Welcome to Clubhouse’s Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2539 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Michele Longari IWA interviews Riccardo Binda, Director of Consorzio Vini Oltrepò Pavese, to explore his experience with the Bolgheri and Oltrepò Pavese consortia, and how Oltrepò can strengthen its positioning and strategy in today’s wine market.
These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and reproduced here for the Italian Wine Podcast.
Key Learning Objectives:
Understand how Italian wine consortia shape regional identity, quality, and long-term strategy.
Explore the challenges and opportunities of positioning Oltrepò Pavese on the global wine stage.
Learn practical lessons in leadership, data-driven quality, and sustainability in regional wine development.
More about today’s host:
Ten years ago, Michele Longari was working as a Computer Engineer in Emilia Romagna, but his passion for food and wine soon led him down a different path. What began as a casual interest inspired him to enroll in the Italian Sommelier Association’s professional course, and although he hadn’t planned to take the exams, he went on to earn his AIS Sommelier Diploma in 2013.
That same year, Michele moved to the UK to pursue an MSc in Wine Business Management at the Royal Agricultural University. While completing his dissertation, he joined Hay Wines, an independent British wine merchant. Eight years later, he is now the company’s Purchasing Director, overseeing buying strategy and import management.
Connect:
Website: https://haywines.co.uk/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/micheletlongari/
More about today’s guest:
Born in 1986 in Oltrepò Pavese, Riccardo Binda graduated in Gastronomic Sciences from the University of Pollenzo, later completing a master’s in gastronomic heritage management and further wine studies at San Michele all'Adige. He began his career in Bolgheri in 2013 at Tenuta Argentiera and, just a year later, became Director of the Consorzio Bolgheri DOC Wines at age 28. During his decade-long leadership, Bolgheri grew from 36 to 74 member wineries, achieved 99% production representation, created the Bolgheri Sassicaia DOC, renewed the Bolgheri Bianco DOC, and became Italy’s highest-value appellation with €150M in annual turnover. In 2020, four Bolgheri wines ranked in the Liv-ex Power 100 top ten.
In 2024, Riccardo returned to Oltrepò Pavese to lead its consortium, bringing his experience to support the region’s quality focus and premiumization.
Connect
Website: https://www.consorziovinioltrepo.it/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/riccardobinda86
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Until next time, Cin Cin!
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