Wine Behind The Scenes

Not many know that Bulgarian wine has a rich and storied history that dates back more than four thousand years. As one of the oldest wine-producing countries in Europe, Bulgaria has a winemaking tradition that is tied to its geography, culture and climate.

As the wine industry developed over the centuries, adapting to both the political and economic changes of the times so has its quality, thus producing one of the most exceptional wines in the world.

Bulgarian wine has an immense variety to offer which are often enjoyed with a range of dishes.

Let's explore Bulgarian wine together with Emil Koralov and Ivaylo Katerski, and make it your next exciting wine experience destination!

What you will learn from this episode:

• Rediscover the history behind the top-notch wines Bulgaria produces now.
• How to experience the superb taste of Bulgaria's indigenous grape and wine varieties.
• Explore the unique and exhilarating wine experiences and adventures available for a perfect wine experience.
• Discover the top Bulgarian vineyards, wineries and wine bars to visit and uncover the finest selection of their wines.
• Know why Bulgarian wine has become a must-have for connoisseurs around the world, and make it your next exciting wine experience destination.

Emil Koralov is the founder and ideologist of the first Bulgarian wine magazine Bacchus in 1999. Ten years later in 2009 he founded DiVino - a website and wine magazine. He is the founder and main organizer of DiVino.Taste – the most significant Bulgarian wine event, as well as of other important wine events. In 2020 he became a co-founder of the Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals. From autumn 2022 he opened his own wine bar with a selection of only Bulgarian wines with more than 300 labels. He is a wine connoisseur, expert and an experienced taster with a straight-out sense for the overall quality of wines.

Connect with Emil Koralov:

• www.divino.bg
• www.menumag.bg
• www.vintageclub.bg
• www.taste.divino.bg
• www.top50.divino.bg
• https://www.facebook.com/emil.koralov
• Instagram: @emilkoralov
• email: [email protected] email: [email protected]

Ivaylo Katerski was born in 1980 in Sofia, married with 2 kids. His passion for quality wine and interesting wine destinations dates back for many years. In 2014 he started a project for wine and culinary tourism, called VIA VINO. For 9 years he had been creating and organizing private tours and exclusive wine and culinary experiences in charming wineries and regions.

He received a WSET Level 3 Award in Wines Certified. He is also a licensed guide and has been a member of the Association of Bulgarian Tour Guides since 2015.

In addition, he is a Co-founder and Chairman of the Bulgarian Association of Wine Professionals, associate member of the Bulgarian Association of Independent Winegrowers, and recommended in the leading German tourist guide DUMONT for Bulgaria.

Connect with Ivaylo Katerski:

• Website: www.via-vino.com
• Email: [email protected]

Topics Covered:

02:49 - An interest in wine sparked by events and people 04:11 - From publishing to winemaking 06:48 - From producing bulk wine to making exceptional quality wine 07:45 - The finest selection of Bulgarian wine in Emil's wine bar 09:05 - Choosing the perfect experience and adventure for wine tours 11:05 - Knowing Bulgaria's geographical area 12:05 - Where you can explore the beautiful Bulgarian vineyards and wineries 14:34 - Discovering English as Bulgarian people's second language [and welcoming guests both from the local and international scene] 17:03 - Insights gleaned from the pandemic and looking ahead to a brighter future for the wine industry 18:39 - A wine bar worth visiting in Sofia 19:49 - Sharing about Bulgarian grape varieties 20:49 - Describing the characteristics of a Mavrud wine variety 23:40 - Wine being more than a beverage 24:44 - Interesting reasons to visit and experience Bulgarian wines

Quotes from Emil Koralov and Ivaylo Katerski:

"During communism, wine was a disaster. It was mostly focused on the quantity, not on the quality."

"One friend of mine bought a former Bulgarian communist winery."

"The first ten years of my wine life were in Bacchus Magazine."

"The most important thing that we are doing is the DiVino Taste. This is the main event for Bulgarian wines."

"In Bulgaria, we have no more than 120 wineries."

"We have a rule: only three different labels from one winery."

"It's not about about big or small wineries. It's about quality."

"Things are very dynamic in Bulgaria and things are changing very, very quickly. "

"More and more wineries open the doors for visitors."

"Mavrud is the flagship variety of Bulgaria. "

"Wine is a passion and wine is travel, wine is friendship. "

"Evidence is that wine has been produced for more than 4,000 years in our country and territory."

Carolina Muñoz is a traveler, an artist, and a winemaker. She has lived in many countries, experienced many cultures, and applied her creativity to many disciplines. From photography to singing, her artistic inclinations have taken her around the world, but it wasn't until she found her place in Portugal that she found her true passion in the wine industry.

Let's join Carolina as she shares her stories of adjusting to a new life and language, her creative pursuits, and her job as she helps people around the globe to enjoy and experience the perfect bottle of wine.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Gain knowledge of the various tastes and flavors of wines to help clients in selecting the best one for their taste and food combinations.
• Uncover immersive techniques to pick up a new language quickly and how to adjust to day-to-day life in a foreign country.
• Find out how art and winemaking intertwine and unleash that creativity within.
• Learn about courses that broaden your understanding of wine.

Carolina Muñoz Ospina was born in Colombia in a city called Medellín, where she grew up in a family surrounded by art.

Her father sings and her mom used to do everything while listening to music. She spent her childhood singing with her sister and cousins on her mother's side and also dabbles in drawing.

She also focused on photography, then worked as a professor of arts and photography performing some photography exhibitions and some other art-related activities for a while.

She married a brilliant engineer who turned out to be extremely passionate about the arts and especially music as well, which is why they had an instant connection after their meeting.

In 2014 they lived for 4 years in Brazil for her husband's doctorate where their first son was also born. After that, they returned to Colombia where their second child was born.

In 2019, while on a trip through Europe, they fell in love with Portugal, and found a way to move to Portugal at the end of 2020. The cultural shock was immediate but led to interesting discoveries including how important wine is in the social fabric of this country.

Carolina always loved wine, but the only access she had were wines from Chile and Argentina. Since Colombia is not a wine producer, her knowledge about wines was non-existent and possibilities of changing that were very remote.

Portugal presented her with a plethora of wine choices beyond what she could have imagined, so she delved deeper into this world of wine and pursued a course of study. She studied wine tourism and wine marketing, where she learned more than 200 types of grapes, various methods of winemaking, and all the different terroir.

It made her realize that good wine is like a good work of art… lots of variables perfectly combined to make a masterpiece. It was the connection between her two passions.

Now, she lives in a wine-producing region of Portugal (Alentejo) with a very long history of winemaking, learning every day, getting to know many different people from different backgrounds, and sharing a little of her passion and the little knowledge she has acquired.

Connect with Carolina Muñoz:

• Email: [email protected]
• Web side (of photography): https://carol-art-photography.webnode.pt/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/enwineme/

https://www.instagram.com/carolartphotography/

• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile

Topics Covered:

02:13 - Residing in a place deeply rooted in history of war and wine 03:46 - What brought Carolina to Portugal 07:51 - Studying and learning wine tourism and wine marketing 09:46 - Being fluent in three languages, including English, Spanish, and Portuguese [how she got to learn English and Portuguese] 15:17 - Gifted with a beautiful, mesmerizing singing voice that could pass for opera 16:01 - Living and breathing art: comparing wine making to art 18:38 - Learning the skill of knowing the taste and flavor of each variety of wines 23:00 - Explaining her role in the customers' wine-buying journey 24:42 - Food choices to go best with full-bodied red wines 27:43 - What it was like relocating from one country to another 29:31 - Capturing stunning images with her photography skills

Quotes from Carolina Muñoz:

"I was born in Colombia in Medellin."

"We fell in love, crazy in love with Portugal."

"We found a very beautiful place, full of stories, full of history, full of beaches, full of castles that we don't have in Colombia."

"I always loved wine, but Colombia doesn't have wine. We don't have seasons."

"The access that I have to wine is very limited."

"I study wine tourism and wine marketing."

"It's a very nice job because I like to meet people from around the world."

"The only logical way is to get involved and get used to the sound of the language."

"The first thing I did is to watch every news that you have at hand because they have a very neutral accent."

"The way the Portuguese people pronounce the same words from Brazil is completely different."

"Winemaking is some kind of art. You come up with some ingredients, some stuff, and you put it together in a magic formula to come up with something amazing."

"Each experience makes you adapt to the new culture, the new people, the new language, and is a process of creativity."

"You have to modify yourself, then you become an art piece."

"The art is always going to be in my life."

"It's more like a thing, the connection with the other, something more social."

"I just capture moments and I collect them."

We have all heard of the romantic notion of vineyards and wineries, but what many of us don't know is the dedication, enthusiasm, and passion that go into the making of the bottle of wine we enjoy. From the farmers, who tend the vines and make sure the grapes are of the highest quality, to the winemakers who craft the wine, each and every step of the process requires an incredible amount of skill and dedication.

In this episode, join Tom and Janet as they uncover the dedication and determination required to formulate the perfect bottle of wine. Find out about the challenges and struggles faced by the people behind the scenes, as well as the joy and satisfaction they get from doing what they love. Together, we'll explore the hard work and dedication that goes into making the perfect wine.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Learn how to overcome struggles of having to contend with fluctuating temperatures and global warming
• Find out helpful ways to fight off frost-bite and fungus attacks in order not to mess up with the harvest.
• Discover additional revenue-generating means to keep the wine business running as well as ideas for charitable events.
• Hear of ideas and technology used by different wineries to make the best wines.
• Discover how this couple and the people in the winery are finding joy and contentment in their work, despite the hard work and dedication it requires.
• Hear about creative ways to do organic farming as well as fending off bugs and pests out to destroy the vines.

Jabulani is a Zulu word meaning "Rejoice", "the Spirit or Place of Happiness".

Jabulani is the home and business of Tom and Janet Moul. They bought the land in 2006 and broke ground for their home which eventually served as the original winery building. The first 600 vines were planted in 2007 and the first harvest was 2010. They opened the doors to the small winery in June of 2011. Back then, they had six products, five barrel tables and a small retail shop.

Today, the farm has over 11,000 vines and over 20 products; a larger winery building (6000 sq ft) has been added to accommodate for the bigger harvest, a larger retail shop, an outdoor tasting patio (seats 160) and a summer event space (seats 120). The vineyard has 8 varietals; all cold climate grapes. A testament to the quality of the grapes and Tom's wine making ability is their 23 awards; both national and international. He has been making wine since he was 14 years old, in Southern Africa.

Connect with Tom and Janet Muol:

• Website: http://www.jabulani.ca
• Faceboolk: https://www.facebook.com/people/Jabulani-Vineyard-Winery
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jabulani_winery
• Twitter: https://mobile.twitter.com/jabulani_winery

Topics Covered:

02:35 - Where to find Jabulani Winery 03:22 - Tom's interesting country of origin and where he first learned to make wine 04:02 - Getting into Canada, becoming a winemaker at the same time owning a winery [and the funny story how the two met] 08:42 - An amazing story of how the first planting of the grape vines took place 09:20 - Designing the house and building a winery with it [starting small but growing each year] 10:50 - Struggles and challenges of growing and cultivating the vines 15:33 - A narrative of hardwork and passion not merely of romantic imaginations 16:24 - What Tom considers a rewarding experience of being a winemaker and winery owner 18:18 - Events ideas that add up to wine business income [and creative ways to add in the fun and enjoyment] 20:29 - Charitable initiative drives 21:36 - How you can come and visit Jabulani Winery 22:44 - Having a bottling line and letting people to also join in the fun [plus their units of production in a year] 23:55 - A winery and a home 24:30 - Revisiting South Africa and the the places they want to go next 26:33 - Breaking language barriers with wine [having fun visiting and learning from other wineries] 29:15 - Combatting problems with insects and bugs

Quotes from Tom and Janet Muol:

"Our winery's in Richmond, basically in the inside the city limits of Ottawa, which is the capital of Canada."

"We call it Siberia sometimes."

"I was born in southern Africa in a tiny little country, which used to be a British colony called Southern Rhodesia, which became Zimbabwe eventually."

"I started making wine when I was a teenager, 14 years old."

"I always like to joke with people and say, one of the most silly things I ever did in my life was to do farming in Canada cause it's too cold to farm here."

"It turns out there's a thing called cold climate grapes, which have been cross-bred with Vitus Vinifera and Vitus Riparia, which actually grow really well here, and they make remarkably good wine."

"A firm called Ernst and Young actually came and actually wanted me to come and consult with the aerospace and defense industry."

"So when she first met me, basically she hated me. So I married her just to take a shortcut."

"When we found this land, I said, honey, you gotta come see this."

"In 2007, once we had bought the place and started building the house in the spring of that time, we started planting. "

"We put in our first 600. With a bucket, a shovel, and not even a hose."

"Our first harvest was in 2010 and it was small but it allowed us to open our doors in 2011. "

"I think our record in one day was something like 3000 vines."

"It takes lots of beer to make wine."

"We didn't realize that having a winery in Ottawa would actually be so popular."

"This up and down with the temperatures right now is very difficult."

"I fill a tractor with an atomizer sprayer and go up and down the barn from three o'clock until six o'clock in the morning."

"So if you wanted to be an organic farmer, you make sure your neighbor to the west of you has soya. And the neighbor to the east of you has roses."

With someone as passionate about wine as if they breathe it, it's no wonder you can sense their desire to learn more. Even though it might be difficult, one would go to great lengths to become more knowledgeable and skilled about wine and winemaking. Ana Reis personifies that. The great love she has for her craft, along with her energetic and fun nature, will ensure success for her.

Let's join Ana as she teaches and entertains us with her funny Portuguese wine names and fun stories about wine and the people involved. Let us marvel at her passion and dedication to her work.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out about Portuguese wines with funny names, and their local grape varieties.
• Learn about what it takes to take a WSET course, the levels involved, and what those mean as you go from one level to the next.
• Discover Portuguese food and wine pairings that will leave you satiated, satisfied and enjoy a great experience.

Ana Reis has been in the hospitality business practically all her life, worked only in Porto, Portugal - but in quite a few hotels. Portugal has an amazing wine culture and history and she's trying to learn it… sip by sip. She's looking forward to telling her story!

She was born and raised in Porto, Portugal. She's 30 years old and has been in the hospitality business almost since birth, believe it not! Her mother had a small catering and events company and from a very young age she started helping her and developing her love for this difficult but rewarding career. She studied hospitality management and worked in a lot of well-known hotels in Porto like Sheraton, Intercontinental and Yeatman. Ana started by waiting tables, switched to bartending and after some years, discovered her love for wine and took the WSET level 2 and now she's on her way to get the WSET level 3. Portugal has some of the oldest and most amazing wine regions in the world, so it's not hard not to be fascinated by this subject... just like Ana is.

Connect with Ana Reis:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-reis-59188312b/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastreis/

Topics Covered:

02:31 - What does WSET stand for [and the levels associated with it]? 07:25 - Funny Portuguese wine names 11:09 - How expensive is it to name a grape variety? 12:09 - How 'random grapes' [Kaput] are made into wine 13:12 - What made her pursue WSET level 3 13:55 - Ana's important reminder 14:26 - How the hospitality business afforded her to travel the world without going out of her city 17:03 - A culture, life, and hard work that is inside a bottle of wine 18:33 - Loving food pairings [a to-die-for wine that goes best with rare steak] 21:29 - Talking about the 'green wine' that people often refer to 23:19 - The beauty of the Portuguese language

Quotes from Ana Reis:

"WSET stands for Wine and Spirit Education Trust."

"So it's just the first crush of the grapes, the red skin grapes. We get a little bit of color, and that's the rose."

"It's addicting because you learn about the history and there's so much of the world history around wine."

"You start thinking about it, you start studying and you just want to go, want to get more and more information."

"Since Portuguese, such an old wine country, the old people used to name grapes whatever it came to their mind."

"There's a red grape called, which means in English, "strangle a dog."

"Malvasia Corada is the name of a grape and she's embarrassed for some reason."

"I need to learn more about wine because you just realize how much there is to know."

"I've traveled the world without getting out of my city because I meet people from all over the place."

"Something like someone's whole life is inside that bottle, like a little piece of their whole life is there and a lot of hours."

"Portuguese cuisine is very rich, very flavorful."

Exploring the world of wine can be a fun and exciting journey. From discovering the different varieties, to learning about the production process, to finding the perfect bottle for your palate, the possibilities are endless. Whether you're a wine connoisseur or a novice explorer, the thrill of discovering new wines and tasting them is sure to be a memorable experience.

Let's take a listen at this episode as Curtis Stephenson shares how he and his partners started a wine business that brings in world class wines from all over the world providing an avenue for anyone on the lookout for finding, tasting, enjoying, and experiencing wines that will help you get the most out of your wine-tasting adventures.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out how wine agencies work and how do you stand out from competition from among the many around.
• Discover how they've managed to ride it out through the pandemic despite opening a wine business at the beginning of the first COVID lockdown.
• Learn how they source their wines and choose producers all over the world and pick the best and the great ones.
• Understand the role of wine agencies in the importation of wines and how the LCBO does its part in making sure of the quality of wines and adherence to standards.
• Find out the important considerations when importing wines from anywhere in the world.
• Hear of initiatives of representing small wineries around the globe and providing them avenues to introduce their wines to a big Canadian market, especially Ontario.

Find out what differentiates the Buyers+Cellars tasting bar from the rest of the wine bars in Ottawa.

After more than 20 years in the hospitality sector, Curtis Stephenson embodies the exceptional customer service and professionalism that drive fine dining and enhance guest experiences. He has used his knowledge and skills to develop the next generation of service professionals and in 2016 he helped open one of Canada's top new restaurants. Curtis brings a passion to his role at Buyers+Cellars and is excited to take his Ottawa tasting room guests on an unforgettable journey through the world of wine.

Connect with Curtis Stephenson:

• Website: http://ottawa.buyersandcellars.ca/

Topics Covered:

03:53 - Getting to know Curtis and what paved the way for his introduction to the wine industry 11:34 - Opening a wine business just when first lockdowns started because of COVID and surviving the whole challenge 15:35 - Understanding the role of wine agencies and the process of importing wines where the LCBO is concerned 17:47 - Can we buy in bulk orders from the Ottawa tasting room? 20:03 - Where and how do they source their wines? 25:38 - Looking forward to travelling to these two beautiful countries which have excellent wines in the world 27:35 - What inspires Curtis everyday? 29:38 - The best thing about the Tasting Room 31:07 - How wine lets you connect to your very self

Quotes from Curtis Stephenson:

"We always had wine in our household and I was introduced to wine at a very young age."

"It was very common to actually expose your children at a very young age to a little bit of wine, because that's just what you did in Europe."

"I started out just as many, many people do in the restaurant industry by starting as a dishwasher."

"Going through school I was very into art history and philosophy and that was my benchmark. And then realized, probably not going to get a real good career in that."

"I really just loved the romantic nature of fine dining."

"It was all about fine wines and I knew nothing like I was 20 years old and just cutting my teeth on just hospitality in general."

"I was just at the beginning level. I knew that I loved it. I was exposed to it at a young age, but I didn't know enough."

"And that changed my life from then on because after that point, it was everything wine."

"Wine is so subjective, of course, as you know, and I love the technical aspects of wine."

"I just really fell in love with finding things for someone else that they would love."

"If you think you know everything, that's when you have to be really humble because you never know everything."

"We wanted to do things differently. Go to areas in the world that are just underrepresented that make amazing wines, things we never see in the L C B O or SAQ if you are in Quebec."

"We really had to navigate through those first three months and two years with a lot of like deft hands and getting outside the box."

"There's very little known when it comes to the process of importing wine for a private wine agency."

"We're always looking for that next great winery so that we can have a lot for our customers here, both in the tasting room and for our restaurants as well."

"What we try to do, we try to take a step back and look at the market as a whole here in Ontario."

"We love to get small wine makers that are family-owned, definitely organic and sometimes natural as well."

"Now, when you have that many winemakers in one spot, of course you have to be very astute of what you're doing because there's no way you can taste all of them. Otherwise you're coming home in a body bag."

"We're looking for those Goldilocks kind of territories when it comes to price point, uniqueness and drinkability."

"I love to challenge and I never want to bring in guests and just to, just to do the basics."

"Wine for me is something that's way more romantic than anything else when it comes to spirits and anything like that."

You are sure to have a great conversation when you feel the passion of the person in front of you. That's Ana Reis for you, sharing the fun, excitement, and enjoyment that wine has brought to her life and what comes with it and the people she encounters every day in the career she has chosen and loves dearly.

Listen in now as Ana shares fascinating facts about the beautiful city she lives in, the country she loves so much, and the wine industry she is so passionate about and finding so much fun in. And it's not complete without her sharing about Porto wines and their amazing history and what makes it, and all other Portuguese wines the best in the world.

What you'll learn from this episode:

• Find out what fire opening a bottle of port wine is and how it's done properly to preserve the wine's taste and have the best experience of the wine.
• Hear about the different kinds of Port wines and the best food pairings you can have.
• Understand the temperature at which Port wines are best served.

Ana Reis has been in the hospitality business practically all her life, worked only in Porto, Portugal - but in quite a few hotels. Portugal has an amazing wine culture and history and she's trying to learn it… sip by sip. She's looking forward to telling her story!

She was born and raised in Porto, Portugal. She's 30 years old and has been in the hospitality business almost since birth, believe it not! Her mother had a small catering and events company and from a very young age she started helping her and developing her love for this difficult but rewarding career. She studied hospitality management and worked in a lot of well-known hotels in Porto like Sheraton, Intercontinental and Yeatman. Ana started by waiting tables, switched to bartending and after some years, discovered her love for wine and took the WSET level 2 and now she's on her way to get the WSET level 3. Portugal has some of the oldest and most amazing wine regions in the world, so it's not hard not to be fascinated by this subject... just like Ana is.

Connect with Ana Reis:

• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/ana-reis-59188312b/
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/anastreis/

Topics Covered:

03:28 - Sharing fascinating facts about herself, the city she lives in, and the country she loves dearly

06:57 - Ana's fun and enjoyable moment of meeting Laurel

07:44 - The story behind the fire opening a bottle of port wine and what makes it a fortified wine

13:23 - Different kinds of Port wines and the food pairings that best go with it [what it takes to declare it a vintage]

17:53 - Fascinating things to hear about vintage wines and how it's done -- fire opening a bottle of port wine [and why do it that way]

20:42 - The Physics behind fire opening a bottle of port wine

21:45 - How to best serve Port wine [ the best temperature that goes with it plus the food pairings you can have]

Quotes from Ana Reis:

"Portugal is almost 1,000 years old."

"Porto is the best destination in the world for the 5th year in a row according to the NY Times." "So I started going behind a bar which was super illegal at the time because I was serving alcohol when I was12 years old."

"I started waiting tables then went on to bartending and then I got stung by the wine bug."

"We were doing a memorable ritual, which consists of fire opening a bottle of wine and doing some chocolate truffles."

"Port is basically a fortified wine."

"People would used to think I was so funny because I already thought I was a grown woman."

"I started waiting tables then went on to bartending and then I got stung by the wine bug."

"The fire opening a bottle of wine is quite a show, of course, but it does serve a very important purpose."

"Last year I think it was authorized for Tawny to be, uh, 50 years old."

"If you have two farms next to each other, there is a possibility that one of the Rubys from that farm is the vintage and the other one is not."

"You just put some extremely hot, like hell hot tongues around the neck of the bottle for like 30 seconds to a minute."

As you grow grapes and achieve your desired outcome, you get to test your patience as well. Risk is involved, and those brave enough to take that risk succeed.

Take a look at Akis Papadopoulos' foray into winemaking. At first, he didn't think winemaking was for him. At the back of his mind, he wanted to give it a try so that's exactly what he did. Then he started studying in France and honing his knowledge in the wine industry, specifically winemaking.

Having gained experience and knowledge abroad, he returned to Greece to become a winemaker. Even though things were never easy, he rose above them, and now he can only look back with a smile on his face. The wines he produces have won numerous awards and the world gets to taste and enjoy them.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out how one can produce quality wine even from those not among your country's indigenous varieties.
• Hear about different grape varieties [both local and international] that Art Wine Estate cultivates and which produce high quality wines.
• Know the important factors that go into the winemaking process.
• Discover ways to plant and grow vines that can withstand global climate change.
• Learn about the key virtue that will help you attain desired results in the winemaking business.

Akis Papadopoulos is a second-generation winemaker. His initial introduction to winemaking came from watching his father Yannis, a civil engineer by profession, making his own wine. He soon realized that winemaking is both an art and a science and decided to equip himself with the academic tools and knowledge to support his natural love for wine. To that end he first studied at the University of Thessaloniki in Greece and after acquiring his diploma in Chemistry he moved to France to attend Faculté d'Oenologie, the prestigious University in Bordeaux. While staying in Bordeaux he gained valuable experience working in Chateaux like Haut-Bergey and Grand Mouëys. After graduating from the University of Bordeaux he returned to Greece to take over the winemaking process at the "Wine Art" Estate. Being "Wine Art" Estate's head winemaker since 2010 his wines have been awarded more than 250 medals and received high scores from the most important international wine magazines.

Connect with Akis Papadopoulos:

• Website: https://wineartestate.com/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ak.papadopoulos

Topics Covered:

00:54 - How his journey in the wine industry started, and where his education took him to 02:45 - Living the magic of Bordeaux and not being bothered by the language barrier 04:39 - Going back to Greece and becoming the winemaker 06:36 - One particular job closest to his heart that he would choose among the many aspects of winemaking 08:00 - Producing quality wines from other vine varieties apart from Greece's indigenous kinds 09:46 - Cultivating non-native grape varieties at the start and now focusing on the indigenous kind 14:21 - Factors that contribute to making the wine [plus the type of soil that Art Wine Estate grow their vines on] 15:55 - Planting vines with a globally challenged climate 19:00 - Art Wine Estate's estimated annual wine production and where do they sell it to 22:49 - Producing award-receiving wines [and sharing which distinction comes close to his heart] 24:47 - Talking about his daughter, who's likely to follow in his footsteps, and the number of women winemakers in Greece 27:00 - Sharing about Drama region's temperature and weather conditions, and the effects of climate change on the grapes 28:36 - What he loves to do apart from making wine

Quotes from Aki Papadopoulos:

"At the time that I was finishing high school, the winery was already established."

"Once I finished my studies in Thessaloniki, I went to Bordeaux for two years."

"I was able to also to gain in terms of working experience, as I have done two harvests at two different chateaus in Bordeaux."

"When I came back and took over winemaking in 2009, 2010 actually, it was kind of a heavy burden."

"At the same time, I was very motivated and intrigued by the responsibility of being the one making the wines at the estate."

"There's no room for mistakes."

"I'm mostly involved in making wine and the marketing part as well, which is very intriguing for me to promote the wines to people not only in Greece, but also abroad."

"Over the last, let's say three decades, there was a huge progress done in terms of quality of Greek wines."

"Over the last 20 years, we made a turn and we've now been focusing on indigenous Greek varieties."

"We have added more and more indigenous varieties to our portfolio like Malagousia, which is quite floral but quite complex at the same time."

"The grapes need a minimum of 10 years in order to show you a glimpse of their potential."

"We have a vineyard that was planted last year at 1,100 meters above sea level."

"When we first started harvesting 30 years ago, we started around early September while the last, let's say five years, the harvest begins in early August, which is a month prior to what it used to be."

"Our total production is 400,000 bottles a year of red, white, and rose wines."

"Our wines have received more than 300 awards over the last 25 years."

It's fun to work when you enjoy what you do and are passionate about it. No matter your struggles and challenges, you will find joy, happiness, and meaning in everything surrounding you. It also rubs off on those around you. It's no wonder this family-owned winery radiates that kind of feeling.

Because of her passion for wine and winemaking, Konstantina Goula left everything to study wine and winemaking to gain more profound knowledge. That is how dedicated she is to making wine a business.

Additionally, she seeks to position Greek wines on the international market. It's a tough job, for sure. The way she does it, it seems like she's having fun. Indeed, that is staying true to that happy spirit she personifies and spreads throughout the rest of the winery, including with the guests who visit.

What you'll learn from this episode:

• Learn about how wine permeates so much of everyday life that it becomes a part of the culture, customs, and tradition.
• Find out about wine masters courses available abroad to have a more profound knowledge of wine.
• Overcoming language barriers when studying wine courses abroad.
• Understand the dynamics of a family-owned winery and how to balance the professional and personal relationships involved.
• Learn to keep that vibe of wine connecting people and creating memories that people love to return to.

Konstantina Goula accidentally discovered the fascinating world of tasting. Believing in the power of extroversion and wanting to contribute to the promotion of Greek wines on the international market, she decided a few months later to change her professional orientation and combine her passion for wine with her love for hospitality and work in Wine Tourism. The decision to leave everything behind and pursue her dream led her to France, the capital of wine where she studied and lived for the next 3 years. Many unique experiences followed and many moves to different regions that always aimed to develop her knowledge of wine.

In 2017, she graduated from the Department of Wine Tourism, completing a professional Master of Business Administration in wine and communication at the Institut Supérieur du Vin in Montpellier. Part of the curriculum she attended includes; Tasting, Winemaking, Viticulture, Wine Tourism & History of Wine, Marketing and Communication, Public Relations and Wine Sales.

For two years she worked in the Events and Wine Tourism Department at famous wineries in Burgundy and Provence and had the opportunity to discover the secrets of different wine-growing regions. But mostly, she realized that this elusive world of art and wine belonged to the same spectrum of expression of emotions.

In her 3 years of wine wandering, she travelled a lot, visited endless vineyards and cellars of the last century, tasted the finest wines, discovered the delicious world of gastronomy and toured various wine routes. When they asked her what brought her to France, she explained that just as many follow their loved ones to other places, so she decided to follow her own love, which is none other than wine.

However, throughout this wine search wherever she was, she was always drawn back like a magnet to her place. The family winery "Ktima ta'Apostoli", in the village of her carefree childhood, was her own cultural heritage waiting for her to take over and continue it.

In September 2019, feeling that a cycle was closing, she decided to dare to return to a time when all her friends and acquaintances chose to leave Greece during the crisis. A crisis that troubled her too. Many people told her to go back and that it was reckless, but they told her the same when she left because she left behind an already successful career path. But they are one of those beautiful indiscretions that do not obey logic but have the power to change lives.

Connect with Konstantina Goula:

• Website: https://ktimatapostoli.gr/

Topics Covered:

02:44 - The beautiful City in Greece where Konstantina lives 04:06 - How wine and everything about it became a part of her life [ plus sharing how she left everything to follow a career path in winemaking] 07:24 - Talking about studying and taking her master's in France and the challenges of learning it bilingually [English and French] 09:02 - How she prepared for the challenges ahead concerning her master's education in France [ and how she would find English translation for her French Wine class] 11:32 - What it takes to finish her master's course in France 13:20 - Sharing about the thesis she wrote and what it centers on [and how wine becomes an iconic part of everyday life] 15:40 - Seeing bigger demand for wine and taking the initiative to position Greek wines in the international market 17:01 - From France to working in her family-owned winery 19:04 - Balancing family and professional relationships when working in a family-owned winery 22:25 - Upcoming developments, plans, priorities, and exciting events happening for Konstantina's family-owned winery 25:05 - Finding joy and fun in what she does 26:29 - The laughter and happiness that fills the winery

Quotes from Konstantina Goula:

"Wine is about connecting people, and that's why winemaking is a very, very important part when you have a winery. But sharing all this with the people and having them visit you is the most amazing feeling because they are part of your world."

"My degree, the bachelor that I had, was about English language and foreign languages. And my master's was about wine tourism and wine marketing. So my master's was bilingual, but mainly it was in French. And I had a very, very hard time because everything was in another language, not my mother tongue. "

"When there is a will, there is a way."

"I needed deeper and more profound knowledge of winemaking and wine marketing. So I took the decision that for a year I'm going to stop working and I'm going to study."

"The internship really helped me right away to put all the theoretical parts into practice. And then it really helped me to find a job. In France, there were so many job vacancies in wine tourism and events organizations."

"Asking and being very patient really helped me to finish my master's and then focus on work."

"We have wine as part of everyday life. Wine as part of exceptional situations, wine as part of people coming together. And this is actually people creating memories by sharing wine. "

"Wine was also part of tradition, of culture, of customs throughout the centuries. And it's historically proven that in ancient Greece and other civilizations, it was one of the most iconic parts of everyday life."

"And I believe that because of the whole development of different techniques on winemaking, it's very important to preserve all these traditions and bring them to the modern era."

"I was always afraid that I wouldn't be able to balance the personal relationship that you have with your family and the professional limits that you need to set when you work on a professional project."

"What is very positive is that my dad, who is in charge with me, is very open-minded. In the beginning, he reacts because change can be very triggering. But at the end of the day, he agreed with the changes I proposed."

"However, I understand that he [my dad] has the experience, I respect that, and we decided to take the change step by step."

As a result of studying winemaking in Europe, Aniruddha Rajagopalan has traveled around the world, experiencing different cultures and learning different languages.

Along the way, he built friendships and a network of passionate wine enthusiasts.

Passion and hard work are behind the best wines he tasted and enjoyed. After working for both big and small wineries, his experiences showed him that wine-making is nothing like what is romanticized in movies - he got a real understanding of what the actual work is like in wineries. Nevertheless, he also enjoyed himself and had a good time.

During this episode, we follow Ani as he travels the world, gets back to India and works at a winery that produces one of the best wines in the world, and finally, lives in Ottawa, Canada.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Understand that winemaking is not all that romantic idea of how the movies would let us fantasize about it [it's all about hard work and dedication]
• Learn about India's winery located in one of India's historic sites and considered a UNESCO heritage [plus what made their wines one of the best in the world which have won awards from prestigious international bodies]
• Find out the Indian grape varieties they grow and the geographical location they are situated in and where they export their award-winning wines.
• Know about his travels that allowed him work and fun and what drew him to Canada and start afresh as a winemaker.

Aniruddha Rajagopalan was born in India. He earned a degree in Microbiology at St. Joseph College in Bangalore, India. As the opportunity opened up for him, he went to study and finish MSc in Viticulture and Oenology at Montpellier, France and Geisenheim, Germany.

He is proficient in both French and German languages. His work experiences include: Project trainee at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc/ in Bangalore, India, a cellarhand at Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen and Wein und Sekthaus Schlossbergh in Eltville-Erbach and in Bingen, Germany, respectively. He was also once a cellarhand this time at Spring Creek Vintners Ltd. in Marlborough, New Zealand. Before coming to Canada, his last post was at KRSMA Estates Pvt. Ltd in Karnataka, India, as winemaker.

And currently, he is now a consulting winemaker at Fernwood Estates, Bainsville, ON; at the same time a tasting room staff at Buyers and Cellars Tasting Room, Ottawa, ON and a viticultural specialist at Databaum, Basel, Switzerland.

Connect with Aniruddha Rajagopalan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ani_rajagopalan/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aniruddha-rajagopalan-b42524119
• Email: [email protected]

Topics Covered:

01:42 - An Experience he considers completely different, nothing he'd imagined after finishing his master's degree

05:08 - The hard work behind the winemaking in a large winery and the friendships made with people across the globe

07:09 - Finally heading back for India this time, after having been to a couple of countries and applying what he's learned from his studies and experiences working as a harvester and winemaker

08:47 - Describing the winery in India where he works, its geographical location, and weather conditions

09:48 - What grape variety do they grow in KRSMA Estates in India? [plus a detailed description of the vineyard's soil type, the temperature it is subjected to, and how it affects the grape's flavor and taste and also the wine]

14:17 - Where do Indian wineries export to?

15:00 - What brought him to Ottawa, Canada and not to any of the countries he had traveled to?

18:59 - How he ended up working in the wine bar at the same time being a winemaker

21:42 - Enjoying what he's doing now, experiencing all the aspects of the wine industry

22:44 - What he loves about Canada that surprised him

Quotes from Aniruddha Rajagopalan:

"I'd gone from working in a winery that did about, let's say, 500 tons of grapes a year to another winery that did 50 tons of grapes a year, and now to a winery that did 10,000 tons of grapes a year. And, it was completely different."

"We were just constantly cycling through eight presses and filling them, pressing them, emptying them, cleaning them. Then they get filled again, then pressed again, emptied and cleaned. And this winery worked 24 hours and we worked 12 hour shifts."

"It's exactly as you said where you'd gone from being this very idealistic student with lofty ideas of how wine is made with ideas that could fill a million romantic novels about wine making into something that was completely the opposite. It was the antithesis of everything that you would understood and thought of wine making about, and that was a bit of a shock."

"I knew that viticulture in India is very different because we don't have winters or we don't have very harsh winters."

"Winters are very mild, and so there's no dormancy, and so you need to do your viticulture slightly differently."

"We were taught, and now we know that grape wines can handle temperatures of up to 50, 52 degrees before they die."

"Along with the concentration of the fruity characters, you also had the concentration of the tannins."

"The winery where I worked was seven hours' drive from Bangalore where my wife worked so it was starting to become a little bit unsustainable."

"We started looking at places, at countries where you might find the vineyards to be closer to the cities so we could both pursue our careers and still be together."

"Canada turned out to be one of those countries which we both liked. And so we decided we'd move to Canada."

"We agreed that I'd work as a part-time consulting winemaker (at a winery near Alexandria)."

"On the one hand I can make wine and I understand the production aspect of it. And on the other hand, I get to sell it and see it served and talk about wines and how they taste, how they're made, and basically the marketing side of it."

"There are certain aspects of life here that are unusual for someone coming from India. One being very positive is that I have never seen people who are so happy for so much of the time."

Tinkering with coconut water and life in the laboratory was not what Aniruddha Rajagopalan was meant to do. Instead, he became a winemaker.

The funny thing is, he had no exposure to wine growing up. The alcoholic beverages that he knew were popular in India were spirits and beer. Indian people consume far less wine each year than you might think, plus Indian culture discourages drinking alcohol.

As unusual as it may be, meet an Indian winemaker. In this episode, Ani talks about how he was fortunate to study winemaking abroad in Europe as well as learn foreign languages. As a result, he was able to travel on various adventures across the globe and discover all the essential aspects of winemaking.

What you will learn from this episode:

• Find out about India's young wine industry including an interesting fact about people's consumption of alcoholic beverages.
• Learn about how he became a winemaker by first tinkering with coconut water in the lab.
• Discover and understand the real work that goes behind winemaking.
• Know how to become a well-rounded winemaker and also be adept at marketing, finance, and the selling aspects of it.
• Get to understand the importance of decision-making and the organizational matters that go with winemaking, especially that of a small winery.
• Learn how to scout for educational opportunities about winemaking in prestigious schools around the globe and travel for work and leisure.
• Find out the best ways to learn foreign languages like French and German.

Aniruddha Rajagopalan was born in India. He earned a degree in Microbiology at St. Joseph College in Bangalore, India. As the opportunity opened up for him, he went to study and finish MSc in Viticulture and Oenology at Montpellier, France, and Geisenheim, Germany.

He is proficient in both French and German languages. His work experiences include: Project trainee at the Centre for Sustainable Technologies, IISc/ in Bangalore, India, a cellarhand at Weingut Schloss Reinhartshausen and Wein und Sekthaus Schlossbergh in Eltville-Erbach and in Bingen, Germany, respectively. He was also once a cellarhand this time at Spring Creek Vintners Ltd. in Marlborough, New Zealand. Before coming to Canada, his last post was at KRSMA Estates Pvt. Ltd in Karnataka, India, as winemaker.

And currently, he is now a consulting winemaker at Fernwood Estates, Bainsville, ON; at the same time a tasting room staff at Buyers and Cellars Tasting Room, Ottawa, ON, and a viticultural specialist at Databaum, Basel, Switzerland.

Connect with Aniruddha Rajagopalan:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/ani_rajagopalan/
• LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/aniruddha-rajagopalan-b42524119
• Email: [email protected]

Topics Covered:

04:09 - Sharing about his birthplace and where he is originally from

05:23 - India's staple alcoholic beverages

06:04 - When did the first winery in India was put up, and Indian people's average consumption

07:15 - Becoming a winemaker, even with no exposure to wine in his childhood and early adult life

12:29 - Taking the chance to go to Europe for a Vinifera Euromasters education

13:55 - Being well-versed in foreign languages [how he managed to learn six languages, especially French and German]

16:34 - One good thing about studying in Europe regarding winemaking and what it was about it that shocked him [the hard work involved behind winemaking]

22:54 - More realizations about winemaking while on the job with a small winery

23:59 - Becoming a winemaker for the first time [having control over how the wine was made and dealing with all the other important aspects of winemaking]

26:55 - Why every bit of decision matter in a small winery

Quotes from Aniruddha Rajagopalan:

"Spirits and beer are the most popular alcoholic beverages in India."

"The early eighties was when the first winery was established in India."

"I remember reading a statistic about 15 years ago which said the average per capita consumption of wine in India was one teaspoon's worth (per year)."

"What I was doing in my research work there at the Center for Sustainable Technologies was trying to ferment coconut water."

"I started reading books about wine, about wine making, to see how much of those ideas I could employ in fermenting coconut water."

"The good thing about the program I studied in Europe was that the holidays between the first year and the second year kind of coincided with the European harvest. So you could spend your holiday working the harvest."

"My idea of how wine was made was completely different from what it turned out to be."

"I thought it would all just be press a button here, press a button there, and then the wine gets made and there you go. Bob's your Uncle . Then that first harvest kind of opened my eyes to it. The first day at the winery, I spent half an hour just like wrapping up hoses to make them neat and circular."

"There's so much organizational stuff that you have to keep your eye on and keep thinking about."

"I came to absolutely despise beautiful days because I knew that on the days where the weather was very good, the harvester would be running full time and you'd get truck upon truck upon truck and we'd sometimes we'd work 14, 15 hours days."

"On the days when it rained, it was six hours, and then they'd say, well, the harvester can't go anymore. So it was done for the day. I would love those raining days."

"The first time that I got to be a winemaker, so to speak, where I thought about how I wanted to do it, how I wanted it to turn out and things like that. And that was great fun."

"Working in this very, very small winery gave me a little bit of perspective about how an establishments of that size, every decision you take matters a great deal because you're making only 4,000 liters of wine."

"You can't really afford to mess up a thousand liters of wine, because that's a quarter of a year's production."