monty waldin

Certification protects the consumer from dubious marketing claims (clean wine), as well as importers who are reliant on the honesty of their producers but does it go far enough? The next task must be a social contract between winery owners and their staff and communities for fair working conditions.

"Well, the three pillars of biodynamics, the main thing is you're trying to make every single vineyard of farm a self-sustaining living organism, and what that means is you're trying to minimize inputs." Monty Waldin

Monty Waldin's Italian Wine Podcast has just turned two. Check it out!

Monty Waldin talks to Kalyna Monnoyer of Casa Raia about making organic, low intervention Brunello di Montalcino.

Grape Collective's Christopher Barnes is interviewed by Monty Waldin on The Italian Wine Podcast. The discussion shifts effortlessly from the origins of Grape Collective to the relative merits of the film Pumpkinhead II versus the original Pumpkinhead.

"The late ‘80s and the '90s was a fashionable period for oaky wines. Everyone was looking for more structure and more color, because the market wanted those qualities. We tried to maintain our tradition." Nicolò De Ferrari in conversation with Monty Waldin

Montalcino's smallest winery is also making some of its best wines. With vineyards adjacent to some of Tuscany most famous names, Podere Canapaccia is quietly making outstanding Brunello.

At Fattoria Sardi Matteo Giustiniani is making some of Italy's best rosé. After years of experimentation, his extended skin contact, biodynamic wine has become a benchmark for quality rosé. Monty Waldin talks to Giustiniani about his wine journey.

"It's often, wine producers, they love what they do, because they taste only what they do. They don't open themselves. They don't open their heart." Lamberto Frescobaldi in conversation with Monty Waldin

"Free sulfite fermentation, definitely now it's a reality, we all consider, it opens up the fruit even more. The borders of the fruit are larger, that's sure." Michele Manelli of Salcheto in conversation with Monty Waldin