This week we are unwinding with Giulia Monteleone, vintner, Monteleone Winery. After extensive research, Giulia and her husband Benedetto Alessandro, made the fateful decision to purchase an old, two-hectare vineyard near the river Alcantara in July of 2017. The winery can be found at the foot of Mount Etna, less than 500 metres above sea level, and 30 metres away from the ancient Cuba di Santa Domenica, a rare and wonderful Byzantine jewel. If Mount Etna is a unique place for wine, the credit belongs not only to its uncommon climate conditions, but also to its soil. Monteleone vineyards ..read more

 This week we're unwinding with Deborah Parker Wong, the inspiring woman at the helm of the Slow Wine Guide. About Slow Wine: Formally born in Italy, the Slow Wine movement recognizes wineries that respect and reflect their local terroir and practice sustainable methods that benefit the environment. The Slow Wine Guide evaluates over 400 different wineries and personally interviews each one in order to create a well-informed, detailed review of the wines themselves and the people behind the production. "Slow Wine looks to tell their genesis stories, explain how their growing stance positi ..read more

 Today, Alessandra Lauria teaches pasta classes (online and live) to groups of all sizes, but her journey into food started at an early age, growing up in a very large, Sicilian family. For the Laurias, cooking with good ingredients and making everything from scratch was the norm. Interesting enough, Alessandra was not allowed to cook when she was younger but learned by watching her mother and grandma make food in the kitchen from afar.  She later put this early learning into practice, cooking for many years personally, but it was only after she landed her dream job, that she realize ..read more

  Prepare for your mouth to absolutely water with this week's deliciously fascinating conversation. Bill Esparza, author of the book, LA Mexicano, and James Beard Award winner in journalism for his coverage of the LA taco scene, is considered one of the country's leading experts on Mexican food.  In addition to the curating services Bill provides for Los Angeles restauranteurs and venues including The Fields in downtown LA, Bill has also served as the behind-the-scenes curator and on-air contributor for numerous television projects including two seasons of Emmy award-winning The ..read more

  Chef Meza, the culinary darling behind Dallas favorites Tulum and Jalisco Norte, draws from his Mexican heritage and experience at some of the world’s most luxurious hotels and restaurants, including Mexico City’s number one restaurant Pujol, NOMA in Copenhagen, ranked as a four-time World’s Best Restaurant by World’s 50 Best, and Martin Berasategui, a Michelin three-starred restaurant in San Sebastian, Spain.   He has taken his learnings from each experience to create a truly unique dining experience for guests. Meza’s dishes reflect Mexican heritage and tradition ..read more

 Located in the area of Castelnuovo Berardenga (in the province of Siena), you'll find Pācina, an incredible farm which boasts a long and rich history of sustainable agriculture that also respects tradition. It was in the 1970s when Maria Borsa's grandparents, Enzo Tiezzi and Lucia Carli, decided to move their family farm and put into practice their ideas of sustainability.  Pācina continues to be a family affair. Two years ago, Maria returned to take care of the property with her parents Giovanna and Stefano, her brother Carlo my brother and her partner Roberto. Previously, she move ..read more

 When Bud Moore asked Jack Sadden to leave his perfectly good paying job to join him in launching a new venture, Valesco, it came as no surprise to many. The two businessmen had talked about owning and operating their own business for years. And, that discussion lead to their first investment, one of the largest US independent fabricators of rebar where Jack had been CFO.  Since 1993, Valesco has invested in private and family-owned businesses and is trusted by lower and middle-market businesses in a variety of industries. Jack's background in hands-on operating management, professio ..read more

 Web designer and social media marketer by day, self-proclaimed wine geek by night, Silvia Palasca is on a mission to put Romania on the global wine map.  The WSET 2 graduate and author is passionate about shining a light on some of the world's youngest cellars in two Old World countries, Romania and its neighbor, Moldova. About Romania & Wine: Romania is a Latin country, surrounded by Slavic neighbors in Eastern Europe. It is also one of the largest wine producers in the world with a growing number of high-quality wine makers. Romania has eight wine regions: Transylvania Highl ..read more

 “Ethics” is absolutely the “verb” of Maledetti Toscani; nothing is created or thought without it. Alessandro Quadri currently serves as Maledetti Toscani’s president, but the brand's story officially began with his grandfather in 1848 in the charming village of Montepulciano; the place where the historic shop still resides today.  Through his exquisite, high end, Italian leatherwork and design, Alessandro wants to make it clear to the world of entrepreneurship that it is possible to have a profitable business that also maintains quality, integrity and ethics. Maledetti Toscani's ins ..read more

  Twenty years from now you will be more disappointed by the things that you didn’t do than by the ones you did do. So throw off the bowlines. Sail away from the safe harbor. Catch the trade winds in your sails. Explore. Dream. Discover. – Mark Twain Oakland, California native Skyler Mapes truly personifies what it means to follow your passion. With studies in architecture and a successful career in design, starting an olive oil company would seem like something that is only possible in the movies. But sometimes life, thankfully, imitates what we see on the screen and this is where Skyler ..read more