On today's show, we take a deep dive into Jessica's forthcoming book, Italianity. Mark and Jessica introduce the book and discuss the writing process. Then, Mark interviews Andrea Lonardi, and they explore the overarching themes that Andrea has been developing over many years.

Pre-order Italianity here

More on Andrea Lonardi here

This week on Another Bottle Down, we're heading to the Napa Valley for a conversation with Jeff Cole, the winemaker at Sullivan Rutherford Estate. A Napa native who grew up in Yountville, Jeff came to winemaking almost by accident, enrolling in wine courses at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo before finding his calling. He honed his craft at Schramsberg Vineyards and J. Davies Estate, then joined Sullivan in 2013, where he has directed the program ever since.

Sullivan Rutherford Estate is a fully estate model winery, and the 26-acre property's terroir gives Cole something genuinely special to work with. Despite sitting on the Rutherford Valley floor, the vineyards rest on gravelly soils deposited over centuries by Spring Mountain runoff. That gravel allows fantastic drainage and promotes viticultural stress, and the result shows up in the glass: wines of unusual concentration and structure including some of the most compelling Merlot being produced in Napa Valley today.

Sullivan backs that claim with one of the more distinctive tasting experiences in the area where guests blind taste Sullivan's Merlot alongside examples from around the world. Jeff joins Jessica Dupuy on location at the estate to talk through what it means to grow up in Napa, what makes Sullivan distinct, and why this land, and these grapes, have something brilliant to say.

Sullivan Rutherford Estate

Jessica Dupuy — Merlot's Comeback, Food & Wine

On today's show we have the second episode that Mark recorded while visiting Piedmont a couple months ago for the fall truffle season. Paolo Bava is in charge of the wine production and vineyards at Cantine Bava, which has vineyard holdings in Cocconato (Asti), Castiglione Falleto (Barolo), Nizza and Alta Langa. It's a fascinating story of how the family expanded into Barolo and Nizza from the home base of Asti. And, Mark explores some of the themes we've been digging into recently such as mulit-generational wineries, Eastern facing expositions lending a little more freshness, and much more.

Useful links:

The Bava Website

Alba Truffle Festival

Pre-order Jessica's book: Italianality