Ciao

It's been a little while, hasn't it…?

Weeks without a newsletter isn't exactly what I had in mind, but between tours, events, traveling, exploring new countries, meeting new people, and trying to capture everything along the way, sitting down at the computer and putting it all into words kept getting pushed further down the list.

The good news? I've got a hell of a lot to share.

The past few months have taken me from the vineyards of Tuscany to kitchens and wine cellars in Georgia, with plenty of good food, great wine, long days, and new friendships in between. I've been collecting stories, meeting people I can't wait to introduce you to, and working on some amazing things.

Where Grapestained Has Been

August: Our Solera Wine Co. Tour

August kicked off with our Solera Wine Co. tour, where Gabriele and I spent time with a fantastic group of seven people exploring wineries, discovering different wine regions, eating our way through the local cuisine, and making countless memories along the way.

There's something special about getting a group of people together who share a love of wine, food, and discovering new places. You start the trip as a group of strangers, and before long you're sharing bottles, swapping stories, and wondering how it's already time to head home.

We had an absolute blast, and it's exactly the kind of travel experience Grapestained is all about.

I'd love to have some of you join us on a tour one day, whether it's through one of our existing collaborations or something we put together just for your group. Have a group of friends who love wine and good food as much as you do? Get in touch. There's always room for another adventure in Italy and beyond.

Full Solera Tour of Tuscany & Cinque Terre Gallery

One Month in Georgia (The Country - Not Atlanta…)

I spent an entire month traveling around this incredibly beautiful and fascinating country. I drove across multiple regions meeting winemakers, home cooks, chefs, artisans, and families, tasting my way through regional dishes, exploring wineries, and trying to get a better understanding of what makes this place so special.

And what a hell of a tiring month that was…

Between the traveling, filming, photographing, taking notes, writing stories, asking questions, and trying to fit in one more visit before the day was over, I came home with enough material to keep me busy for quite some time.

But the best parts weren't necessarily the wineries or the places on the itinerary. They were the moments in between.

Sitting around someone's table. Being welcomed into a home by people who barely know you. Learning how a dish is made, why it's cooked a certain way, or what a particular wine means to the family who's been making it for generations. Georgia is famous for its hospitality, but it's one of those things you really have to experience for yourself to understand. The warmth and generosity I encountered, often from people who had every reason to be busy with their own lives, was something else entirely. I found myself everyday sharing food, exchanging stories, and occasionally realizing that the language barrier doesn't matter nearly as much as you'd think when there's a full table and a bottle of wine involved.

I left Georgia with an infinite amount of stories to tell. There are winemakers worth knowing, dishes and tastes to never forget, recipes I've been learning, and people whose stories deserve to be told. Expect plenty of photos, videos, recipes, and features in the coming months.

I've also been quietly working on the idea of bringing a group of people back to Georgia with me in the very near future. It's still in the planning stages, but the thought of sharing these experiences with a group of curious, adventurous, hungry, wine-loving people is something I'm very excited about. Alongside that, I'm hoping to bring more Georgian food and wine to our events, both here in Italy and back in the United States.

More on all of that soon. For now, I've got a mountain of stories to get through and share!

Back in Tuscany for Harvest Season

By the end of September, I was back in Italy and straight into a few private tours with some wonderful small groups.

We spent time around Montalcino, Cortona, Pienza, Montepulciano, and Castiglione d'Orcia, visiting some of Tuscany’s smaller wineries and sitting down with the people who make the wines we love.

Visiting our friends at these wineries is always extra special, particularly during harvest. It's one of the busiest times of the year, with grapes coming in, fermentations underway, and plenty happening in the vineyards and cellar. That's what makes it so meaningful when our friends open their doors to welcome our guests, show them what's happening behind the scenes, and sit down together for a lovely lunch, a tasting, and share some time together in the middle of the madness.

Everything In Between

Of course, it's not all international travel and wandering around vineyards with a camera in hand.

There's been plenty happening behind the scenes, too. I've been meeting with producers, exploring new options in Italy for future tours and events, and getting to know more chefs, wineries, and artisans I’m excited to work with. There's always an growing community of people around Grapestained.

I've also been spending a lot of time capturing photographs, filming, and putting together material for the website and social media. There's so much from the past few months, and it's been a lot of fun going back through it all and bringing these stories to life. Now I just need to find the time to get it all out there!

And in between all of that, I've been enjoying some time back in Florence. Catching up with friends, harvesting olives, cooking at home, and remembering that it's perfectly acceptable to sit down for an aperitivo without turning it into a research project.

Sometimes you need to put the camera down, get something cooking, open a bottle, and enjoy the moment.

What's Coming Next?

There's plenty coming up from both Georgia and Italy. In Georgia, we'll be exploring the country's extraordinary wine culture, from the ancient qvevri traditions of Kakheti and the famous Chinuri wines of Iago, to the lighter, skin-contact wines of Imereti and the high-altitude vineyards of Racha, home to the celebrated Khvanchkara. Along the way, we'll meet the people behind the bottles, including Ana Berika, Baia's Winery, Nikoladzeebi, Nikalas Marani, and the young winemaker Mariam at Margvelidze Winery.

We'll dive into some of my favorite native Georgian grape varieties, from Saperavi, Kisi, Rkatsiteli and Mtsvane to Tsolikouri, Tsitska, Khikhvi, and plenty more. I'll try to help with the pronunciation along the way, but I'm still struggling with a few of them myself…

And it's not just about the wine. We'll be heading into the kitchens of Ani in Kutaisi, Maia at Villa Obcha, and Rusudane in the mountains of Kazbegi to learn about regional dishes, traditional recipes, and the food culture that makes each part of Georgia unique.

Back in Italy, there are stories to come from wineries including Contucci, Iviti, and Tenuta Freddano, alongside seasonal recipes, regional food and wine guides, and plenty more discoveries from around Tuscany and beyond.

One story I'm particularly looking forward to capturing in November is that of Landa Ruweha, a Syrian home cook and chef based in Warsaw, Poland, and one of the original inspirations behind Grapestained. Her story has been part of Grapestained long before it even existed, and I'm looking forward to helping her share it.

Georgian Wine Is Coming to Florence

This November, I'll be hosting my first-ever series of Georgian wine events here in Florence, welcoming Ana Berikashvili of Ana Berika winery for three gatherings across Tuscany on November 26, 27, and 28.

We'll kick things off with a Georgian wine masterclass and tasting in Empoli with Gabriele Alessandroni of Wine School Italia, followed by a wine-pairing dinner at Dal 23 Pastificio in Florence. We'll wrap things up with a Georgian-style supra, with an Italian twist, hosted by my good friend Silvia Bacci at her winery, Bacco del Monte, in Vicchio, Mugello.

If you're not familiar with a supra, it's a traditional Georgian feast where food, wine, and hospitality come together around the table. A big part of the experience is the toasting, with heartfelt words shared in honor of family, friendship, love, and life itself. It's about much more than what's on the table, rather the people gathered around it. I'll be sharing a bigger story about the tradition and what makes a Georgian supra special soon!

But first, bringing that spirit to Tuscany, alongside Georgian wines and Italian food, feels like a pretty wonderful way to spend a few days.

These events are the beginning of creating more opportunities to experience Georgian wine and culture through the kind of gatherings that bring people together around a table. These events will be the first of many, both here in Italy and back in the United States.

The Italians Are Coming Back to America

Over the next couple of weeks, I'll be meeting with several producers and chefs to start putting together our plans for the next round of events.

We're looking at gatherings in Pittsburgh, Denver, Delaware, Philadelphia, and New York, with events planned across January, February, April, and May.

There's still plenty to organize, from the producers traveling over to the wines, food, and experiences we'll be sharing. But things are starting to take shape, and I’m always excited to see familiar faces, meet new people, and bring a little more of Italy to the table.

I'll be putting together a full calendar of events soon, so keep your eyes open. If you've joined us before, I can’t wait to see you again. And if you haven't made it to one of our events yet, maybe this will be your chance ;)

And if you'd like to organize something of your own this winter or spring, whether it's a private wine dinner, a gathering with friends, or something a little different, send me a private message. Let's put something together!

Until Next Time…

I think that's enough of a catch-up for now…

I've met some incredible people over the past few months, discovered more wines and dishes than I can count, and come home with a notebook full of ideas and a camera full of material. Now it's time to get it all out into the world.

Thank you for sticking around, for following along, and for being part of this little corner of the food and wine world. Over the coming weeks, expect stories, recipes, wine guides, and a few things that might make you want to book a flight, find a new bottle, or get into the kitchen and cook something you've never tried before.

And if there's one thing I've ultimately taken to heart from the past few months, it's that some of the best stories start when you sit down with someone you've never met, share a meal, pour a glass of wine, and take the time to listen.

Cheers to more of that,

Ryan 🍷