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How does a 140-year-old legacy stay fresh in a changing world? In this episode, we sit down with Mario Piccini and his eldest daughter, Ginevra, to discuss the evolution of one of Italy’s most iconic wine dynasties. Mario recounts his journey from introducing the bold "Chianti Orange" label in the 1980s to expanding the family’s reach into the volcanic soils of Etna and the historic hills of Piedmont.

Joining the conversation is Ginevra Piccini, who represents the family’s fifth generation. A Management Engineer, pianist, and linguist, Ginevra brings a unique blend of analytical precision and creative flair to the business. She shares how her global travels and studies in Chinese culture shaped her belief that wine is a universal medium for bridging cultures. From her childhood love of mathematics to her current role overseeing the Group’s financial management, Ginevra reveals what it’s like to balance a century-old tradition with the modern demands of a global brand. Grab a glass of wine and enjoy the episode. Salute!

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We welcome the iconic Howie Rubin to the show! Howie moved to San Francisco in 1975 in search of a good time at age 21, and ended up helping open up America's first wineries bar, the London Wine Bar. They served wines by the glass and had winemaker dinners back then, and he was bitten by the wine bug. He traveled to wine regions all over California and carved himself quite a niche at the wine bar, where wine was really coming into its own. 2 years later he worked a crush at Mayacamas Vineyards on top of Mt. Veeder, and he got a real education and appreciation for how much work goes into producing a bottle of wine.

Phase 2 of his career took place at the Breakers Hotel in Florida, where he lived for a year. He was one of 4 sommeliers on the floor and really tuned up his education on how to serve, how to sell, and how to learn about European wines. He tried to get the Hotel to take on some California wines, but they were resistant!

Howie then moved to Marblehead in 1980 and began what turned out to be a 43-year run on Valentine's Day 1980. He worked for 4 different owners over those years, and each one let him run the business his way, which is customer service comes before anything else. During the 90s he had a 2-minute radio program on wine, airing twenty times a week, talking about the trends and highlights of the wine business in Boston. He also hosted dinners with Daniel Bruce for the Boston wine festival and did that for many years.

When he was presented with the opportunity to open up Vin Fromage, he was ready for a change. The local community has embraced them, and the wine program has thrived and grown under his watch. The philosophy that worked at Bauers is the same there... always put your customers' needs first!

Learn more at:

https://vinaufromage.com/

https://www.instagram.com/vinfromage/

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We welcome the amazing Julia Zuccardi of Santa Julia Wines to the show! There are many reasons why a winery chooses its name. In this case, Santa Julia was inspired by Julia herself, the first daughter of José Zuccardi. However, it also serves as a way to showcase their values, history, and the community they are part of.

As a family, the Zuccardi's are committed to the land and their people because they believe that the community that forms their winery begins with the growth of the vine and extends to the growth and progress of their team, always striving for a better world with more opportunities.

RSo, once again, Santa Julia is named for Julia herself. However, today she is very proud to say that there are many people who, day by day, make her winery a better place!

See more on santajulia.com.ar

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