Last Updated on October 12, 2021 by

Simonetta Gedda is the Founder and General Manager of Love to Italy, an importer and distributor of Italian wine and cuisine. She grew up in the countryside of Italy and has a deeply rooted sense of culture — and brings heart and authenticity from Rome, Florence, and Venice to the products selected to import.

Simonetta built extensive expertise in sales and marketing, working for Hiserv Italia Srl, EDISONTEL S.p.A., Tutto Bene Winery, and Tenuta Roletto to achieve profitability and revenue. She volunteered for Stiletto Broadcasting, with a goal to educate, empower, and entertain women in food, wine, and Italian culture talk.

Chiara Massoglia is a winemaker with a passion for viticulture. She is the next generation of Cantina Massoglia Winery, in Agliè, Torino, which specializes in cultivating Erbaluce grapes.

Here’s a glimpse of what you’ll learn:

• Simonetta Gedda shares the origin of Erbaluce di Caluso white wine
• How does the region of a grape enhance the flavor of the wine? 
• Simonetta discusses the strict regulations of winemaking in Italy
• The advantages of modernizing the winemaking industry
• Simonetta and Chiara Massoglia explain the fermentation process of the Erbaluce wine 
• What are the best meal options for an Erbaluce wine?
• How the weather affects the taste and harvest of grapes
• What is on Simonetta and Chiara’s horizon for Erbaluce?

In this episode with Simonetta Gedda and Chiara Massoglia

How does the origin of a wine enhance the flavor? Can you successfully experience the flavors of fine Italian wine in your home? 

The winery region defines the acidity, the body, and the palate of grapes for wine. Simonetta Gedda has created a host of flavors unique to the Italian countryside, and with winemaker Chiara Massoglia, they are educating and delighting the palates of consumers with Erbaluce wine.  

In this special tasting episode of Legends Behind the Craft, Drew Thomas Hendricks is joined by Simonetta Gedda, the Founder and General Manager of Love to Italy, and winemaker Chiara Massoglia, to discuss the evolution of winemaking while sipping Erbaluce di Caluso. Together, they share the foundational story of Erbaluce wine, the unique fermentation and growing process, and pairing wine with Italian cuisine.

Resources Mentioned in this episode

• Barrels Ahead
• Drew Thomas Hendricks on LinkedIn  
• Simonetta Gedda on Legends Behind the Craft 
• Simonetta Gedda on LinkedIn 
• Love to Italy 
• Cantina Massoglia

Sponsor for this episode…

This episode is brought to you by Barrels Ahead.

Barrels Ahead is a wine and craft marketing agency that propels organic growth by using a powerful combination of content development, Search Engine Optimization, and paid search.

At Barrels Ahead, we know that your business is unique. That’s why we work with you to create a one-of-a-kind marketing strategy that highlights your authenticity, tells your story, and makes your business stand out from your competitors.

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Episode Transcript

Intro  0:03  

Welcome to the Legends Behind the Craft podcast, where we feature top leaders in the wine and craft beverage industry, with your host Drew Thomas Hendricks. Now let’s get started with the show.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  0:20  

Today I’ve got a special treat for you. As part of doing the podcast Legends Behind the Craft, I get to interview some of the most intriguing producers and importers of wines and spirits. In today, we’ve got a special virtual tasting. I think you’re gonna enjoy it.

Simonetta, how are you doing today? 

Simonetta Gedda  0:39  

Fine, and you 

Drew Thomas Hendricks  0:40  

very good, very good. So we’re talking to live from Piedmont,

Simonetta Gedda  0:45  

and I have the baby Why are you doing so? This is Chiara she’s the higher of the of the winery. She’s the new generation.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  0:55  

Oh yes. Nice to meet you. amazing

Chiara Massoglia  0:58  

young man. Oh,

Simonetta Gedda  0:59  

she speaks many little English but I think they’re just you know, little introductions of yourself. And maybe she can understand I will handle everything by

Drew Thomas Hendricks  1:07  

Oh yes. My name is Drew Thomas Hendricks and I run a podcast called Legends Behind the Craft where I interview leaders in the wine industry.

Simonetta Gedda  1:17  

Okay, do su di me a Lui praticamente acquisto podcast che si chiama legend behind whatever. A title appunto father later Mr. paradata Camila alternativa Sana sympathovagal Mondo del vino. Okay. So we prepare the wine to taste together. We have two vintages. One is the one that you have in front of yourself. And the other is the new vintage, okay. 2020. If you want I can just show you displays where we are. This is not the real winery where they are producing the wine. But this is the place where they entertain people and to run some tasting.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  2:05  

Oh, that would be great.

Simonetta Gedda  2:06  

Okay, so how do you want to proceed with this podcast?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  2:11  

Why don’t you give us a little background on the Erbaluce di Caluso. So because it’s a great variety that most people aren’t very familiar with.

Simonetta Gedda  2:18  

Absolutely. This is what we are going to do. Are you ready recording or? Yes? Yes. Okay, we’re ready righty so introducing the Erbaluce di Caluso. Erbaluce is actually the name of the great but also the name of the denomination so of the wine. And there is a very nice and funny story that tells that the Erbaluce was actually something created by a god that was so beautiful was called Alba Luci Alba is sunrise and Lucia is light. And she was the daughter of the sun and the moon. You know, so it’s a very representative story of how people are feeling in this land about the importance and the beauty of the air Erbaluce itself so she was living in this amazing area called the Canavese where everybody was so happy and they were leaving like you know just with animals so growing up after vegetable so provided by the self everything but due to the the Queen whose name was Ypa that she was just very money oriented, and she wanted that the people just produces a lot a lot more. So she wanted them to dig into the soil to have more water coming on to produce more vegetables and more items. But digging after digging, it happens all the flooding and all the area of was flooded and all the people just a fold down in the poverty. They didn’t have nothing anymore to eat or to drink. So these are Erbaluce since she was really sad for the people she was living with. She started to cry and from her a tear at grew up at this amazing plant of the Arbaluce that started to grow up and give back to the people again something to eat into cells. So something that was enabled them to recreate the life of does it make sense what I’m saying?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  4:48  

Yeah, what a wonderful story. Oh,

Simonetta Gedda  4:50  

so returning back to the reality. Okay, so Erbaluce is an abductors grape varietal. It available only here in the Canavese. or Canavese land. It’s real smart in the area of side of Torino in the Piedmont region, let me say about 20 minutes by car from Turin and the north direction. In the kind of visit where we have hilly, a lot of hills all around us, we have a lot of lakes. So in terms of terroir, the situation is very, very special and specific. All the territory was filled by the melting down of the glass here. So we’re talking about 1000 years ago, but every time you live in the more rainy Island places that arrive is very specific. So all the freshness due to the soil type, but also to the weather and the difference between the night the day and the night, the humidity, or the wind that comes down from the hill in the mountains, is at the end of the story reflecting inside the grape and so into the wine, you will feel something very fresh with a lot of minerality and due to the high level of acidity, Di Erbaluce is fantastic for more than one type of wine. So I want to show you what in general the the winemaker are producing. Here we have the method of classical that is the traditional method. So the champagne, exactly the same as the champagne but you know champagne is in France in Italy, we call it metal a classical

Drew Thomas Hendricks  6:43  

reason is that a Spumante? That’s not from the Spumante area,

Simonetta Gedda  6:47  

actually Spumante stands for sparkling in general. So when we talk about sparkling in Italy we have two different methods of identification we have what is recognized as the shadow mat that actually the method of martinotti in Italian because martinotti was the name of the Italian guy who created these a special kind of system and then we have the metal of classical that is the champagne was okay. When you talk when it when you speak with an Italian we prefer to use or shove mathematically not your metal the classical sparkling is really too much genetic for us. Okay, so this is the method of classical then we have the classical style, so the one that you have and we face this way and then we have something amazing. Exactly. Are you familiar with the casita?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  7:44  

Not not the Erbaluce passito but in me, I’ve had many from Piedmont in the morning. I’ve had a few passito’s in the past,

Simonetta Gedda  7:58  

south of Italy probably

Drew Thomas Hendricks  8:00  

know up in North north and Piedmont. I forget that I forget the producer.

Simonetta Gedda  8:06  

Okay, nevermind. So the passito is made by hanging up each grade on a special place and leaving the grapes to visitor take for like five to six months after they have to collect back again at their Erbaluce grades that at that point is going to have just the you know, the 50% of water is expired and what is lasting is just the sugar contained in it, they aren’t going to press these grades. And in this case, Musalia is leaving the the what is going to be the wine on barrel hope barrel for five years. Well, after five years, the procedure is moved inside the bottles itself and for another year is going to just arrest and lie down and after six years the bottles are ready to be sold. So you can imagine the person page starting from 100 kilograms of grape but what they can produce probably is just 12 bottles or something like that are amazing. But the difference between like a passito coming from the south of Italy or the passito coming from the Erbaluce. It’s something sweet, but not sticky and still fresh because of the acidity.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  9:28  

Oh yes.

Simonetta Gedda  9:29  

So let’s start with the Erbaluce we are gonna taste this one grats Cara.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  9:35  

So I’ve got the 2019 here.

Simonetta Gedda  9:37  

Exactly. So the 2019 was a vintage with a decent amount of grapes because of regular weather. But at the end of the story, the sugar was not so high so we can feel more acidity compared to the 2020 All very fluid but it’s very refreshing and very dedicated for a very bright

Drew Thomas Hendricks  10:06  

it’s very warm here today and the smell is very

Simonetta Gedda  10:12  

Lui California. indeed the chicken moto calm up in the air in first counter humidity variety to perform a request of you know, some wonderful acidity I’m asking her directly what she feels about the nose so I can translate to

Chiara Massoglia  10:29  

Chamomila pescar she

Simonetta Gedda  10:31  

said herbal like you know the chamomile everybody you know

Drew Thomas Hendricks  10:36  

as soon as she said that I got that nose yes there is that

Simonetta Gedda  10:40  

white peaches also Absolutely. It’s very light and very warm, you know? Probably compare it to the 2020 this is lighter critical aluminium anti slip intense. And this is due to the fact that in 2020 they had a very small amount of grapes so everything was more concentrated you know?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  11:08  

Very light there’s a little bit of a mineral note.

Simonetta Gedda  11:11  

They definitely already knows dolci comicio a sentire la minerali naso. I wanted you to describe the emoji for us.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  11:34  

Yeah, so well not now I’m just smelling chamomile and peaches But no, but it’s a really bright light fruit and does does tend more towards that kind of peach. There’s a hint of a I do get a hint of like a lemon peel.

Simonetta Gedda  11:49  

Absolutely. The dice che comunque committee the Imani escapes are looking into so the taste is really more covered lemon

Drew Thomas Hendricks  12:00  

has that really just bracing acidity that I love what you do that food it’s just wonderful. There’s nothing kind of it’s very tight and bright is the way I feel and it has a very nice kind of clean finish that kind of lingers and the minerals come out once you once it kind of leaves the palette.

Simonetta Gedda  12:19  

The comunque continua questo taglio molto netto livello di freschezza quindi si apre livello di freschezza quindi simamo prenotati e comunque molto amorevole piacevole. You know Drew I consider this one not for everybody you know, so people were used to drink a very sweet wines probably they have a lot of consum trouble in adjusting themselves. But if you are looking something fresh isn’t clear for very hard weather or like a fish dishes. Even though it looks bad oysters is perfect.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  13:01  

Yeah, I’m gonna go worse and oysters tonight when I did

Simonetta Gedda  13:05  

so much of the last two capacitors but you know also salmon you know in salmon is so I mean it’s available everywhere. And salmon it’s very Saturday. Yeah, level of minerality and, and acidity is just helping you to refresh your mouth from this pedied. I think it’s just just perfect.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  13:30  

This is a wine that even if you liked like you were a white wine drinker and he really just loved your your buttery Chardonnays then you serve it to them without any food they probably wouldn’t like. But if you served it with the salmon or with an oyster, they would, they would have a newfound appreciation for this wine because it would just it would match so well. In one of

Simonetta Gedda  13:51  

my last wine tasting that I run with regular people. I prepared some small bites we know like toasted bread, bread with some butter and a little pieces of salmon not crooked salmon and very, very fresh and whole to my guests to drink the mErbaluce first and to eat this bite of salmon and bother and to drink drink again the Erbaluce. So the first Erbaluce was having the effect of me it’s very refreshing but after this salmon and butterthat, they just say Oh, that should this is the perfect combination. Yeah, just

Drew Thomas Hendricks  14:39  

I can see I just livens the palette. It’s very, very interesting and refreshing. Like it just it really exciting that excites my palate.

Simonetta Gedda  14:50  

Consider that the total amount of Erbaluce bottles produced in the area I think is really Below 1 million bottles, but considering all the producers and all the types so metadata classical, the classical traditional identifications and the passito, the area where the mbalula can be produced it’s geometry Detroit a kilometre louder the counts of 14 small villages. So what is more villages in term of miles is like a diameters of 18 miles. So in between this area, who is growing up Erbaluce grapes that can produce Erbaluce, D or CG and since you are aware of the Italian appellation, this is a deal CG so you can see the sticker that we need to apply on each bottles. And he just speaker is counted. So every time we deal with the OCG in Italy, it means that the producer is really under control from the proper authorities in the vineyard and in the vinification process. Like from the low point standpoint, the evolution of DNA are made of that Erbaluce can create a specific amount of great so the producer can only use that specific amount of grape for the production of the wine, and its math calculations. So specific amount of grapes in terms of kilograms, or extra litres and number of bottles, if they have more, they have to declassthe wine, CG to a table wine, because they will have only that number of stickers to apply to the bottles.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  16:55  

So the lesser fruit just gets sold away or declined.

Simonetta Gedda  17:00  

So let’s we say that Chiara owns a vineyard. Unable to produce like, just say one number. Okay. 1000 bottles. She’s gonna have some the authority 1000 speaker to apply to the deal CG production. If she’s having a very beautiful vintage and she is potentially able to produce 2000 she can only sell 1000 as a do CG and the other 1000 is going to be tabled one.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  17:32  

That’s very interesting. I guess I never realized that that. Yeah. It’s not so much that you because I was going to ask how the planting of their Erbaluce and the different DFC G’s, other grape varieties can be planted there. Whereas only Erbaluce in those vineyards

Simonetta Gedda  17:48  

in Canavese area where we are the local denomination, our evolution the acidity is the most important. Then we have also Canavese that is a red blend made of Barbera. And one I’ve done one of these what is called grand Nash most of the time. Then we have the Nebbiolo do cG mbogo. Canavese call to the nominal, Barbara Barbera the cannabis. So they can really plan other kinds of varietals, but if they want to have a denomination, they can use only one of those okay.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  18:32  

plantings.

Chiara Massoglia  18:33  

And yet yeah 3024 serving Drew

Drew Thomas Hendricks  18:35  

Oh, I

Simonetta Gedda  18:37  

didn’t know I just asked her when the DLC g was granted from the government. So the DLC g was officially defined 12 years ago. new DLC

Drew Thomas Hendricks  18:52  

plantings increased over the last 12 years since

Simonetta Gedda  18:57  

a lot of young producers like in Cantina so in chaos families, his name is Masaya like the label I think she’s the third or the fourth generation to sell aquata the fourth generation so everything started from the great grandparents and then it’s what was happening my family I just decided to give up. But anyway, nowadays there are a lot of younger producer that decided to keep going with one was very normal in this area but the area is still the same. Let me ask her are many Erbaluce producers they are nowadays compensated for your pollution

Chiara Massoglia  19:45  

trend, Todd would rent a truck

Simonetta Gedda  19:48  

okay 32 or 33 producers. So nothing

Drew Thomas Hendricks  19:53  

very small. nothing compared to maybe 12 years ago before the DSC g

Simonetta Gedda  20:01  

I think at that time, we were talking about like 20, maybe 25. Or on the other hand, in all the families, they were producing wines, but just for the family and not for the business.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  20:14  

I see. So they had the vines planted, and then they replaced some of the other varietals because there’s only so many vineyards

Simonetta Gedda  20:21  

No, no, they were they were and they are just the still keep going with this kind of volatile, same tradition in Piemonte in the land of the red wines, and you know, so just to name one, but all or barbaresco and we all checked off, but actually here where we are, this is the land of the white wine in Finland. Okay, so this is the most popular and the most important is not actually very well recognized leader in Italy. So I think it’s just like five to 10 years, the Erbaluce is starting to become a recognized wine also existed. But it is still something very difficult to find in many places. She was telling me that she was very lucky and happy to find a very beautiful customer in CC. Oh, and she is buying so many cases of Erbaluce. So imagine that this is the Italian map if you flip the Italian mapping to the film is touching the CCD. Exactly the you know the opposite with a very hot whether it’s from California to New Jersey, or those places or

Drew Thomas Hendricks  21:44  

even up to Washington on the coast.

Simonetta Gedda  21:46  

Exactly. So but it’s very difficult to find a situation like this and she’s very good in promoting so chef

Drew Thomas Hendricks  21:55  

Tasker is a fourth generation winemaker, how is the winemaking changed or how are the new what new way makers? Have they changed anything is it evolved?

Simonetta Gedda  22:05  

Lui sta chiedendo come di produzione di produzione assunte dalle prime ce l’ho oggi e passata con un miglioramento quale stato un miglioramento.

Chiara Massoglia  22:23  

a 10 to 30 days turkey Meanwhile, the turkey no moto g for my region mocha mocha para la temperatura contralateral intermodal live Oscar. and proceed Okay, Primo Venezuela Chateau de Rufino de chamber. So then Yamanashi Rufino febbraio e la Spumante can only refer to a can which be able to choose a default or cambiato.

Simonetta Gedda  22:48  

She’s saying that actually, everything changes. Yeah, starting from everything was manual, and now decided the harvesting that is still done by hand, everything just handled but by using the technology, so one time, they were pressing the brakes with the feet, and all we have an automatic, you know, press. Exactly, yeah, let’s, let’s fly one. And they are using at the very beginning of the identification process, steel tank, but now still 10 they have a special system inside to control the temperature. So in the first phase of the, that is also the most important they are able to control and keep cold, the most inside. So when you keep cold the most inside the steel tank, you are just hand lighting, the flavoring coming outside from the grape itself. So this was not possible, then, in general, they were leaving the wine inside the tank less amount of time than what she’s doing now. Because actually, today they learn how to keep under control the acidity, the acidity is it can be a very amazing advantage. Because the more acidity you have, the more life the one can have. It’s a natural preserver, you know, but if you are not able to control the acidic acidity in the proper way, it becomes very difficult. And I really have memory when I was a child, and my grandfather was giving me a little, you know, little drops of the wife was just a lot. It’s like eating, you know, lemon zest because we were just producing the wine for the family or the peseta. So for the passito. Now they are waiting six years to obtain the best of the best when we were kids and even generations Before the passito was produced in general in the year when there was a new boy board in the family. Oh, exactly. And the wine was kept in the in the cellar until the boy was getting married. And it was like the special wine at the wedding ceremony.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  25:23  

That’s a great, so everybody

Chiara Massoglia  25:29  

pretty much remarked

Simonetta Gedda  25:30  

Oh, we’re talking about the one that can stand in the cellar for 2030 or 50 years without any problem. When I got married, I mean, the grandfather of my husband, he opened up the bottles of 1966 a person Oh, man. Yeah, it was just amazing. So and this is due not only to the vinification process, but also to the acidity of the pollution.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  25:57  

And we talked to you were talking about the acidity, but I can see that this has a tremendous amount of fruit and mouth coating texture that makes the acidity very balanced. We’re talking about it’s not something that’s just a big acid bomb, it’s got a lot of roundness to it.

Simonetta Gedda  26:11  

Yeah, acidity plus minerality. Those are the two things that you can really feel in this glass of wine. It’s just I mean, for me, it’s really a wine that deserves some more popularity. But I know that the activities we have to do in terms of promotions, it’s really long, but we have time, you know, since we have live with time to do it.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  26:37  

Now as far as would you age the dry wine with this sit in the cellar for a few years,

Simonetta Gedda  26:43  

it can stay a lot aging, absolutely. You get a simple similar founding document of the future. It depends also if we are having a very simple basic version or more sophisticated, so you can have like a reserve that when you are talking about the reserve, it can last longer in the in of aging. But as I always happen, you can have some very simple why that need to be you know, drink very easily very soon, but for me, easily two years. This wine can stain the bottles of the classical is another wine that can really stay an age very, very long. Absolutely. And

Drew Thomas Hendricks  27:35  

when’s that one release? So it would sit on the lease for a little while. How long from vintage? Is it a vintage method Costco or is it a coupe egg?

Simonetta Gedda  27:46  

This is Christina covi vintage German. Tom, this is 2018 but it’s a vintage but um is exactly the same process of the champagne. So, they are leaving they are leaving at the beginning a little amount of time the grapes the stains will leave for a little amount then they are moving in the steel tank like for basic version, but after six months, they are doing you know they are they are moving the wine inside the bottles and corking with the regular cork for leaving the second fermentation directly inside the bottles itself and after can Satriani

Chiara Massoglia  28:36  

in Western Digital domain different urban manufacture mobility portrait rent okay

Simonetta Gedda  28:40  

and so, as a normal way they are living 24 to 36 month the second fermentations in the bottles at the very hand they are doing the classical Avraham washer process to you know to move the battle the battles exactly rather than moving and when the process is finished, they need to ask us to another company because they are not equipped for with the big machine you know to change the cork and do the Lakota disaster. So there they are, I think just a couple of companies in Piedmont that they are selling as a service this kind of systems so the track is coming in the winery and they can really remove the Corker and this special something that gives the final taste to the wine and to the final cork each likewise. If that’s the way it is in California, it’s very easy. This is a secret, keep it yourself and not people are gonna see this. In this area, we produce a cassis Malini and the producer is just around the corner. Actually Massoglia is using in the blender of the liquor the design, a little bit of the classes are really

Drew Thomas Hendricks  30:10  

wonderful.

Simonetta Gedda  30:11  

And the other very important things is that this is a does as you see also they are not adding any sugar on it. So it’s really you know, it’s very, very simple, very, very natural. And the Drew I’m sorry you cannot change this.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  30:31  

And we have to find a bottle that

Simonetta Gedda  30:34  

you will love it. You will love it. And Any other question? Are you curious about something?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  30:40  

Well for the for the Erbaluce What is your favorite aside from salmon? What is your favorite way to consume it?

Simonetta Gedda  30:48  

Um, I think oculi Erbaluce with the food is the perfect way to drink it and the sound on absolutely it’s also perfect with white meat so like chicken grilled chicken or fresh vegetables

Drew Thomas Hendricks  31:03  

traditional piedmonte meal what would what would you serve this with?

Simonetta Gedda  31:08  

Ah I think with vegetables or with with chicken by the way this is not the land of fish. No. This is the contraposition I don’t know why we produce a very beautiful one wine that is perfect with the fish and we don’t have the fish but anyway this is part of the story. Cara to come Casa Labine touristical on piatto Carlin

Chiara Massoglia  31:33  

resort tolerable route a lot rota.

Simonetta Gedda  31:37  

See she’s very beautiful. So do you know what the result of his research? Yes, okay, at least we do as a result of with evolution Oh, well

Drew Thomas Hendricks  31:46  

that would be a good parent laccase so

Simonetta Gedda  31:48  

we are copying in some way in the French they are doing the results.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  31:53  

So you’ve got that you’ve got the rice you’ve got

Simonetta Gedda  31:57  

the procedure is the same procedure of the classical result. But at the very beginning, at the very last of the cooking phase that you add some evolution it you know you need to post the result at the beginning. So you put your rise inside your panel with a little bit of audience. Before adding the growth time by time you use a little bit of as Baluchi and you toast the one with the emoji. Then you start cooking and like when the result is could just turn up the fire. Add someone and leave the wine just evaporate with the helpful

Drew Thomas Hendricks  32:39  

that’s what I’m making tonight. Tonight,

Simonetta Gedda  32:43  

or she was reminding me that we don’t have to come from the sea but we have fish coming from the lake and from rivers. I was so we had it trolled Dr. O up trawled coming from the mountains so it’s perfectly throat

Drew Thomas Hendricks  33:03  

I would think trout would be perfect with this.

Simonetta Gedda  33:06  

Exactly. So your job your choice, you are in California so you can ask us oysters sound mom, but now you have to promise that you are going to try the result by yourself.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  33:21  

I will I’m gonna have to document that I’ll send you a I may just include it in our social feed. I like I like I like cooking challenges. So I’m going to try that.

Simonetta Gedda  33:31  

Can I show you how the passito is the concept? Oh yeah this aceto color. Apollo it’s really amazing. Remember Cina performance you later okay let me see if I can show you.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  33:46  

Oh nice. Just a beautiful golden color.

Simonetta Gedda  33:50  

It’s a beautiful golden color and also the density is very very thick. So ah is just amazing.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  34:01  

Are the grapes dried outside are they dried in

Simonetta Gedda  34:06  

on a special place where they just drying of their Erbaluce and they cannot use artificial air conditioning has to be dried with the natural air. And most of the time they have to open the windows during the day and close the windows during the night. And they have to remove when there is too much more touching rates because they can keep the boat retos so that is the positive man but they have to remove the bad ones. In general, if they can arrive to have the 20% of the passido is what gives the final touch to the wine. It’s I mean it’s very complex. The nose taste is really complex. Wow So imagine what you just had. But 1000 times more intense, with some sweetness because you have some sweetness. But after few seconds when you roll up your one in your mouth, you’ve the freshness and the minerality wonderful. And I was I always suggest to do the tasting in two ways. You can keep the passito Let me say cold and when it’s cold, you reduce the sugary feeling in your mouth. And you can vary with some sweet. We have this that is produced locally. They are called the top shape the dlgn was a delicious Yeah, it’s like I’m not that is nothing that they can compare with in the USA. You need to know that here in the village. There is an amazing beautiful castle that was belonging to the Royal Italian family whose names was Savoy actually in Italy, few people know that we had the royal family. And Turin was one of the first capital was the first capital of Italy. In the village, we had these summer residents. So a lot of the smaller shops were producing something specifically for the royal family. And this is one of the biscuits that was specifically produced for the Queen and the Ducasse.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  36:40  

Oh, is it a is that a sweet glaze on the top

Simonetta Gedda  36:43  

Betty? Yeah, exactly. And this is the effect of the sugar that they put on top before cooking in the oven. And those are like really battery a lot a lot of batteries so if you want to bear this stuff, check it with this proceed of the casita has to be very cold unless you have sweet and sweet. This is my feeling that then I will ask Cooper, but it’s perfect when is warm temperature in contrast with the gorgonzola cheese, or the fogra. So everything is very salty, very intense, very flavorful and you want to contrast

Drew Thomas Hendricks  37:29  

That’s great. That’s on the nose, you get more like apricots fruits versus

Simonetta Gedda  37:35  

a lot of apricots excellent. I can say I can feel some ailment also you sent him sucker the coca Mancha della Mundo and alesina honey you you eat a lot of honey in the either ni la consulta por su Cynthia propio

Chiara Massoglia  37:55  

similarly como la Lambie Kakaako let’s say

Simonetta Gedda  37:59  

she was saying this is the typical dried apricots smell yes very but also the honey is very very intense but again in your mouth you have it is moving in the direction of some very intensive tastes of white fruit let me say also peaches but very very intense. And I would say

even lemon hand you sent on Cora Yamanaka fuchsia for the very lambda

Chiara Massoglia  38:48  

by the same prayer

Simonetta Gedda  38:49  

it’s simple Baluch exactly so by way of saying the the grape it’s always at Volusia. So one of the main characteristics is the freshness coming from the side. And personally I’m not a fan of the other kind of passito because they are very very very sweet. But I can really

Drew Thomas Hendricks  39:08  

yeah, how was the cows 2022 or 2021 growing season? Are you guys harvesting

Simonetta Gedda  39:16  

even tonight sir

Chiara Massoglia  39:17  

john and apartelle gelato a diva. For a moment when and the Witcher The Witcher number a lot longer andina.

Simonetta Gedda  39:27  

This season was crazy was crazy because aces aces store some kinds of basis store but especially for when the plant was blooming. In the beginning, the weather was very hot, and then it dropped down to very cold and so it was frozen so the little gem were frozen and this is never helped. So they will have a small amount of grapes available and if not thing is going to happen the small amount will add a good quality especially because when you have a little amount the plant itself can direct all the resources to a small amount of grapes so we are expecting to have more sugar in it. So more flavoring more more taste and less level of acidity to control that’s good they’re spraying the nothing is gonna happen because nowadays you know, like a very bad storming

Drew Thomas Hendricks  40:35  

you’re not affected by the fires in Greece are those areas I don’t know how the wind power

Simonetta Gedda  40:39  

Oh thank God we are okay with the fire but because we had a lot of rain in the last month okay so in the south of Italy they didn’t have any rain and they are having huge high temperature I don’t know in Fahrenheit but yesterday I think some villages in Calabria or in Sicily they had 48 century degrees 40 degrees is like 100 something of your Fahrenheit.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  41:10  

Oh yeah, no, that’s very, very twisty, windy and typically harvest in September.

Simonetta Gedda  41:16  

It depends not to fatally where we are. They start in general in September with the early harvesting for Erbaluce because they need to keep the acidity for the metal the classical in the past itself. And they just keep going with the red grades and they can arrive in at all October. In South Avital in general they start in August, but if I’m not wrong, they already start because they have the Moscato specially and the magazine. So what is very sugary because of the high temperature

Drew Thomas Hendricks  41:50  

in Napa and Sonoma here they’ve already started harvesting the Sauvignon Blanc really is very early.

Simonetta Gedda  41:58  

Oh Jesus. I’ve seen on the television that they are having a lot of problem with the fire like what we are having,

Drew Thomas Hendricks  42:07  

right? Fortunately, it’s north east of where it is. So it’s not threatening that area. They’ve been through the mill but the other years all the fires have started more in September. So we’re still in that pre we’re just very worried right now that nothing happens. Right now we’re having a big water issue where the there’s not enough water for the vineyards in the Russian River.

Simonetta Gedda  42:32  

It’s just crazy. The weather is crazy. We cannot control the weather. But we can drink a very beautiful wine.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  42:38  

The good thing is after the weather, you can control the fermentation now and you’re not at the mercy of the weather once it’s harvested, with the with the cooling with the cooling tanks. So that’s

Simonetta Gedda  42:47  

Yeah, technology technology’s really helping in this respect.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  42:52  

So what’s the what’s the next step for Erbaluce? Five years How do you see ask how do you see Erbaluce evolving over the next five years in this region? What are the goals

Simonetta Gedda  43:05  

together? quality suratgarh snowpass accommodatie evolve the recipient Fiona de la malucia encuesta john and Quinn the product thority quantitative quality

Chiara Massoglia  43:16  

you may know Pretoria pupae Anita

Simonetta Gedda  43:20  

interesting less amount of producers and more quality

Drew Thomas Hendricks  43:24  

without the lesser ones and boosted up

Simonetta Gedda  43:28  

yes I think it’s interesting you know there’s gonna be like a countdown because in this moment everybody wants to do something but probably when they will realize that producing is difficult it’s important but then you need to market your wine and market you want properly at the end of the story when your seller is full of wine and it’s just gonna leave inside is not helpful.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  43:54  

Does it ever use for blending I know it can’t be do CG but is there like a like a super test skin? That’s probably a superpower

Simonetta Gedda  44:02  

Not that I know but I’m gonna ask her and lotion is super good for the blender color malucia no no absolute she confirmed

Chiara Massoglia  44:09  

doing that can lead you to genome pregnant

Simonetta Gedda  44:13  

HCG combo connection as soon as possible this sort of follow up because the

Chiara Massoglia  44:18  

no fun no map no

Simonetta Gedda  44:22  

not no no no. So they are really taking care about the DLC G and they are expected to do 2g you know in Italy is very important. So it’s a it’s a synonymous of quality and also synonymous of the place. So it’s just race and collect togethers, the tradition the culture, even the way we didn’t talk about the way the Erbaluce grape is growing up in the linear you know you’re used to see regular, the regular system where the steak and where the grapes that Just coming for the top, you know, their Erbaluche is grown with the system called the pergola the parabola you have one stick here, one stick here that these are smaller and another in between and the plant is just growing up and extending herself on the other side, like having a tunnel. Oh, and this is the best way because the emoji grapes is adding the plant or is having a lot of leaves and a lot of space to expand. So it’s very even romantic when you walk into the room because you see all the leaves and all the grades are just you know, growing underneath it’s and changing the color from the green to an amazing amber color is on a place close to to her. Her vineyard that is another producer that has done a test with the University in Torino and they tried with the same cloth of the Erbaluce to use traditional pergola system or the other way. So the way that you see all the beards, yeah, after 40 years they tasting tasting the difference in term of vineyard and vinification, which was the best way to grow up the plant itself. And believe it or not our ancient without having any knowledge, any technology, nothing of nothing. They’ve just used the perfect way to grow up the Erbaluche.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  46:40  

That’s fantastic. It just optimizes it’s for this full sun.

Simonetta Gedda  46:44  

Yeah, you know, having this kind of system, it enables first of all the air to move perfectly underneath and above and to protect the grapes from the direct heat of the sun. So they take light, but not the direct rate that can damage the grades.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:05  

Brilliant. Absolutely.

Simonetta Gedda  47:07  

So what are you gonna do tonight with Erbaluce

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:11  

tonight? Well, it’s gonna start by going to the store to see what’s available. I’ve got reset on my on my list. I’ve got salmon. I’ve got oysters, so it’s gonna be one of the three.

Simonetta Gedda  47:22  

Okay, can we join you?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:24  

You can virtually okay. Okay, we can

Simonetta Gedda  47:27  

just take it

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:28  

Because it’s gonna be about 2am where you’re

Simonetta Gedda  47:32  

absolutely. Well, it was a really a huge pleasure.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:36  

It’s fantastic. It’s so great.

Simonetta Gedda  47:39  

Other questions for Chiara?

Drew Thomas Hendricks  47:42  

No, I’m just what do you get? What are you guys having for dinner tonight?

Simonetta Gedda  47:45  

Because I’d like a chance to Sarah. No.

Chiara Massoglia  47:50  

No, no, Sancho.

Simonetta Gedda  47:51  

She doesn’t know she doesn’t. I’m gonna have a what we call technical that is raw meat. raw meat, like a carpaccio, this is what I mean, they are a good idea. It’s hot outside. So capatch is gonna be refreshing. Maybe not perfect with the Erbaluce, but maybe we are going to drink a bit better. Yeah. You never know.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  48:14  

Sounds good. Thank you so much. This is a treat.

Simonetta Gedda  48:18  

Thank you Drew. We appreciate your time. And we can

Drew Thomas Hendricks  48:23  

find more about tell tell people where they can find their Erbaluce on your on your website.

Simonetta Gedda  48:29  

Um, they can Google Love to Italy, they can come in my website, under the section wine and they can find all the information they need for the wine and for the producer. If they need more information, they can keep in touch with me. In this moment, as you know, I still don’t have any distributor in the California area. But maybe someone can be interested in just keep in touch with me my number and my email is on my website. Sounds good. I’ll be very happy to give more information to weather ones.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  49:05  

Thank you so much. That was great. Thank

Simonetta Gedda  49:07  

you. And we are here available and anytime you would like we can run this kind of tasting.

Drew Thomas Hendricks  49:14  

Awesome. I’m going to take advantage of it. Thank you so much. You guys have a good Ciao

Outro  49:28  

Thanks for listening to the Legends Behind the Craft podcast. We’ll see you again next time and be sure to click subscribe to get future episodes.