Gabriele Rausse Episode 2/part 1 Fine Wine Confidential Podcast

Send us Fan MailThis is Part 1 of Episode 2 where I have the pleasure to interview Gabriele Rausse, who the NY Times called the Father of modern-day Virginia winegrowing. ( Part 2 of this Episode will be published as a continuation of this Episode at a later date).  Gabriele came to Virginia in April of 1976 when Gianni Zonin offered him the position of  planting the vineyard at Barboursville.  At the time he was back in Italy waiting on his Visa to return to Australia where he had been offered a position at the University of Melbourne as head of the Plant Pathology studies.  Once in Virginia he never left.Several of the Highlights: a). early in the episode he explains how his Father wanted him to go to Law School but he choose Agricultural Sciences instead.b). He describes how he was initially offered the position by Gianni Zonin and was captured by the beauty of the Old Dominion.c). he shares a humorous story about the first vintage of 500 bottles he made at Barboursville and how they just got passed around and no one drank them.d). He talks about the planting of Simeon vineyards which is now know as Jefferson Vineyards and how his 3 year son gave a winery tour for visitors and answered everyone of their questions as if he was the owner.e). Funny story about his first meeting with a Distributor and what they did with 15 cs of wine he sold them.f). In 1984 he begins the replanting of the original vineyard site at Monticello to the same varietals that Jefferson had planted in the late 1700's.g). another humorous story on why he left Jefferson Vineyards in 1995.Much, much more.  go to www.gabrieleraussewinery.com  Thanks for being a listener to the Fine Wine Confidential Podcast. For more information go to www.finewineconfidential.com