It’s really no secret that wine is the drink of choice when it comes to celebrations and luxurious experiences. The quickest way to make someone feel special is to break out a nice bottle of wine and pop the cork! Decent quality wines have this crazy ability to transport you to the time (and place) they were made. Although wine is inviting, it can also be confusing. Vintage, regions, grapes, so much information to swallow.
We sat down and spoke to Alda Fantin, a wine sommelier and avid connoisseur who shares her passion on Instagram under the handle @aldina_____.
Alda, let us kick things off with you telling us how you got into wine.
AF: Well, I think wine was already running through my veins since my childhood. I grew up in the beautiful little city of Bassano del Grappa, on the northeast of Italy, surrounded by Glera vineyards that are now recognized as Unesco World Heritage. The world of wine has always fascinated me, but I wasn’t actually that keen on it until I moved to Milan and began my studies on Food & Wine Communication at University, moved by the passion for healthy, organic, and sustainable nutrition that then led me to become a Food & Wine Journalist. But my very “jump on wine” was when I after moved to Sicily and became Sommelier. Here is where my love for wine growth, from the green hills of Prosecco to the volcanic soil of Mount Etna. I can say that wine has traced my route.
What has been your most memorable wine experience thus far? and most memorable wine bottle?
AF: My first trip to the Champagne region one year ago. I felt like a child at Disneyland. It is a place that I recommend visit to any wine lover. I have got to walk inside the mesmerizing chalk cellars of many of my favorite Champagne Maisons, running for miles underground from Reims to Epernay. I have also discovered some smaller wineries that are true gems. It was such an unforgettable tour! Maybe I drunk my most memorable wine bottle there, a Jacques Selosse Substance Blanc de Blancs Brut Grand Cru “Avize”, vintage 2002. Never had the pleasure of drinking such a bottle before!
What advice would you give wineries or wine companies looking to use the Instagram social media platform to grow their brands image?
AF: Social media is such a powerful tool that really can change the public image of any brand or winery with just a quick glimpse at their page. I personally think it is quite mandatory for the times we are living to have a good structured online presence. It helps with taking care of customers in real time, show the brand identity and even selling the wines directly through the Instagram platform. Just be extra careful with what you’re posting, it must be a clear and recognizable image of you and the unique values that characterize your work. Don’t mess up! There are great marketing agencies out there that can help with this and that I always suggest relaying on. Also partnering up with Influencers is a great way to convey the brand awareness but be sure to collaborate with real ones. The number of followers does not mean anything, there are so many “influencers” buying them. Always check the engagement rate and the authenticity of both contents and audience. Credibility comes first.
Your Instagram is flawless, how do you go about capturing the essence of Alda Fantin?
AF: Thank you. I’ve started this Instagram journey one year ago, it was during lock-down. I was missing so much the hectic work around wine events, dinners, tastings, and I found myself having enough time to start something new related to this world. I had no idea of where this could eventually lead me, I didn’t open any new dedicated page, I just start sharing my wine journey on my very personal page. I couldn’t ever imagine what an incredible community of passionate, like-minded people I would have met! I am so grateful for the support of all of them. My goal is to travel to as many vineyards as possible, taste wines from all countries, take photos, meet new people, be happy and take everyone along this journey with me.
Alda, there are a lot of amateurs out there that are terrified of the wine world with so many selections available. For the very beginners, how do they get started learning about wine, and really enjoying their journey?
AF: I was one of them! Now every friend at the table points the finger at me when it comes to taste a wine. And that’s significant to how elitist the wine world can seem from outside. Wine can’t afford to be snobby anymore, wine is for itself joy of sharing. You look at it, you smell it, you sip it and you always end up talking about it, no matter what level of expert you are. That’s one of the main reasons I’ve started sharing my relation with it on social media, to make any beginner feeling comfortable, not being afraid of making mistakes or saying unprofessional things. My advice is just to drink it (responsibly, of course)! Taste a little of many wines from all different regions and countries as you can, and if that fascinates you, go and study it! Your passion could become the work of your dreams.
What are your favorite varietals and why?
AF: It has to be Pinot Noir. It’s proof that good wine starts on the vine. This versatile red beauty is capable of communicate the difference between miles away grape-growing environments as well as adjacent plots of vineyards. From the greatest red Burgundy to the charming Champagne, it truly speaks of provenance worldwide and it’s undoubtedly difficult to cultivate. It’s such a fickle varietal that it’s been dubbed the “heartbreak grape”. Maybe that’s why it’s so seductive, it’s a luscious grape beloved worldwide for its fruity flavor, enchanting fragrance, and long, smooth finish that dances on the palate.
How important is health, fitness and living that healthy lifestyle to you?
AF: I know that’s a tricky question! Well, working in the wine industry and carry a healthy lifestyle can be possible! I am not going to list the benefits of wine (which are not that few) but the key, as with anything, is balance! I never indulge on junk food, I actually hate it, I love to eat clean, have my morning workouts and spend time by the nature whenever I can. I always feel restored after a good mountain walk with my dad and ready to enjoy my deserved good glass of wine, tasting better than ever, with no regrets.
You are what you eat, what are you?
AF: Feuerbach would totally see me as a plant! I don’t eat meat, it’s a choice I made some years ago after being introduced to the cruel practice of intensive farming and its bad effects on ourselves and our planet on an environmental level. It’s just not a sustainable way of feeding. Plus, there a lot of great alternatives to meat nowadays that are insanely delicious and healthy.
Who or what inspires you? Why?
AF: “Empowered women empower women”, this quote is very true to me. I am mostly inspired by women who overcame adversity and conquered a significant role. I came from a family of strong and successful women; my mother and my two grandmothers have always been my greatest inspiration. They began to tell me their incredible stories when I was just a child and they taught me so much about life. I am extremely grateful for being raised with this mindset.
The greatest lesson you’ve learned in this business is….
AF: I’ve learned that wine is many things. It is history, nature’s bounty and beauty of the many different terroirs from which it is produced. It’s commitment, knowledge and patience of the people who makes it. Quality over quantity is the way to go for producers…sounds like a cliché, but at the end it does repay. Being humble, being patient…when someone is driven by passion, that passion will be tasted, it’s just a matter of time.
On a personal note, what are some of the most important things in your life?
AF: To make other persons feeling good, each day, spreading kindness. At the end of the day that’s what matters, I feel satisfied when I’ve made the people I love feeling loved. It’s all about that to me, being surrounded by my beloved ones, my family, my friends. Cherishing these lucky moments of true happiness and celebrating them with a good glass of bubbles in our hands!
