Episode 391 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently and features Vittorio Fiore, whose family owns Poggio Scalette in Tuscany as well as the Castelluccio winery in Romagna, Italy. Vittorio has been making wine in Tuscany for over 40 years as a consulting enologist.
Vittorio Fiore remembers when there were less than five consulting winemakers in Tuscany, and he was one member of that sum. This interview goes back to the mid-1970s with Vittorio’s arrival in the Chianti Classico zone, and follows through the many changes in the region since. Some of the evolution Vittorio is quite happy about, while he was misgivings about others. He is happy about the arrival of the Super Tuscans, for instance- and he explains why it was important, but he is less enthralled by the higher alcohol levels he sees today. Really the draw of this interview is the details. Of course we all knew about Sassicaia, but how often is Emile Peynaud’s contribution to that wine commented upon at length? We assume that there are differences between the Sangiovese from Tuscany and the Sangiovese from Romagna, but Vittorio, who has properties in both regions, can explain exactly what those differences are. He also has a clear eyed view of the challenges Italian wines have faced in the market, and his comments are of the type that come out of direct experience. All in all, this interview gives a look at a career that has spanned an amazing period of change within the Italian wine industry.
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I’ll Drink to That is the world’s most listened-to wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @leviopenswine
