Modo di Bere: Wine & Language

The sheer exuberance of Paul Balke's devotion to Italian wine regions bubbles up like a glass of prosecco—which, we learn in this episode, did not originate in Veneto, but rather in the village of Prosek, near Trieste.
This special, double-size installment of The Boot in 20 is a true deep dive. Even diehard fans of Friulian wines will learn indigenous grapes they've never heard of before. Those who listen to the end will get the skinny on the world's most exciting slices of ham!
Note: Paul Balke currently lives in rural Calabria and we struggled with our connection and other technical issues. While the audio quality does not quite match our usual standards, we think Paul's incredibly educational perspective is worth it. The Boot in 20 series features an interview with an expert on the wines of Italy's 20 regions, including grapes, wines, climate, history, culture, and advice for planning a visit. 
After hearing this episode, you'll understand the geopolitical history that leads Paul to insist on discussing the wines of Friuli-Venezia Giulia in context with the wines of western Slovenia and the Croatian part of the Istrian peninsula. 
Inspired to plan a trip to this region? You must consult Paul's beautiful book, North Adriatic. You can order it from Paul directly at his website, where you can also learn about Paul's winemaking and piano music!Paul's website: paulbalke.comFollow Paul on Instagram: instagram.com/paulbalke 
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
SPANISH LEARNERS NEEDED! This episode is brought to you by Culture Without Borders Language Collective, our exclusive sponsor for the month of October 2025. If you've been wishing for real people to practice your Spanish with, CWB is looking for more English-speaking Spanish learners to join their monthly language exchange.These online meetups are completely FREE for participants.
Visit cwbcollective.com and subscribe to their newsletter to get the dates for the next meetup.
 
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein
 

Rose Thomas Bannister's husband, Bob, has a 2100 day Duolingo streak. For a while, he was doing 14 languages a day. But is he "conversational"? Is he fluent? Does that matter? Access the exclusive full interview by becoming a paid supporter at patreon.com/mododibere. 
When he's not collecting records and linguistic knowledge, Bob Bannister is an influential guitar player whose solo albums helped inspire the "freak folk" genre. He plays guitar with Rose Thomas. You can check out their most recent album together at rosethomasbannister.bandcamp.com.Bob's other bands past and present include Fire in the Kitchen, Tono Bungay, The Scene is Now, P.G. Six, Escape by Ostrich, Julie Beth Napolin, Goddess, Franklin Bruno, Vineland, Vodka, Blowgun and Cat Power.
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

Ineza Karalashvili has been making wine in the Kakheti region of Georgia for over sixty years, together with her brother Tamaz. Their family has been making and selling wine for generations before that, with forebears among the influential "Merchants of the First Guild" in the nineteenth century.Ineza, who recently turned 85, is the wine chemist responsible for quality control at Georgian Royal Wine, and Tamaz is the head winemaker. They work together with the family’s younger generation, including Rezo, Kate, and Irma. Irma, Ineza’s daughter, joins the Modo di Bere podcast New York City to translate for her mother and uncle as they call in from Georgia.
Irma describe sthe Georgian feast, or "supra," including the personality traits required to serve as the "tamada," a sort of master of ceremonies who leads the complex toasting ritual. Irma recently had Rose Thomas over to her house for a miniature supra, where they tasted her family's delicious wines and Irma's incredible cooking, a skill she learned from her mother. She also teaches Rose Thomas several Georgian drinking sayings. Learn more about the family's wines at their website: https://grw-wine.com/en/
Follow Georgian Royal Wine on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgian.royal.wine/
To see some images of Irma's cooking, watch this episode on YouTube @mododiberepodcast 
 
SPANISH LEARNERS NEEDED! This episode is brought to you by Culture Without Borders Language Collective, our exclusive sponsor for the month of October 2025. If you've been wishing for real people to practice your Spanish with, CWB is looking for more English-speaking Spanish learners to join their monthly language exchange.These online meetups are completely FREE for participants.
Visit cwbcollective.com and subscribe to their newsletter to get the dates for the next meetup.
 
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

David Kong loved drinking wine out of expensive handblown glasses but hated the sinking feeling every time one got broken. He wanted a handblown wine glass at a more accessible price, so started his own company to make it exist! David is a lifelong foodie and classical music fan who always wanted to start his own business. Now he sells his Glasvin wine glass line to restaurants and wine lovers all over the world. Rose Thomas identifies wine glass shape as a hot button for consumer anxiety as well as an opportunity for personal expression. David and RT talk about how much you should spend on a wine glass, how wine glasses are made, the purpose for different wine glass shapes, and how swirling just hits different in a light-as-a-feather handblown glass. Check out David's glasses at glas.vinFollow Glasvin on Instagram instagram.com/glas.vinThey also discuss how blind tasting can be a great opportunity to learn from people who have a different culinary and agricultural background, and make plans to host a dinner party where people blind taste wine AND classical music (identifying the composer and piece). What do you think, should we have that party? Do you know anyone who could blind taste wine and classical music? Let us know who's got that skill set in New York! 
RT's glass tastevin is by glass artist Marc Kornbluh: Instagram.com/kornbluhglassThe book that we reference around 38 minutes is Wine Girl by Victoria James.
To get the full benefit of our swirling tutorial, watch this episode on YouTube @mododiberepodcast 
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

William Cisilino is the director of ARLeF, an organization that promotes the Friulian language. He is a leading expert and advocate for linguistic diversity. Dr Cisilino and Rose Thomas discuss the health of the Friulano language today, both in northeastern Italy and around the world. He teaches Rose Thomas a Friulian saying and poem. They discuss intergenerational transmission, the connection between biodiversity and linguistic variation, the cultural functions of idioms, and who gets to decide if there's a difference between a language and a dialect. 
Learn more about Friulano at the ARLeF website: https://arlef.it/
Follow ARLef on Instagram and YouTube @AgjenzieARLeF
Two notes: 1. Pope Francis was still living at the time of this recording. 2. The story that US President Kennedy accidentally called himself a donut while visiting Berlin is a widespread misconception, one that Rose Thomas learned had been debunked after recording this episode. If you accidentally refer to yourself as a pastry while practicing a new language, we encourage you to embrace mistakes as part of the language-learning process!
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

When Tatjana Devetak's grandfather said he wanted to carve a world-class wine cellar out of the solid rock of the Karst plateau, everyone said he was crazy. "Who will come to see it?" people said, as he carved each stone by hand. Then the excavation uncovered a trench from World War I, buried below this family's extraordinary restaurant and inn, where travelers and locals alike have enjoyed the hospitality of the Devetak family since 1870. The extra space enabled the Devetak family to realize their dreams of a program where the local wines, which grow up from the same harsh rock, are showcased with the same pride as the family's Slovenian mother tongue.  
This episode was recorded onsite with sounds of kitchen, refrigerator and telephone. Tatjana translates for her father, Avguštin Devetak, and also speaks for herself. A visit to Lokanda Devetak in San Michele del Carso—in northeast Italy not far from the Slovenian border—is highly recommended. A note from Rose Thomas: "As I sat down beside the lace-curtained window and got to know the Devetak family through a dinner that expressed the culture of the Karst with love and pride, I thought, 'Oh my god, this restaurant has terroir.' The Devetak family reminded me why we all do what we do in the world of restaurants, winemakers, sommeliers and writers. After six generations of hospitality, Lokanda Devetak is the height of locavore culinary tradition. The meals I enjoyed there were among the best of my life."www.devetak.comFollow Lokanda Devetak on Instagram: @lokandadevetak
Watch this episode on YouTube @mododiberepodcast 
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

Rose Thomas Bannister, who was just honored as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine's 2025 Future Forty tastemakers, reads "Raw Shrimp in Venice," the second part of her travel story about her first trip to Venice. A pretty but lonely afternoon gives way to a seafood adventure and a midnight boat ride around the lagoon with new friends made through the magic of local slang and Select spritz. Read the profile about Rose Thomas in Wine Enthusiast magazine
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein

Ou has a new album, Uranio! Amy Denio translates for composer Ersilia Prosperi, and speaks for herself as Ersilia's producer and bandmate in the dynamic, multilingual band Ou. The theme music of the Modo di Bere podcast comes from Ou's album Pisces Crisis. You can purchase Ou's first two albums at oumusic.bandcamp.com, and grab the new album at folderolrecords.bandcamp.com.
Uranio is the perfect album to investigate the connections between biodiversity and linguistic diversity. The title comes from the uranium from NATO's wargames that is affecting wildlife populations in Ersilia's ancestral home, Sardinia. Visit aforas.noblogs.org to learn about this issue.
To hear the story of this multilingual band, and to hear some music from Ou's first two albums, listen to our first interview with Ersilia and Amy, Season 1 Episode 11 of this podcast.
Ersilia's website: www.ersiliaprosperi.com/en
Amy's website: amydenio.me
If you love this show and want it to continue, support Modo di Bere on Patreon.  www.patreon.com/MododiBere
Ascolta il podcast in Italiano / Listen to the podcast in Italian!Cerca / Search: Modo di Bere Italiano
The podcast is on YouTube @mododiberepodcast
 
Modo di Bere is a multiplatform publication by Rose Thomas Bannister. In addition to this podcast, Rose Thomas also makes:
A newsletter! Sign up for Modo di Bere Magazine at www.mododibere.comA travel show! Subscribe to Modo di Bere TV  youtube.com/@mododibereMany friends! Meet them when you follow @mododibere on Instagram and TikTokMusic composed by Ersilia Prosperi for the band Ou: www.oumusic.bandcamp.comBuy their latest album at https://folderol.it/ou/
This episode was produced and recorded by Rose Thomas BannisterVideo and audio edited by Giulia Àlvarez-KatzAudio assistance by Steve Silverstein