now I'll craft this into the requested format, keeping within the word limits. </think> **Content Analysis** **Key Themes (max 5 points)** 1. Abruzzo's exceptional biodiversity as a defining regional characteristic 2. Tenuta Talamonti's "Diversitas" project celebrating native species through wine labels 3. The geographical uniqueness of Abruzzo between mountains and sea creating ideal viticultural conditions 4. Focus on native grape varieties (Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Pecorino, Passerina) as expressions of terroir 5. Philosophy of producing quality yet accessible wines that maintain drinkability and food pairing versatility **Summary (max 200 words)** The podcast features Rodrigo Redmont of Tenuta Talamonti in Abruzzo discussing the region's viticultural identity. Redmont describes Abruzzo as "Italy's best kept secret" - an authentic region with remarkable biodiversity containing 70-80% of European flora and fauna (approximately 8,000 species). He explains how this biodiversity inspired their "Diversitas" wine line, featuring native animal species on labels to celebrate Abruzzo's ecosystem. The region's unique geography between the Apennine Mountains (reaching nearly 3,000 meters) and the Adriatic Sea creates distinctive microclimates ideal for grape growing. Redmont emphasizes their focus on native varieties like Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Trebbiano, Pecorino, and Passerina, while also noting the growing trend for chilled red wines that includes their Cerasuolo rosé. He advocates for producing quality wines at accessible price points that maintain drinkability, arguing against excessive premiumization that excludes new consumers. Redmont portrays Abruzzo as a region of authentic culture with traditions like transhumance still practiced, describing it as "super safe," "soothing," and just two hours from Rome - an invitation to experience its mountains, sea, and culinary traditions. **Key Takeaways (max 6 points)** - Abruzzo contains 70-80% of European flora and fauna, creating ideal conditions for sustainable viticulture - Tenuta Talamonti's "Diversitas" line features native animal species on labels to celebrate regional biodiversity - The region's mountain-sea geography creates distinctive microclimates that influence wine character - Native varieties like Pecorino (named after sheep that grazed on the sweet grapes) express authentic terroir - Cerasuolo d'Abruzzo represents a distinctive, full-colored rosé that fits the growing trend for chilled red wines - Quality wine production should balance premiumization with accessibility to maintain wine's role as a social lubricant **Notable Quotes (max 3)** - "Diversitas was launched with the idea also to reflect as much as possible, the Abruzzo identity of that tremendous biodiversity that we have. So, obviously, all the unique animal species that we have in the Abruzzo region that are tied to that ecosystem, which render it so pristine are depicted on the labels." - "Wine is at a very important lubricant socially. It's a very important moment of socializing with family and friends. It's multiple generations being together." - "Abruzzo is generally considered Italy's best kept secret. It's one of those regions, which is still extremely authentic. There has been really no influence by foreigners in terms of the purity of the culture and the food and the wine." **Follow-up Questions (max 3)** 1. How do specific soil compositions in Loreto Aprutino influence the flavor profiles of Talamonti's native varietal wines compared to other Abruzzo sub-regions? 2. What concrete sustainable practices does Tenuta Talamonti implement to protect the biodiversity that inspires their Diversitas line? 3. How has climate change specifically affected harvest timing and viticultural practices at Talamonti in recent years, particularly regarding the challenges mentioned with mildew and drought?

About This Episode

The Abruzzo region is a rich region with a rich harvest and a diverse cultural and agricultural background. The success of the Vintage Vintage and the upcoming return of commerce between multiple continents is important to the region's unique ecosystem and culture. The success of the wine and food tasting experience and the importance of sustainability and the concept of biodiversity are also highlighted. The region's unique ecosystem and culture, including animal pride, cultural diversity, and natural hazards, is a unique ecosystem with a large amount of animals and cultural diversity, and the importance of pairing with other foods is highlighted. The importance of harvesting wine in the multiple channel fruit and the versatility of different dishes is also emphasized. The success of the Chitos Woro and the interactive experience for listeners is also highlighted.

Transcript

This episode is powered by dialect import, taste the language of Italian Terror. Yes. You know, Diversitas was launched with the idea also to reflect as much as possible, the Abruzzo identity of that tremendous biodiversity that we have. So, obviously, all the unique animal species that we have in the Abruzzo region that are tied to that ecosystem, which render it so pristine are depicted on on the labels. And the name Diversitas, I think, is fairly implicit, is the diversity of the region. So Diversitas connects to the diversity of the region which we see as richness, right, which is at the base of the Italian, I think, you know, grave, varietal offering. Fascinating people with stories to share. Fabulous wines and the best local foods to accompany them, and beautiful places to discover and visit. All of this and more on wine, food, and travel with me, Mark Millen, on the Italian wine podcast. Join me for a new episode every Tuesday. Welcome to wine food and travel with me, Mark Millen, on Italian wine podcast. Today, we travel to Abruzzo, more precisely to Loreto Apprutino, to meet my guest, Rodrigo Redmont of the Tallamonti family wine estate, which he runs together with his wife, Antonella. Well, Jordan, Rodrigo, we met here earlier in the year, so I'm looking forward to an update of your activities. I know you've been traveling quite a lot lately. How are you today? Hi, Mark. Thanks for asking. Yeah. I'm doing, doing well. I'm, just back from an extensive trip around the world that took me from Australia to Brazil to California and to Barbados of all places. And, OSAI land here, and we are still in the middle of our harvest with a little bit of rainfall today, but otherwise a great harvest. So very, very intense moment for us right now, but obviously you've filled with a lot of joy and and positivity. Yeah. I was thinking that, you've been traveling over this critical period, but I think you mentioned Rodrigo that the whites are harvested, Trebiano Abrucise, the pecorino. The other whites are harvested quite early where the red grapes, the multiple channel, particular, is still to come. Is that right? Yeah. That's correct. We, you know, we generally start off with, Pinogadro and Chardonnay, and then move on to the native varietals, which obviously would be Sabiano Picquarino and Pasadena. Then there's a pause because, obviously, the phenolic ripening of the grapes is is very important, especially for the reds, especially for Montepulciano. And then that's when we work on the ceterisualo, the wonderful Rosay that we have in our region. And obviously the the multiple channel. And, yeah, we will probably have at least another week ten days of harvest, you know, obviously based upon the weather conditions that we are to expect. Is that quite normal? Is this I know the last few years have been you suffered some incredible intents. You've had problems with mildew and many, many challenges. Is this more of a normal year? And is this looking looking really positive for this vintage? I would say the the harvest is finally one, which is providing very good quality and and and decent quantity. As I mentioned to you earlier, the last two harvests one has been twenty four strongly influenced by drought, and obviously not only has that complicated things, you know, with risk of obviously water stress, but especially with all the work that is necessary in the field. And the year before that, there was a tremendous amount of mildew, which was caused by obviously heat, obviously constant rainfall, not allowing us to enter inside the vineyards because, you know, the soil we have in in in a broods or at least in in our region, in particular, is a lot of sand and a lot of clay. And obviously, with a little bit of rainfall, you basically pick up large chunks and obviously fall quite deep inside the mud. So it's very difficult to enter with a, with a tractor. And so, yeah, the the harvest has been, you know, very, very promising. The whites, I have to say, we are very happy with the result, very aromatic, very clean, very vertical. We've still in a phase where the individual plots have been vinified and are still kept separately before we do any blending of the single varietals from the different plots. And the rosé is more or less, halfway, which for us obviously is actually a very important wine, both in terms of of production, but also in terms of popularity in the Broussa region. Everybody drinks a Chit as well here in a Broussa. Yeah. It's a beautiful line. And and, quite different from Rosais produced anywhere else. Now, Rodrigo, when we met some months ago, you shared your story, but for those of our listeners who might have missed that episode in its episode two one eight three on Italian wine podcast, I'm gonna ask you to explain your background again, but first of all, would like you to take us to a brusso. It's a region that people that visit Italy regularly may not have come to. It's a beautiful region. It's a region I've been to too infrequently, but the times I've spent there, I've really been astounded by the beauty of the mountains, the proximity of the sea. It's a very special land, and you're in Loreto Apuntino. So you can can you describe where you are? What the countryside is like? What the colors, the smells are at this exciting of thumbnail moment of the year for a winemaker. Abruzzo is generally considered Italy's, you know, best kept secret. It's one of those regions, which is still extremely authentic. There has been really no influence by foreigners in terms of the purity of the culture and the food and the wine. And I think that's really what the interest for this region is. And, you know, the reason for that is that we are surrounded by the Appenine mountains that reach almost, I would say, three thousand meters in height. Mind you, we've already had the first snow falls up in the mountains where we can actually ski. And then we have one bordering part of the region's coast on the Adriatic sea. So it's an area which historically has been isolated and because of that still maintains very much its authenticity, even though it's only two hours away from Rome. So you can literally come for a weekend to Rome, and then obviously hop on a car or on a bus better than the train these days because the infrastructure is not there. And come over for, you know, a more authentic and less over touristy region in Italy. The smells, the colors. We are in a moment where all of harvest is also underway. And so I would say that in the streets of the old town, we are smelling a lot of olive oil. This is I would say The most important smell which which dominates the the region, Loretta Prutino is home to the first DOP classified olive oil of Italy. So, obviously, olive oil production is very important. And at the same time, We have harvested the whites and starting the red. So, obviously, there's this very strong, almost pungent smell, which surrounds some of the historical sellers and the wineries. Abruso is obviously strongly influenced by the four seasons. And so, obviously, you have foliage right now. So the beautiful foliage that maybe some people are accustomed to associating more with New England and the United States is something that you find very dominant in the Abruosa region. So you have these shades of color that go from yellow to red. You have these cool humid mornings that then sort of warm up during the course of the day. I think it's probably one of my favorite moments of, of the year. Okay, Rodrigo. That's a really beautiful beautiful description of not only the region, the sites, but also the activity I'm imagining right now in La Rhetto Apprutino tractors trundling in perhaps with the first of the red grapes coming in, but also the olives coming to the different olive oil mills that will be in town. And, are we in full swing with the olives right now? It seems a little bit early to me compared to some other regions that are more familiar w