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This week we are unwinding with our very own host Roger Bissell! Italian wine and travel expert Roger Bissell reflects on an unforgettable journey that culminated in the release of the first-ever, Wines to Watch 2022, a list of 40 carefully selected wine picks, inspired by a year of travel, tastings and visits with winemakers. Explore the list here: www.rogerbissell.co/winestowatch22

Valfaccenda was founded in 2010 by husband and wife Carolina and Luca, respectively an engineer and an enologist. Their vineyards are mostly in Valfaccenda, in Canale on the hills which line Le Rocche - a landmark in Roero - with a few old plots rented in Valmaggiore in Vezza, Madonna di Loreto in Canale and San Grato in Santo Stefano Roero. The soils of Roero are made of sand that formed the sea bed of Padania gulf, mixed with older clay sheets and small quantities of silt. This terroir helps the winemakers to make salty, juicy and chewy wines, which Luca and Carolina believe is the natural, true identity of Roero.

This week we are unwinding with Giulia Monteleone, vintner, Monteleone Winery. After extensive research, Giulia and her husband Benedetto Alessandro, made the fateful decision to purchase an old, two-hectare vineyard near the river Alcantara in July of 2017. The winery can be found at the foot of Mount Etna, less than 500 metres above sea level, and 30 metres away from the ancient Cuba di Santa Domenica, a rare and wonderful Byzantine jewel. If Mount Etna is a unique place for wine, the credit belongs not only to its uncommon climate conditions, but also to its soil. Monteleone vineyards are located on the northern slope of Mount Etna, in two different districts: Cuba and Pontale Palino.  Since 2017, there has been a focus on expanding the business through new vineyards which would be the basis for new wines. For this reason they chose the East side of the Volcano and since 2018, they have been producing Etna Bianco wines in the area of Milo and Sant’Alfio.  "Ours is not a family business, but simply a family: taking care of the vineyards and producing wine are activities which have transformed our lives so much that any boundary between life and work has been erased ever since. Our life paths have been very different (I used to write for several magazines and guides about food and wine), nonetheless - through bizarre turns of events - we have eventually met each other and chosen to take part in the wonderful and complex adventure of wine-making." - Giulia Monteleone Connect with Giulia: Facebook Instagram  

This week we're unwinding with Deborah Parker Wong, the inspiring woman at the helm of the Slow Wine Guide. About Slow Wine: Formally born in Italy, the Slow Wine movement recognizes wineries that respect and reflect their local terroir and practice sustainable methods that benefit the environment. The Slow Wine Guide evaluates over 400 different wineries and personally interviews each one in order to create a well-informed, detailed review of the wines themselves and the people behind the production. "Slow Wine looks to tell their genesis stories, explain how their growing stance positively coincides with the environment, and offers thoughtful tasting notes beyond the ubiquitous “cherry notes” and “nicely structured” phrasing." - Mark Stock About Deborah Parker Wong: Deborah Parker Wong, DipWSET was appointed National Editor, USA for the Slow Food Slow Wine guide in 2020. As global wine editor for sister publications the SOMM Journal and The Tasting Panel magazines, she has been writing about the beverage alcohol industry for these and other outlets since 2004. Deborah teaches as an adjunct professor in the Wine Studies departments at Santa Rosa Junior College and Cabrillo College and owns a Wine & Spirit Education Trust school offering Level 2 and Level 3 certifications. In addition to writing and speaking about wine, she consults to producer groups and judges wine competitions. Her motto is: To learn, read. To know, write. To master, teach. A partial archive of her published work can be found on her website.  Connect with Deborah: Twitter - @parkerwong Instagram - #deborahparkerwong Facebook - www.facebook.com/deborah.parker.wong Linkedin - https://www.linkedin.com/in/deborahparkerwong/

The minute you begin to chat with Riccardo and Maria, you instantly feel their warmth and passion for their small but mighty winery, with its origins strongly rooted over the centuries and in tradition. Their family has been producing wines in the Langhe for 6 generations.  Mongioia is led by Riccardo Bianco Owner, Oenologist and Agronomist who has produced a collection of Moscato-based wines all with a strong identity and has transformed the cellar into an artisan boutique and his wife Maria Graziano who is dedicated to spreading the family's love and devotion for Moscato. Committed to producing Moscato d'Asti at its best, Mongioia has built a solid reputation for their approach to eco-sustainability.  Their electricity is produced 100% from certified renewable sources, only use natural substances and are investing to reduce the use of fuel in tractors in the vineyard by 60%. Mongioia believes their cellar is a creative laboratory where inspiration is strongly rooted in history.

Join us this week as we explore the San Leonardo winery & estate, deeply rooted in tradition, a commitment to excellence and centuries-old history, through the lens of its current owner Anselmo Guerrieri Gonzaga. Anselmo shares his thoughts on: - Growing up in a prestigious family - How to continue holding the bar high for future generations - His plans for the future, professionally and personally - The wine, of course Connect with Anselmo and the winery: Instagram Website

Today, Alessandra Lauria teaches pasta classes (online and live) to groups of all sizes, but her journey into food started at an early age, growing up in a very large, Sicilian family. For the Laurias, cooking with good ingredients and making everything from scratch was the norm. Interesting enough, Alessandra was not allowed to cook when she was younger but learned by watching her mother and grandma make food in the kitchen from afar.  She later put this early learning into practice, cooking for many years personally, but it was only after she landed her dream job, that she realized a career in food and entrepreneurship was her destiny. In 2018 Alessandra enrolled in an artisan pasta maker course located in the northern part of Italy, between Padua and Bologna. There, she created food experiences, made a film, worked with the Pasta Grannies Project, developed recipes for restaurants and did consulting work for Leonetta Pasta.  Alessandra brings her passion for authentic food and love of people to all of her events and projects.  Alessandra discusses: what being authentically Sicilian means foods that make her think of home favorite street foods and pastas found in Sicily the importance of returning back to your roots what the future holds for her and her business The Pasta Studio

To Mariana Velásquez, a native of Bogotá, the diverse mix of heritages, cultures, and regions that comprise Colombian food can be summed up in one simple concept: More is more.   No matter what rung of society, Colombians feed their guests well, and leave them feeling nourished in body and soul.   In her debut book, Colombiana, the award-winning recipe developer and food stylist draws on the rich culinary traditions of her native land and puts her own modern twist on dishes beloved by generations of Colombians.   In addition to offering a unique perspective on Colombian food, Mariana shares the vibrant style of Colombian tablescapes and entertaining. For her, the best meals are never simply about the food on the table—they are an alchemy of atmosphere, drinks, and simple snacks and sweets that complete the experience and make it memorable.   WE DISCUSS: Mariana's journey from Bogota to Brooklyn and the melding of those two distinct cultures and flavors The genesis for her new book Colombiana Her favorite recipes from the book What brings her the most pleasure in life and work What the future holds From the book COLOMBIANA by Mariana Velásquez Villegas. Copyright © 2021 by Mariana Velásquez Villegas. Published by Harper Wave, an imprint of HarperCollins Publishers. Reprinted by permission. Photos by Gentl & Hyers

Ted Lemon is a lifelong winemaker who began his career by receiving an Enology degree from the Université de Dijon in 1981. He is the co-founder (along with his wife Heidi) of Littorai Wines, a small, family owned and operated winery dedicated to producing wines of place. Ted is the first American to ever be hired as winemaker and vineyard manager of an estate in Burgundy, Domaine Guy Roulot in Meursault, where he resided until 1984. He worked at many prestigious estates in Burgundy: Domaine Georges Roumier, Domaine Bruno Clair, Domaine Parent, Domaine De Villaine, Domaine Delorme and Domaine Dujac.  Upon returning to the United States, Ted worked as a winemaker in Napa Valley and became consultant to a number of prominent wineries in California, Oregon and New Zealand. In 2010, Ted was selected as Winemaker of the Year by the San Francisco Chronicle. He has been nominated multiple times for a James Beard award as Wine and Spirits Professional of the Year. Ted’s philosophy of terroir winegrowing is cited in Burgundy’s application to the United Nations as a World Heritage Site. In today's conversation we discuss: Biodynamic farming Zero commercial advertising Why you can't find Littorai in retail stores Expression of the terroir Being responsible with our ecosystem footprint Remaining small to maintain control over your process Determining the best vineyard sites to truly express Pinot Noir and Chardonnay

Prepare for your mouth to absolutely water with this week's deliciously fascinating conversation. Bill Esparza, author of the book, LA Mexicano, and James Beard Award winner in journalism for his coverage of the LA taco scene, is considered one of the country's leading experts on Mexican food.  In addition to the curating services Bill provides for Los Angeles restauranteurs and venues including The Fields in downtown LA, Bill has also served as the behind-the-scenes curator and on-air contributor for numerous television projects including two seasons of Emmy award-winning The Migrant Kitchen, Anthony Bourdain’s Parts Unknown, Andrew Zimmerman’s, Bizarre Foods, I'll Have What Phil's Having, Huang’s World and Top Chef.  Bill writes about Mexican food for LA Times, GQ Mexico, Roads & Kingdoms, Eater, Los Angeles Magazine, Food & Wine Magazine and others.   A noted saxophone player, Esparza has traveled and eaten extensively throughout Mexico, Latin America, and, of course, Southern California. In today's episode we discuss: The taco that he's currently obsessed with How culture (and his abuela's kitchen) fueled his passion for food His travels in Latin America and how his experiences influenced his life and writing The evolution of the LA Mexican food scene

Chef Meza, the culinary darling behind Dallas favorites Tulum and Jalisco Norte, draws from his Mexican heritage and experience at some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and restaurants, including Mexico City’s number one restaurant Pujol, NOMA in Copenhagen, ranked as a four-time World’s Best Restaurant by World’s 50 Best, and Martin Berasategui, a Michelin three-starred restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain.   He has taken his learnings from each experience to create a truly unique dining experience for guests. Meza’s dishes reflect Mexican heritage and tradition, while sticking to the philosophy of obtaining only the highest-quality ingredients and maintaining the standards of excellent service expected at Dallas’ most beloved restaurants. 

Located in the area of Castelnuovo Berardenga (in the province of Siena), you'll find Pācina, an incredible farm which boasts a long and rich history of sustainable agriculture that also respects tradition. It was in the 1970s when Maria Borsa's grandparents, Enzo Tiezzi and Lucia Carli, decided to move their family farm and put into practice their ideas of sustainability.  Pācina continues to be a family affair. Two years ago, Maria returned to take care of the property with her parents Giovanna and Stefano, her brother Carlo my brother and her partner Roberto. Previously, she moved away for studies in Political Science in the Netherlands and Italy and did a considerable amount of travel around the world. The property was originally bought by Maria's great great great grandfather close to a century ago. Today, Pacina produces wine, olive oil, legumes and cereals. The farm consists of 65 hecatres, approximately 11 of those are dedicated to vineyards. The grape varieties cultivated are all indigenous to the region: Sangiovese, Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Tuscan Trebbiano, and Chianti Malvasia. There is also a small plot where they also grow Syrah grapes. The vines range from 5 years to 50 years old, with some plants much older than that.