Ep 2387 Elena Shtepa of Vintage Bishkek | Asia Wine Market: Almaty Special Edition

Welcome to Episode 2387 and the ninth episode of the new special series focusing on the Asian Wine Market. In today’s episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova interviews Elena Shtepa of Vintage Bishkek. This episode focuses on Kyrgyzstan.   Key Learning Objectives:   Understand the evolution of wine culture and consumer awareness in Kyrgyzstan Learn about the import and distribution landscape  Identify current trends, gaps and opportunities in Kyrgyzstan’s wine market    Asia Wine Market is a new podcast series from the Italian Wine Podcast that explores the fast-growing wine markets across Asia. Designed for wine professionals, importers, and producers, the series highlights regional trends, consumer behavior, and business opportunities for Italian wine exports.   Through 10 exclusive episodes, this series offers insights from key industry players and builds up to the Vinitaly Kazakhstan Roadshow 2025 — a strategic event connecting Italian wineries with Central Asian wine importers, sommeliers, and distributors. Whether you're looking to enter the wine market or expand your brand presence in Central Asia, this series is your starting point.   Today’s guest: Elena Shtepa is one of the key figures shaping wine culture in Kyrgyzstan. She is a WSET Level 3 certified wine specialist, co-owner of the VINTAGE wine restaurant chain (4 venues), and CEO of IWINE, the first sommelier school in the country. Together with her family, she runs “Enoteca”, Kyrgyzstan’s wine import company, which was inspired after a journey through Italy. There, among vineyards and local winemakers, the family discovered that wine in Italy is something more than drink. It’s about family, tradition, emotion, and the art of tasteful living. So “Enoteca” company has a mission: not just to import bottles, but to build a wine culture in Kyrgyzstan. Today, Enoteca’s portfolio is about 70% Italian wines, and Elena leads projects that train the next generation of wine professionals, nurture local taste, and make wine a meaningful, joyful part of everyday life.  Connect: Website: https://www.bishkek.wine/  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/shtttepa/profilecard/?igsh=MXN1MmppcXdoYnRzbQ==    Today’s host:    Roza Zharmukhambetova has a background in foreign languages and education. She discovered her passion for wine in Beijing, where she gained two years of experience in wine sales. Since returning to Kazakhstan, she has focused on studying Italian wine and exploring its regions.    Roza holds certifications as an Italian Wine Ambassador (VIA), Italian Wine Scholar (WSG), Langhe Wines Ambassador (BBA), and Valpolicella Wine Specialist (VEP). She is also a member of the Kazakhstan Sommelier Association. Since late last year, she has been a member of the Italian Wine Podcast (IWP) team, contributing her passion for Italian wine.   Connect: Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roza.zharmukhambetova Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/le_vin_enrose/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozazharmukhambetova/   _______________________________   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!