In this first episode I introduce myself, (Fred Reno) and what motivated me to create this Podcast. I have included brief audio excerpts from interviews in my next in my next 3 episodes. First, with Gabriele Rausse, who the NY Times called the Father of the modern-day Virginia wine industry followed by Luca Paschina who succeeded Gabriele at Barboursville Vineyards in 1990. The last excerpt is with Michael Shaps in which he recounts how he moved to France and knocked on the door at the Lycee Viticole de Beaune in Burgundy and gained admission into their school of Viticulture and Enology.

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This is Part 1 of Episode 2 where I have the pleasure to interview Gabriele Rausse, who the NY Times called the Father of modern-day Virginia winegrowing. ( Part 2 of this Episode will be published as a continuation of this Episode at a later date). Gabriele came to Virginia in April of 1976 when Gianni Zonin offered him the position of planting the vineyard at Barboursville. At the time he was back in Italy waiting on his Visa to return to Australia where he had been offered a position at the University of Melbourne as head of the Plant Pathology studies. Once in Virginia he never left.

Several of the Highlights:
a). early in the episode he explains how his Father wanted him to go to Law School but he choose Agricultural Sciences instead.
b). He describes how he was initially offered the position by Gianni Zonin and was captured by the beauty of the Old Dominion.
c). he shares a humorous story about the first vintage of 500 bottles he made at Barboursville and how they just got passed around and no one drank them.
d). He talks about the planting of Simeon vineyards which is now know as Jefferson Vineyards and how his 3 year son gave a winery tour for visitors and answered everyone of their questions as if he was the owner.
e). Funny story about his first meeting with a Distributor and what they did with 15 cs of wine he sold them.
f). In 1984 he begins the replanting of the original vineyard site at Monticello to the same varietals that Jefferson had planted in the late 1700's.
g). another humorous story on why he left Jefferson Vineyards in 1995.

Much, much more. go to www.gabrieleraussewinery.com

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In this second and final segment of my interview with Gabriele we dig deeper into the reasons why he left Jefferson Vineyard in 1995 and took the position of Director of the Grounds and Gardens at Monticello. Gabriele shares a number of insights about Thomas Jefferson throughout this segment. He also share several interesting and somewhat humorous stories about Kluge and the original land grant the Carter family were given by George the III.

Highlights from the segment include:

a). his opinion on why he felt Jefferson failed to make wine successfully from vinifera at Monticello.
b). recounts how he came to plant his vineyard at what is Rausse Winery today.
c). the story of Kluge trying to buy all 12,000 acres of the Carter land grant and how he is rejected by them to purchase the last 2,000 acres they held.
d). discusses why and what grape varietals he planted .
e). more about Jefferson's travels in France wine country and what he discovered.
f). funny quote from Michelle Obama about the treatment he first received in Virginia when he was planting Barboursville Vineyards.

The full transcript is attached here for further reading.

Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com