288: Heroic Italian Wines & the Future of Italy's Wines with Marc Millon

Unreserved Wine Talk

What is a heroic wine? Which emerging trends will shape the taste of Italian wine in the next decade? How has Italian art and architecture directly influenced its wines?

In this episode of the Unreserved Wine Talk podcast, I'm chatting with author Marc Millon.

You can find the wines we discussed at https://www.nataliemaclean.com/winepicks

Giveaway

Three of you will win a copy of Marc Millon's terrific new book Italy in a Wineglass: The Story of Italy Through Its Wines.

To qualify, all you have to do is email me at [e-mail] and let me know that you've posted a review of the podcast. I'll choose one person randomly from those who contact me. Good luck!

Highlights

What made Marchesi Antinori the wine producer who’s made the biggest impact on wine today?

How did a wine of the lowest classification revolutionize Italian winemaking in the 1970s?

How did Venetian merchants influence wine production standards in Italy?

What impact did the royal fascination with Barolo have on its global perception?

What defines a heroic wine?

How did World War II reshape Italian vineyard landscapes?

Why do the cultural practices surrounding wine in Italy enhance wine tourism more than in neighbouring countries?

What is the link between art and wine?

What might surprise you about the mafia’s influence on the Italian wine industry?

Which emerging trends in Italian wine will shape the next decade?

How has climate change affected the English wine industry?

What does Marc love about Lympstone Manor Estate Isabeau Rosé 2023?

What makes San Felice Poggio Rosso Chianti Classico Gran Selezione a great example of Chianti’s evolution?

Why would Marc choose Pliny the Elder to share a bottle of wine with?

What’s Marc’s top wine tip to make us more wine-savvy?

Key Takeaways

What is a heroic wine? Marc defines them as wines made with immense effort from difficult terrains like sea cliffs or high mountain vineyards so they require heroic effort to make them and yet they’re not often well known.

Which emerging trends will shape the taste of Italian wine in the next decade? Marc sees a greater focus on organic and sustainable viticulture due to climate change.

How has Italian art and architecture directly influenced its wines? There are styles of wine that reflect architectural styles. Even the bottles and labels that producers create reflect architecture.

About Marc Millon

Marc Millon is a food, wine and travel writer and communicator and the author of numerous books as well as magazine articles published on both sides of the Atlantic. Marc has been travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about food, wine and travel for more than 40 years.

To learn more, visit https://www.nataliemaclean.com/288.