Welcome to Clubhouse’s Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2412 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, James MacNay IWA interviews Maddalena Pasqua di Bisceglie of Musella winery in Veneto, to talk about Valpolicella production and biodynamic practices in the vineyard and the cellar. These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and replayed here on the Italian Wine Podcast.
In this interview, today’s guest host covers the following learning objectives:
To introduce beginners and the wine-curious to Valpolicella: Learn the basics of Valpolicella winemaking — from the native grape varieties to the characteristics of the territory and the production methods behind its various styles.
To explore the world of natural wines: Discover Maddalena’s strong views on what makes a truly good natural wine, and how she brings that philosophy to life in her own winemaking.
To gain an overview of Maddalena’s historic, multi-crop estate with its on-site hotel, and enjoy highlights from her fascinating personal and professional journey.
More about our Co-host:
James MacNay is an Italian Wine Ambassador based in the western Alps of Piemonte. For over fifteen years, he and his wife Cinzia ran Cuculo Cheese & Wine in East Sussex — a beloved destination for food and wine lovers.
After closing that chapter, the pair returned to their roots in the travel industry. Today, James and Cinzia design and lead specialized wine and walking tours across Italy’s most iconic wine regions, combining their deep knowledge of Italian wine with a passion for immersive, on-the-ground experiences.
Connect:
Website: https://travelandwine.co.uk/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/james_macnay/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/james-macnay-iwa-461264296/
More about the guest:
Born and raised in Verona, Maddalena Pasqua di Bisceglie studied Contemporary History in Italy before joining her father's new project in 1995 - to become winegrowers at Musella, a stunning estate located just 10 km from Verona, in the heart of the Valpolicella area. Driven by curiosity and passion, Maddalena traveled across Italy and visited top wine regions around the world, learning the art of winemaking and viticulture from some of the most respected names in the field. For many years, she focused on sales and administration, while vineyard and cellar operations remained outside her scope until 2009.
From the very beginning, Maddalena felt a deep desire to align Musella’s farming practices with the surrounding natural beauty. She discovered biodynamics in 2002 and, after years of study and preparation, fully converted Musella’s vineyards and winery to the biodynamic method in 2009. Today, she continues to manage the estate with growing passion and enthusiasm, producing wines that reflect both her beliefs and the unique character of Musella’s land.
Connect:
Website: https://www.musella.it/en/homepage/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/musella_winery_relais/
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Until next time, Cin Cin!
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