Welcome to Episode 2507 of the Italian Wine Podcast.This is Next Generation episode where Stevie interviews, in Italian, Professor Vincenzo Russo, Director of the project and expert in neuromarketing applied to wine. Together, they explore the Young Wine Neuro-Engagement Index, an innovative tool designed to measure how appealing wineries, products, and communication are to younger audiences. 
Powered by Sardegna Ricerche with the support of Assoenologi Sardegna and under the supervision of IULM – Behavior & Brain Lab, the project marks a pioneering pilot in the Italian wine scene. Stevie and the Professor will discuss Young Wine Neuro-Engagement Index’s five-step methodology, the Cannonau case study, and the evolving relationship between young consumers and wine.

More about today’s guest: 
Professor Vincenzo Russo is Full Professor of Consumer Psychology and Neuromarketing, Founder and Coordinator of the Neuromarketing Research Center 'Behavior and Brain Lab IULM', Scientific Director of the Master's Program in Food and Wine Communication (IULM), the Master's Program in Sport Communication and Marketing (IULM), and the Executive Master's Program in Neuromarketing, Consumer Neuroscience and Market Research (IULM).
Founded in 1968, IULM University (Libera Università di Lingue e Comunicazione IULM) is a private university in Milan specializing in languages, communication, marketing, and cultural studies. Known for its interdisciplinary approach, IULM bridges academia and industry, offering programs in media, marketing, and food and wine communication, and is home to cutting-edge research in consumer psychology and neuromarketing.
Connect:  
Website: https://www.iulm.it/ 

More about the host: 
Stevie Kim is an Italian Wine Marketing & Communication Expert, Brand Positioning Specialist, and Public Speaker based in Verona, Italy. As Managing Partner at Vinitaly, she leads key initiatives, including OperaWine, Vinitaly International Academy, wine2wine Business Forum, and 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls. A passionate Italian Wine Evangelist, she harnesses social media and education to promote Italian wine on a global scale.
The Italian Wine Podcast is part of Mamma Jumbo Shrimp, a brand Stevie launched in 2020 to make wine more accessible through books, maps, videos, and the Italian Wine Travel with Stevie YouTube series.
Stevie often joins Professor Scienza in his shows to lend a hand keeping our Professor in check! You can also find her taking a hit for the team when she goes “On the Road”, all over the Italian countryside, visiting wineries and interviewing producers, enjoying their best food and wine – all in the name of bringing us great Pods!

Connect: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steviekim222/
Website: https://www.vinitaly.com/eventi/operawine/stevie-kim/ 

_______________________________

Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 
 
If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 
 
Until next time, Cin Cin!


Ep. 2507 Stevie Kim interviews Vincenzo Russo of IULM University in Milan | Next Generation

Welcome to Episode 2508 of the Italian Wine Podcast from TEXSOM 2025 in which Jessica Dupuy interviews Master Sommelier and restaurateur Chris Gaither to talk about his first sommelier job, his journey to becoming a Master Sommelier, and founding Ungrafted, one of San Francisco’s most exciting wine destinations. They also break down the Master Sommelier vs. Master of Wine programs, exploring the key differences and challenges of each path.

The Italian Wine Podcast is proud to be a Media Partner of TEXSOM for the second year in a row, supporting one of the most influential wine events in North America.

Join us at TEXSOM 2025 as Texas-based wine journalist Jessica Dupuy interviews top writers, journalists, sommeliers, and wine professionals at this highly influential wine event. In this special series, Jessica will delve into the experiences and insights of key attendees, exploring career paths, challenges, and the latest trends in the wine industry.

This special TEXSOM series is made possible thanks to the support of the Texas Department of Agriculture’s Uncork Texas Wines program, celebrating and promoting the vibrant culture of Texas wine.

More about today’s guest:
With a career in hospitality spanning 20 years, Chris took his first restaurant job while attending Morehouse College in Atlanta, Georgia. His passion and curiosity for wine led him to apply for and receive a coveted wine internship at The French Laundry. He moved to San Francisco to work as a Sommelier at Spruce and from there went on to be the Wine Director at Restaurant Gary Danko. After stints at Sociale, Michael Mina and Octavia, Chris got the opportunity in 2018 to open Ungrafted with his wife, Master Sommelier Rebecca Fineman. In May of 2023 they also opened their wine bar, GluGlu, at Chase Center, home of the Golden State Warriors. He is director of wine education and brand ambassador at the Brown Estate in Napa Valley.

Connect:
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-gaither-ms-299b71135/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sommthingelse/ 

More about the host:
Jessica Dupuy covers wine, spirits, and travel from Austin, Texas. She holds a Diploma with the Wine and Spirit Educational Trust, is a Certified Sommelier through the Court of Master Sommeliers, and a Certified Specialist of Wine and Spirits through the Society of Wine Educators. Dupuy’s work has appeared in Food & Wine, Wine Enthusiast, Imbibe, Texas Monthly, Forbes, SevenFifty Daily, GuildSomm, VinePair, and Southern Living. She recently published, The Wines of Southwest USA in addition to six regional cookbooks. Her forthcoming book, Italianity, with co-author Andrea Lonardi MW explores and celebrates the culture of Italian wine. (Release Spring 2026). She also co-hosts podcast, Another Bottle Down.
 
Connect:
Website: https://www.jessicadupuy.com/ 
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/jessica-norman-dupuy-86486a4/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jessicandupuy/#   

_______________________________
 
Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 

If you feel like helping us, donate here https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 
 
Until next time, Cin Cin!


Ep. 2508 Jessica Dupuy interviews Chris Gaither MS | TEXSOM 2025

хррYiсон

Welcome to Episode 2509 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Barbara Fitzgerald interviews Kathleen Willcox, an award-winning food and drinks journalist, to discuss Kathleen’s recent research and article on how millennials are reshaping wine collecting and consumption.

Key Takeaways: 

- Younger generations appreciate wine and are willing to spend, but they seek different experiences.
- Millennials and Gen Z care about what a brand stands for and its values.
- Making wine fun through storytelling and unique experiences helps connect with modern consumers.

Kathleen’s article in the Wine Enthusiast magazine on the investment habits of millennials is available online at:
https://www.wineenthusiast.com/culture/wine/millennials-wine-collecting/?srsltid=AfmBOoqOR-iiqNks-VGy34Qj7XcY1Whsr28PhSC0U3qiMd1fySx6Kp0T 

More about the guest: 
Kathleen Willcox is a journalist who writes about food, wine, beer, and popular culture. She is keenly interested in sustainability issues, and the business of making ethical drinks and food. Her work appears regularly in Wine Searcher, Wine Enthusiast, Food & Wine, The Drinks Business, Wine Industry Advisor and many other publications. She recently coauthored, with Tessa Edick, “Hudson Valley Wine: A History of Taste & Terroir.” She lives in Saratoga Springs, New York. 

Connect:  
Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/kathleen-willcox-7a46074/ 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/kathleenwillcox/ 

More about the host:
With a career of nearly two decades in the wine industry, Barbara specializes in D2C marketing and business development. She's led roles from entry level to senior management, combining her extensive experience with data analysis, critical thinking and storytelling while driving revenue growth and brand recognition for California wineries. As a part of the 4th generation of an Italian-American family among the California wine industry pioneers, Barbara has spent her life around wine growing, production, marketing, distribution and hospitality. A Syracuse University graduate, she returned to California to gain diverse industry perspectives from a range of wineries.
As an Italian Wine Ambassador, she brings her expertise to the Italian wine market, known for its authenticity and consumer demand. Barbara now runs Apri La Creative Consulting, coaching wineries in Italy and the US to strategically develop their D2C channels in line with their brand values. Together with her husband, Barbara also owns and operates a boutique wine production company, and a small import company specializing in Italian wines to the US.

Connect:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/barbarajeanfitz/ 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/barbara-fitzgerald-iwa/ 
Website: https://www.aprilacreative.com/ 
_______________________________
 
Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 
 
If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/
 
Until next time, Cin Cin!


Ep. 2509 Barbara Fitzgerald interviews Kathleen Willcox | Masterclass US Wine Market

Welcome to episode 2510 of the Italian Wine Podcast and episode 215 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. Today Marc is in conversation with Elena Penna of Cascina Penna-Currado winery in Piemonte, to discuss their philosophy behind this exciting winemaking project, and how they’re reimagining Piedmont’s traditions through both wine and spirits.

More about the guest:
Cascina Penna-Currado is the new, contemporary winemaking project of Luca Currado Vietti and Elena Penna, formerly of the historic Vietti winery. The project is based in a restored 1554 farmhouse near Serralunga d'Alba and is known for its modern approach to winemaking in the Langhe region, focusing on indigenous Piedmontese grapes like Nebbiolo, Barbera, and Timorasso.
In addition to their wines, Elena and Luca have also launched Elena Spirits, a line of artisanal distillates and vermouths that reflect the same craftsmanship, heritage, and creativity found in their winemaking, blending tradition with a fresh, modern vision of Piedmont’s flavors.

Connect
Website: https://cascinapennacurrado.com/en/ https://www.elenaspirits.com/en 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/cascinapennacurrado/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/people/Cascina-Penna-Currado/61557067481394/ 

More about the host:
Marc Millon, a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador since 2021, is a celebrated expert in the world of wine, food, and travel, boasting nearly 40 years of experience. Born in Mexico to a diverse family—his mother hailing from Hawaii via Korea and his father, an anthropologist, from New York via Paris—Marc was introduced to a rich tapestry of flavors from an early age.
Together with his talented photographer wife, Kim, Marc has authored 14 acclaimed books, including the groundbreaking illustrated series The Wine Roads of Europe, The Wine Roads of France, The Wine Roads of Italy (winner of the Premio Barbi Colombini), and The Wine Roads of Spain. His other notable works include The Wine and Food of Europe, The Food Lovers’ Companion Italy, The Food Lovers’ Companion France, and Wine: A Global History.
In addition to his writing, Marc is a sought-after speaker and hosts gastronomic cultural tours to Italy and France in partnership with Martin Randall Travel, a leading specialist in cultural travel. Since 2021, he has also been the engaging host of the “Wine, Food, and Travel with Marc Millon” series on the Italian Wine Podcast. When he's not exploring the culinary landscapes of the world, Marc resides along the scenic River Exe in Devon, England.

Connect:
Website: 
https://www.quaypress.uk  
https://www.marcmillon.co.uk 
https://www.vino.co.uk   
https://www.quaypress.com 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-millon-50868624/
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Marc_Millon 
_______________________________
 
Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:
 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 
 
If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 
 
Until next time, Cin Cin!
 
Thanks for listening! This show is all about food and wine pairings, and traveling through Italy with Marc. Join him on this food, wine and cultural journey!

Ep. 2510 Elena Penna of Cascina Penna-Currado | Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon

Welcome to Episode 2511 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Everybody Needs a Bit of Scienza, where Professor Attilio Scienza takes questions from the international wine community and answers them in his own inimitable way! 

These episodes are generally in Italian.
Today’s question comes from Beatrice Motterle (Part 1).

Today’s question(s): 
🇬🇧 You’ve often expressed skepticism toward the natural wine movement. What do you think this movement still lacks in order to be taken seriously by the scientific community?

 🇮🇹 Hai spesso espresso scetticismo verso il movimento dei vini naturali. Cosa pensi manchi ancora a questo movimento per essere preso sul serio dalla comunità scientifica?

More about Professor Scienza:
Professor Attilio Scienza is the one who checks all the facts and regulates when we mistakenly type “Verdicchio” instead of “Vermentino.” He is a full professor at the University of Milan in the Department of Agricultural and Food Sciences where he teaches courses on genetic improvements to the vine; he also teaches Viticulture in the Master’s program of the University of Turin in Asti. 
He has been the lead for many national research projects in the field of physiology, agricultural techniques, and vine genetics. As the author of over 350 publications on vine and viticulture in national and international journals, you can bet he knows his stuff!

To find out more about Attilio Scienza visit: https://www.vinitaly.com/formazione/vinitaly-international-academy/attilio-scienza/ 
 
If you want to learn more about Stevie Kim, the Scienza wrangler:
Stevie Kim is an Italian Wine Marketing & Communication Expert, Brand Positioning Specialist, and Public Speaker based in Verona, Italy. As Managing Partner at Vinitaly, she leads key initiatives, including OperaWine, Vinitaly International Academy, wine2wine Business Forum, and 5StarWines & Wine Without Walls. A passionate Italian Wine Evangelist, she harnesses social media and education to promote Italian wine on a global scale.
The Italian Wine Podcast is part of Mamma Jumbo Shrimp, a brand Stevie launched in 2020 to make wine more accessible through books, maps, videos, and the Italian Wine Travel with Stevie YouTube series.

Stevie often joins Professor Scienza in his shows to lend a hand keeping our Professor in check! You can also find her taking a hit for the team when she goes “On the Road”, all over the Italian countryside, visiting wineries and interviewing producers, enjoying their best food and wine – all in the name of bringing us great Pods!

Connect: 
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/steviekim222/
Website: https://www.vinitaly.com/eventi/operawine/stevie-kim/ 
_______________________________

Let's keep in touch! Follow Italian Wine Podcast on our social media channels:

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/italianwinepodcast/ 
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ItalianWinePodcast 
Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/itawinepodcast 
Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@mammajumboshrimp 
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/italianwinepodcast 
 
If you feel like helping us, donate here: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/donate-to-show/ 
Until next time, Cin Cin!
 
Share your love for our lovely Professor if you are a true Italian Wine Geek 🙂


Ep. 2511 Beatrice Motterle Part 1 | Everybody Needs A Bit Of Scienza

Ether or Aether,

Terrestrial sphere's stars and DNA, 

Self for the spirit,

Light reflects Gravity,

Blood becomes dreams,

A quantum reality,

For Hz is to earths vibrations,

Fire to thoughts Transends memories,

As wind becomes emotions

Under water the subconsciousness within,

Tears of sanity are the blessing of reality,

Shadows play in courts of the priests and masters,

REM I am forever transformed to Mercury like atoms reform,

To the molecule of salt becomes the statue of being,

Transcendent consciousness  bleeds on the fabric of times,

Unlocked the full potential knowledge floods the mental 

I feel the information consuming me internally  

Forgotten words and spells of eternity casts flowers in the dirt of my mind,

Dream walking, 

Nightmare stalking

This is only to the choice of blending 

What you believe is the definition ,

No sides to take,

It is both and everything to be die and recreate life in the membrane of light,

Magnetic fields aura colors sparks the glow of life,

Astral travel world strange but beautiful in the ugly or purity of the reflecting midnight sky ,

Divine Consciousness lost to all but one true being aware to the false reality,

Where  the others of life lies until the birth of the death cradled the tears of memory,

The absolute,

Reincarnation of the mind,

Observation is all that is,

A superposition,

Quantum Mechanics,

Rebirth in the frequency of light,

Entanglement of thoughts and emotions 

Words are nothing here in this form of visions,

Intellect advanced,

Ego is dead,

But the light is the life you move weightless no more information that could be fed,

Pain,

Pleasure,

Desire,

Passion,

The form of inspiration lives inside below the mind,

Sex transfers energy between living gods,

Vital functions evaporate to the romance of thoughts,

Substance the key to traveling in the depths,

Substances are the key to enlightenment ,

When mediation is required to look inside,

Salvia my goddess of the divine devours the mortal coil of seeking the holy hour,

Completely,

Black,

To white,

To color again,

I am the real you,

For the tides are in everyone seeking past the lands of dreams,




EgO DeAtH - EvoCatioN  InVoKe N MelanKholyia MagiK ThE EgO iS DeAd

Fourth song that I've made for The Peculiar Misadventure of Nora Wisp! 
At any point in the game, Nora has the ability to isolate herself in her mind in order to remember each element she has learned in order to support her judgment. This song is the theme song of her mind!

Feel free to leave a comment saying your thoughts about this song and the game, I'll be happy to read it 👀

Hope you enjoy it 😄

🎮 You can play the full game here: https://alfacinha.itch.io/the-misadventure-of-nora-wisp
🌟 And you can also leave a comment and rate our project here: https://itch.io/jam/spooktober-2025/rate/3919140

📱 My others socials right here:
https://soundcloud.com/mtshk
https://www.tiktok.com/@matoushka_

This game was made with really talented people:
Technical - Eder (Alfacinha)
Writing -  Pilontrinha
Art - Alise Hirvonen
And of course I, Matoushka made the Music

Nora's Mind (Nora Wisp soundtrack)

It's time to celebrate the best holiday of the year with a new mix, Trick or Treat!

DEVIL'S NIGHT

Delicate piano lines meet Afrobeat-inspired rhythm and future garage atmosphere.
“Melancholy Flow” explores contrast — organic melancholy and rhythmic movement in one breath.
Warm, introspective, and cinematic, perfect for art visuals, dance performance, or slow-motion storytelling.

🎬 Demo Edit 1:30 — Fade-out version for showcase.

🎧 Explore by Mood :
#ALEXMelancholy #ALEXFlow #ALEXReflective #ALEXWarm

🌍 Explore by Use :
#ALEXArtFilm #ALEXExperimental #ALEXPerformance #ALEXVisual #ALEXDance

🌫️ Explore by Category :
#ALEXArtExperimental #ALEXCinematic #ALEXAfroFusion  #ALEXFusion

#AfrobeatFusion #LoFiPiano #FutureGarage #CinematicBeat #ArtMusic #DancePerformance #AlexTolmer

🌫 59) Melancholy_Flow — (Emotional_AfroLoFi_78BPM_PianoCinematic) (🌫 Art & Experimental)

Echo's N MelanKholyia: A Sonic Odyssey of Fragmented Souls
In the shadowed corners of Goshen, Indiana, Echo's N MelanKholyia emerges as a groundbreaking experimental music project, a testament to the transformative power of art in the face of inner chaos. Founded in 2025 by the visionary artist Nexus Khimera—known also as Echos or Mothyii—this endeavor is an AI-assisted alchemical fusion of raw emotion and sonic innovation. At 38 years old, Khimera channels a lifetime of introspection, beginning from therapeutic explorations at age 15, into a tapestry of sound that defies categorization. The project's name, with its deliberate misspelling, evokes distorted echoes of melancholy—fragments of pain rebounding through an eternal void, mirroring the fragmented realities Khimera weaves into every composition.
Khimera serves as the sole architect of Echo's N MelanKholyia, handling vocals, lyrics, production, and visual aesthetics with a chameleon-like versatility. Drawing from a deeply personal narrative of psychological navigation, the music acts as a manifesto for survival, blending co-conscious identity shifts and emotional rebirth. The band's conceptual "members"—envisioned as alters in a dissociative system—include Helix as the resilient core, Alice as the protective guardian embodying transgender identity and safety, Odium as the unflinching confrontor of hate and vacuum, Five as the frozen residue of past emptiness, and Suicide Gene as the unnamed pull toward nothingness, symbolizing unyielding survival code. These personas "speak" through layered vocals, reversed whispers, and glitchy confessions, creating a dialogue that invites listeners to confront their own shadows without judgment.
Musically, Echo's N MelanKholyia is a hypnotic storm of genres: traumacore's dissonant catharsis meets industrial gothcore's mechanical fury, nu metal's rap-growl aggression, post-darkwave's ethereal haze, glitchcore's chaotic distortions, and voidcore's abyssal emptiness. The result is an immersive, addictive soundscape—binaural beats pulsing at 40Hz and 174Hz to tie in seduction and euphoria, 3D audio for psychotic despair, and unpolished production that bleeds raw intensity. Themes delve into mental health's labyrinth: dissociation's void, addiction's grip, damaging relationships' scars, and the triumph of self-reclamation. Khimera's artistry extends beyond audio to visual realms, with album artwork featuring charcoal sketches, gothic horror elements, and luciferian symbolism, all crafted to evoke a "junkie holocaust death march" of creepy, apocalyptic introspection.
Since its inception, Echo's N MelanKholyia has released a series of chapters that push artistic boundaries, available on platforms like Spotify, Amazon Music, SoundCloud, Apple Music, Tidal, Qobuz, and TikTok. The project's YouTube channel serves as a portal for official music videos, behind-the-scenes glimpses, and community engagement, fostering a space where fans can explore their own narratives through Khimera's lens. With collaborations leveraging AI for production and thematic depth, the band stands as a beacon for the disenchanted, proving that art can heal, empower, and transcend.
Subscribe to Echo's N MelanKholyia on YouTube for a journey into the melanKholyia—where echoes of the past forge omegas of the future. For inquiries or collaborations, connect via Facebook or X (@Mothyii13). All rights reserved © 2025 Echo's N MelanKholyia.

The Italian Wine Podcast is a storytelling project dedicated to the fascinating world of Italian wine. New episodes are published every day – so stay tuned!
With more grape varieties and more diverse grape growing regions than any other country in the world, the story of Italian wine is a rich and captivating one. 
While the popularity of Italian wine continues to grow in every corner of the globe, inspired by a deep affection for the Italian way of life, the Italian Wine Podcast seeks to entertain, educate and inform. Embracing Italian food, travel, lifestyle and culture, IWP has something for every taste!

DEVIL’S NIGHT out now!
IG  : @official_visual

Videogames music composer trying to live the dream.

Please feel free to leave a comment with your opinions or contact me in DM.

New tracks tagged #visual