Ep. 1747 Meri Tessari Of Suavia | wine2wine Business Forum 2023

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 One podcast dot com, or wherever you get your pods. Official media partner, the Italian One podcast is delighted to present a series of interviews and highlights from the twenty twenty three one to one business form, featuring Italian wide producers and bringing together some of the most influential voices in the sector to discuss the hottest topics facing the industry today. Don't forget to tune in every Thursday at three PM, or visit the Italian wine podcast dot com for more information. Hello. This is Cynthia Chaplin. I'm at wine to wine business forum. And I'm interviewing the producers for the Italian wine podcast, podcast marathon. And this afternoon, I'm very happy to have Meredith Test today with me. She is one of the owners at Swavilla in Manitoba. With her sisters, which always makes me happy because I also have daughters, and I like to see women being successful in the wine industry. So thank you for coming. We're neighbors. You're in Swavette, and I'm, from Venice. So I thank you for coming and spending your time with us. Thank you very much. Thank you very much. No. It's a big pleasure. And you've chosen a special wine today to represent your winery, Monte carbonara, and the vintage is twenty twenty one. No. Twenty twenty one. Okay. So Garganiga. Yes. Hundred percent Gaganaga. As, as you told, before we are in the highest part of a South classical, and then, we are in the heart of a South classical. For this reason, we are specialized in white wine. We just produced white wines, and we cultivate the two traditional, drapes. So, which are Gerganiga, and the. We are focused, since the beginning, to be specialized, in, in the sort of a classical because, we know that we are in the best area, to cultivate the traditional grapes. This is our aim, our philosophy. Swabia is the whole name of Soletown, and then was born in nineteen eighty two. And now we are free sisters who run a best state, he's a family winery, and, it's very nice because, winery and family is always, unique elements. And I think it's really special in Italy. This concept of, family. I know your family has had vineyards there since the eighteen hundreds. So a really long connection to the soil. You know, we all think about Italians, eating and drinking together, but I think it's important for us to remember that a lot of Italian winemaking families like yours Yeah. Are really rooted in the soil that you're using right now for your vineyards many, many years. Yes. We were born there, aspect top the heels, we grow up there, and then, it's, our heritage, because we have good memories of my grandfather who cultivate it with grapes, and then it's not just a job of a family, but, you are involved in the entire landscape, and that is very important to the entire environment. And I think you learn to know your land, your vineyard, and your climate so well when you've been there for such a long time. So let's talk about Monte carbonate because this is really special. I'll describe it. It's a special shape of a bottle. Yes. Also with a screw top closure. Yes. The bottle is black. The label is very cool, black and white. So it looks like it was handwritten. So, really attractive, which we need to get new young drinkers involved in what we're doing. Yeah. So tell me why you chose this one. Monte carbonate is one of the best area that you can find, in the survey class, Ceco. And then here we have a very old vines, are seventy five years old with pergola veronese system. And then, it's very important for us because, all our entire hills, has volcanic soil. And then, now we are studying more and more of this volcanic soil because it's not enough to say a volcanic soil because there is a, very several elements, and that is important to understand. Here in Monte carbonara, we've elevation is three hundred meters above sea level, and then very old vines, and the expert is northeast. And then we have a special freshness, because in front of Monte Cabonare, there are very small dolomites, but guarantee is always a fresh breeze, even in the health this summer. And you're not far from the adriatic as well. So you've got that coming in too. Yes. As it is very important, because it is a combination, as a soil, it's very important. It's not enough. Is important. The position of the area is important. The age of vines, and then it is always a fascinating mystery because it's very difficult to understand the unique element, because there is not, unique elements, And then, we have this special shaped bottle. It's our own shaped bottle. It's a Swaddler. You have your name. And, because, it's the traditional bottle that my grandfather took every day on the table together with bread. And it's very important to transmit a identity, the nature of a wine that, yes, now it's passion, but, the traditional is to give joy to the human beings. And to make the tradition relevant, it's a an old shaped bottle, your grandfather's, but the label is really modern. Yes. So it's bringing that old and that new together. Yes. We have these two combination of color black as the soil, the black stones, from volcanic soil, and why? Because we produce just white wine. We are very proud to produce, only just, white wine, because it is important to go deeper in the denomination. Because we recognize that we are in the best area, and we have his aim for the population for which we are. Exactly. How many hectares have you, have you got undervine as a this is a medium size. So we have, thirty actors, and it's a good size because, allows us to make investments as regards to version research because we have a collaboration we've invested Milan to find out the old vines of Trebiano D'Sava, because we produced the first wine made, from Trebiano D'Sava. Center is our massive And then we have another collaboration with university in Verona to find out of a type with different types of organic soil that we have. It's very important. This research is really important, especially helping people to understand you know, what is garganaga grape? What is Teribialiswapewe? What what are these sorts of things? Why are they important? Why should people learn how to say them and find them and taste them as well? Yeah. So this bottle, if we were going to open it and pour it in our glass. Yes. What would it look like? What would it smell like? Tell me how it tastes? As of, I think that you can recognize immediately, it's not true. As of a sorta, in which And then I have this, mineral taste, freshness, this lemon taste, is the typical, the descriptor of monte carbonara. Because always you can find this particular taste in monte carbonara. And the Garganaga grapes. You've described it perfectly. That's Yes. Yes. That's Garganaga. So My I I repeat that for us Montecarponara is really, a magical area. We don't know why which elements makes, more technical and special, but we recognize that it is really a special area. And I think that's sometimes the best way if you know that's your most special vineyard producing your most special wine, you don't always need to know why. And sometimes we have the mystery of monte carbonate. It's true. Yeah. Which is really, really lovely. And, all our production is organic, certified because it's very important that part of the environment aspect is very important to obtain excellent grape. I think that, it's not possible to have excellent grape without organic, agriculture. And, of course, you avoid a lot of a chemical product, you know, it's true. And I think for people who are listening outside of Italy, It's important to understand that it takes a minimum of five years to become certified organic. It's not a decision you make overnight, so it's very time consuming and very costly to stop using the chemicals. Yeah. And then it is a very tough decision because we are at the top of the heels, and then it's very difficult to work there. You know, that is all by hands. And then, some, machines that is allowed, and are in the flat, is impossible to utilize, because we have resloved soil. And then the cost are very high, but, we decided, to take this, this way because it's very important for receive philosophy and for the quality that we cannot obtain, from the grapes that we produce. And I think that's the key to everything. We're looking for the best production Yes. With the highest quality of wine. So so important to hear from you these particular things. So Do you export your wines? Yes. We export about, seventy percent. Yes. And who are your markets? My the main market is, the USA, and then, England, Germany, but as of, we export around, forty countries. Wow. That's impressive. Yes. Very impressive. You know, on, top restaurant, very specialized, one shop, for no. No. We it's a it's a good work. And how many bottles a year are you producing? As we produce, two hundred thousand bottles per year. And how about Monte carbonate? Monte carbonate, we produce here, forty thousand That's that's a good production. Yes. It's a good production because, as a a migrant father, had the he's a particular, a monte carbonara, a, last one, extra. And then now, we use Panania efforts to buy in that particular area because I told you before it was very special. And then now we have a good quantity in this monte carbonara. I think it's still a very important production. Yeah. That's still an artisan production. As you said, with old vines. Yes. Not seventy five. And then, it's very easy, it's a monte carbonara. It's an icon wine for the entire population because it's produced in the highest part of a solar classical, from a monte carbonara area, and then really, if you wanted to know about solid classical monte carbonara, it's very important. It's a good, you know, Exactly. And it's important, old vines obviously produce less grapes, but the quality is so much more intense and complex and concentrated. So that's amazing that you're protecting those vines. Most people would replant around thirty, thirty five years. So No. No. No. No. No. This is too special. No. It's very important to protect, to recognize the best conditions that you have. And for this reason over there, at the top of the hill, where we are the one area and the family house. And we remain there, even some time, you know, for a logistic, aspect, it's not easy. But we we give a priority to the vineyards, to the area in which we are. And it's an authenticity as well. If you live there and your family roots are there, it's it's not as if Monte carbonate is important to you, but you live in Milan. Yeah. For sure. Living there. Everything is authentic. So, sure people are going to hear this, and they're gonna wanna come and visit you. Can can people come to Swavia and visit you? Yes. We invite to come, to visit, then you have more first, you can understand our work, who we are, and then it's very important, to spend some time, and, to visit, Swabia about the entire Swabeklas degree because it's really, as a very, the beauty of that, of that area is really unique, and then deserves a really a trip. And it's also beautiful. I can attest to that. I love the Swava region. So I'm gonna come and go walking on Montecard, Vonard, and now, to do that. But how can people find you, Mary? Do you have a website? Have you got social media? Tell us how our listeners can find you. Yes. We have, social media. It's very important to have, and that is a good services that we can give it to the people who wants to to find out and to know more about us. And then, we have website, manaut Visele, through our website, but you can find, in difference. So swabbing. This is the delete or Yes. For for the IT. Yes. Okay. So swavia dot ID. Yes. And on social media, swavia. Is a underscore AT. Okay. Thank you so much. Thank you very much. Joining us. Today. Thank you. I'm telling us about this wine. I'm forward to trying it. Yes. I'm with, for your, at Swaddsua. Thank you. Thank you very much. Listen to the Italian wine podcast wherever you get your podcasts. We're on SoundCloud, Apple Podcasts, Spotify, email ifm, and more. Don't forget to subscribe and rate the show. If you enjoy listening, please consider donating through Italian wine podcast dot com. Any amount helps cover equipment, and publication costs. Until next time.