Ep. 2825 Festivals, Garage Wines & The True Identity of Trebbiano Spoletino with Alesio Piccioni of Garage del Vino | Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon

Welcome to Episode 2825 of the Italian Wine Podcast and Episode 267 of Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon. In this episode, Marc speaks with Alesio Piccioni, founder of Garage del Vino, about Umbria’s wine culture, the potential of Sagrantino and Trebbiano Spoletino, and the challenges of communicating regional wines to consumers.

Alesio discusses why Sagrantino’s powerful tannins should be seen as a strength, how confusion around Montefalco’s wine classifications affects its reputation, and why Trebbiano Spoletino deserves greater recognition for its versatility. He also reflects on the evolution of the sommelier profession, the influence of wine trends and social media, and the importance of selecting wines for their quality and precision rather than labels such as “natural” or “biodynamic.”

More about the guest:

Alesio Piccioni became a sommelier at 16 and has worked in the wine industry ever since. After beginning his career as a winery agent in 1999, he deepened his knowledge of international wine regions, specializing in French wines and high-quality food products. In 2018, he founded Garage del Vino, a distribution company focused on artisan wine producers from Italy, France, Germany, and Spain. In 2025, he opened his first bistrot à vin in Spoleto, combining his passions for wine and gastronomy.

Connect:

Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/in/alesio-piccioni-985882173/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/qualcosadovropurbere/

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/alesio.piccioni/

More about the host:

Marc Millon, a VIA Italian Wine Ambassador since 2021, is a celebrated expert in the world of wine, food, and travel and an award-winning author of 15 books on these topics. Since 2021, he has been the host of the ‘Wine, Food, and Travel with Marc Millon’ weekly series on the Italian Wine Podcast, which now has well over 220 episodes of the show. Marc’s latest book is “Italy in a Wineglass – the Taste of History” published by Hurst, London and Melville House, New York (Guild of Food Writers ‘Drinks Writer Award’ 2025 and the World Gourmand ‘Best Wine History Book in the World Award’ 2025). In addition to his writing and podcasting, Marc is a sought-after speaker and hosts gastronomic cultural tours to Italy in partnership with Martin Randall Travel, a leading specialist in cultural travel. When he's not exploring the culinary landscapes of the world, Marc resides along the scenic River Exe in Devon, England.

Connect:

Website: https://www.quaypress.uk

Website: https://www.marcmillon.co.uk

Website: https://www.vino.co.uk

Website: https://www.quaypress.com

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/marc-millon-50868624/

Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/Marc_Millon

More interviews on Wine, Food & Travel: https://www.italianwinepodcast.com/episodes_category/food-travel/

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Until next time, Cin Cin!

Thanks for listening! This show is all about food and wine pairings, and traveling through Italy with Marc. Join him on this food, wine and cultural journey!