Why This Episode Matters

Why wine may not be losing younger drinkers so much as failing to introduce itself to them well
How small, independent producers can offer something industrial wine cannot: place, history and story
Why wine education works better through tasting, comparison and discovery than scores and intimidation
How restaurants, retailers and wine lovers can make wine more approachable to people just beginning to explore it

Banter

Francis returns from the Russian River Valley with a deeper appreciation for Pinot Noir and plenty to say about what he learned. The Guys talk about how tasting wines side by side reveals the differences between vineyards, soils and winemaking choices, why visiting wine country can teach you what books can not and the considerable injustice of Francis losing a toga contest to a baby.

The Conversation

Tony Margiotta, founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, joins Mark and Francis to talk about wine as culture, place and connection not just what's in the glass.

Tony traces his path from Italian-American family dinners and summers in Molise to discovering small Italian producers whose wines rarely made it to the U.S. That curiosity eventually became Gladiator Wines and a mission to tell the stories behind independent producers.

The conversation then turns to Tony's book Wine in Your 20s and the challenge of bringing a new generation into wine. Tony argues that wine hasn't necessarily lost younger drinkers: it hasn't introduced itself to them well. He and The Guys explore how approachable wines, tastings, good storytelling and less intimidation can help new drinkers discover wine on their own terms.

Guest Bio

Tony Margiotta is the founder of Gladiator Wine Distribution, specializing in independent Italian wine producers with a strong connection to place, culture and tradition. He is also the creator of Gladiator Wine TV and the author of Hidden Gems of Italy and Wine in Your 20s.

Timestamps
00:00 — Russian River Pinot Noir, side-by-side tasting and learning wine through experience
05:00 — Francis buys a real toga—and loses the contest to a baby
09:00 — Tony Margiotta and the philosophy behind Gladiator Wines
11:30 — Growing up with wine, Italian-American family dinners and Molise
17:00 — Why wine seems to taste better in Italy
20:30 — Discovering Italy's small producers and creating Gladiator Wines
22:00 — “Real wine tastes like a place”: story, context and terroir
28:00 — Learning to love wine in your 20s
32:00 — Why younger generations aren't connecting with wine
40:30 — How to introduce new drinkers: approachable wines, tastings and low-risk discovery
44:00 — Backyard vineyards, homemade wine and keeping traditions alive

Info
Tony Margiotta / Gladiator Wine Distribution
Gladiator Wine TV https://www.youtube.com/@GladiatorWineTV

Wine in Your 20s
Hidden Gems of Italy

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How Do We Get a New Generation Into Wine? | Tony Margiotta

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How Do We Get a New Generation Into Wine? | Tony Margiotta