Tell me about your current role?

My current role is primarily promoting Italian wine, especially that from the lesser know regions of Italy, here in Ireland. I do this through the organisation of events, both for consumers – with the aim to promote as much as possible the authentic Italian food and wine culture – and for trade, helping Italian wineries that share RADICI’s values and want to start to sell their wines in the Irish market to be connected with the right people.

Even though I’m an Italian wine specialist, when I came here in Ireland I decided to fully open my mind and my knowledge to the world of wine, started to attend WSET courses and began working for a wine shop, where I actually host wine tastings as well. Dealing each time with wines that comes from all over the world.

How did you first get into the drinks industry?

My background is in food and wine journalism, and in fact it was journalism to lead me the first time on the wine industry’s path. At that time I managed the wine section of a local journal in the “Castelli Romani” area. For anyone who doesn’t know, this is a famous wine region – in the roman countryside (even if is just 20km away from the city centre).

So I decided to start to tell the stories of all the local wine producers, that at that moment don’t have a strong voice. It was a great success and so I started to write for a famous food and wine online magazine, for whom I write still remotely. Then life brought me to Ireland, and RADICI was my way to keep going with Italian wine promotion, in a bit different way. Promoting wines not only from the Lazio region – that will always have a special place in my heart – but from the whole country.

What is your favourite part about working in the industry?

My favourite part about work in the industry is meeting people that speak the same language as me, that share the same passions as me, building connections and new opportunities to grow under the business point of view. That’s why I decided to support the WSW network being a Corporate Sponsor. Even if the wine consumption is not that high in Ireland at the moment, I think there is a future here for this product, especially when we talk about quality, and I so strongly believe in what I’m doing.

We’re meeting up for a drink after work – what are you having?

Maybe some of you, reading this Q&A, will answer: Italian wine! But instead I really like to try something different each times and discover wines and spirits from all over the word. Of course, I’ll never say no to an Aperol spritz or a glass of Franciacorta.

You can only have one drink for the rest of your life, what’s in your glass

I can’t not to say Italian wine at this one!

It’s Saturday night, what restaurant are you going to?

Probably a sushi restaurant. It is my other big passion apart from Italian food and wine.

Is there a bucket list drink you want to try, or a dream drinks destination you’d love to visit?

At the moment Japanese wines are in my “to try” list. I really would love to visit Georgia and discover the places that have given birth to our beloved drink. Another big dream of mine is a very long road trip along Italy, discovering every single wine producing commune.

The most memorable experience of your career?

There are some actually: my first article published; the first time I participated in a wine trade event here in Dublin as the RADICI’s founder and a press trip to Italy, in Bologna, where I went with two legends of the Irish Wine world, Jean Smullen and John Wilson.

One thing you’d like to see more of in the drinks industry?

Education, under the formative point of view. I mean free courses for consumers and future consumers to create awareness around alcohol consumption. Even in terms of quality and teaching people how to choose a quality drink. But also to let them understand that wine is not just alcohol, it is culture, it is history, it is the expression of the human knowledge trough the centuries. It is something deeper than a tool to get drunk.

What advice would you give to someone who wants to start a career in the industry?

Study! As much as possible, even because – at least when you talk about wine – there is a terrific quantity of ideas to learn and of different products to discover and a life is not enough. But also, don’t be shy, believe always in yourself and in your ideas and don’t let anything stop you. Even when you’re going through a big change, like moving abroad and start to do everything in a language that is not your native one.

---

Follow Veronica’s career and RADICI wine adventures on Instagram, Twitter and TikTok. And connect with Veroncia on LinkedIn.