I am not sure if a laborer or a teacher are often inquired to know “why did you choose this sector”. This is what happens to me nearly every day. “Is your family in the wine business?”: this is the second question coming along. But the wrong question is “Do you like wine?”.

So I now turn the question to you, reader: have you ever known someone involved in the wine business who is not completely in love with wine?! Impossible!

So I am happy to pick up the challenge offered by #mwwc29 (Monthly Wine Writing Challenge, a competition among wine writers which deal with different themes) to tell my story!

And it maybe came to me as, many years ago, I was suddenly asked to write something about wine by a local magazine, just because I had written a couple of books and shared occasionally impressions about wine. I was still at the University studying Business Economics and planning a solid future… I realized later it would have been that boring!

So after my graduation I thought: why should not I apply my education to the wine business?! But my thought was too loud and it reached a wine producer during a wine tasting that I used to join at my free time. This is why she suggested me the historical winery I could contact in my area. She is Milena Pepe one of the most brilliant Italian wine managers!

I am sorry, this is not the end of the story as at that time I was leaving to Canada to practice my English and make a great job experience at the Italian Chamber of Commerce of Toronto where we had to promote Italian products in Ontario: so, which ones, in your opinion, are the best Italian products launched abroad? Fashion and -of course-  wine&food! My destiny was there even if I could not still see it although I discovered (do not ask me how!) the company I was suggested to contact was going to attend an event right in Toronto!

It was Mastroberardino, one of the historical Italian wineries, located in Campania, southern Italy.

Well, it was the right moment to contact them and introduce myself! I did but the nice part of the story is that… they answered!

Action! My wine story began!