Hailing from Bergamo, Italy, Laura Donadoni was born and bred on classic Italian wine and creative cuisine. Her career started as a columnist and wine and food reporter for several prestigious Italian magazines such as Gambero Rosso and anchorwoman on the radio news for local and national radio networks; she also had her own food and wine show on the Italian broadcasting network Mediapason (second largest private TV network in Italy). Upon moving to the U.S., she translated her passion into The Italian Wine Girl blog and Youtube channel, spreading wine education and wine culture.
She also founded LA COM Wine Agency, a strategic P.R. and communications firm focused on wine and food industry. Checkout Laurawines.com for more biographic information.
Why did you start your Instagram account as opposed to another social media platform?
L: First of all Instagram is more mobile friendly and image/visual oriented platform than any other social media. Second: data shows that most of the Millennial’s social media users shifted to Instagram from Facebook and other platforms and we know the best target for wines and food are Millennial’s nowadays. Third: in comparison to Facebook, where even the banalest of posts seems to devolve into some sort of politics-laden, us versus them food fight, the discourse (as it were) on Instagram feels—at least to me—more consistently positive and uplifting. And wine is all about positive curiosity.
What has been your most memorable wine experience thus far? And most memorable wine bottle?
L: The most memorable wine experience has been visiting the unique vineyard of Dorona grapes on the island of Mazzorbo in the lagoon of Venice. This native grape was extinct, but an enlighten winemaker (Gianluca Bisol) decided to resuscitate the ancient tradition of making wine in Venice and replanted 3000 vines. It has been a goose bumps emotion to taste the one and only Venice wine made with this rare grapes. I wrote a blog post about it.
The most memorable wine bottle it’s hard to say, because each remarkable bottle is linked to a memory that makes it more special than others. Maybe it was a Ruinart 1988 I drank with my husband and a couple of friends eating tons of oysters on our patio in Italy some years ago. It was no special occasion, we just decided to treat ourselves with the rarest champagne we had available at that moment in our cellar. Memorable.
If you had to pick one wine today, price not an issue, which wine would you go with and why?
L: In this specific moment I am craving white wines: Emidio Pepe Trebbiano d’Abruzzo 2007, one of the few non-oaked Italian white wines that can age beautifully. This vintage in particular is a masterpiece. The winemaker is an old gentleman who knows perfectly every single vines of his vineyard and when it’s the perfect time to pick the grapes. Cement fermented, minimal intervention in the cellar, this Trebbiano is pure expression of the elegant powerful character of Abruzzo. A hymn to terroir.
What advice would you give wineries or wine companies looking to use the Instagram social media platform to grown their brands image?
L: To hire a communication agency or a marketing expert to help them out. It’s the best investment. Too often the winemakers try to do it in-house with bad results ending up abandoning the idea of social media marketing. Everyone has his own expertise: winemakers should focus on producing and selling great wines, marketing is not their job, the better choice is to ask for advice and help. That being said, if a winery has no budget for social media marketing I suggest at least to look for an online course and scheduling platforms to organize posts and have a coherent overall brand image.
What are your favorite varietals and why?
L: I am a strong advocate for native varietals. I believe that a grape variety thrives better where it was born and where it belongs. I personally struggle to understand why some producers in places with huge options in terms of native varieties, choose to focus on the international ones such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Chardonnay. It’s not that I dislike these varieties, but I think that the wines must deliver a sense of place and indigenous grapes are a better vehicle. My favourites in Italy? Aglianico and Nebbiolo for reds, Turbiana (or Trebbiano di Lugana) and Fiano for whites.
What is your favorite travel destination and why?
L: The one where I haven’t been yet.
But among the destinations I have traveled to I would say Italy (especially Umbria, Puglia and Sicilia) and France (Provence, Cote d’Azure)
The greatest lesson you’ve learned in this business is….
L: Never dare to affirm “I am a wine expert”. There is always something to learn. And also: never ever refuse to taste a wine for prejudge or preconceptions. Price, reviews or reputation can mislead your tasting buds more than what you think.
On a personal note, what are some of the most important things in your life?
L: My faith in God, I am catholic. My husband Marcello who is my rock, my number one supporter, my mate soul. My family who has always been there for me, even in the darkest moment of my life.
We absolutely love your photos on Instagram. Do you have a tip for other influencers when it comes to photography for their gram or their blogs?
L: My approach is to be personal: I post only photos I take personally with my iPhone, showing truly what I see, drink, look like or experience. No adv pictures, no beautiful professional shots taken from other accounts. Maybe my feed won’t be chromatically perfect and polished, but it’s 100% real.
The same for my blog: I only write what I have experienced, I am a journalist, I like to tell what my eyes see, what my tasting buds feels and what my mind thinks, connects, is inspired off.
What do you think is the most important quality for the influencer to possess?
L: Remaining humble and grounded. Remembering to ourselves everyday our why: my personal why is I do what I do because I feel profound satisfaction in informing and inspiring people about wine and food, especially from my country, I am proudly an Italian Wine Ambassador.
If your motivation is just money or fame, it won’t last. It will implode soon.
Anything else you’d like to share with us?
L: Yes! I would like your readers to promise me that at least once a month they will be brave enough to taste a wine they have never heard about. A new variety that they can’t even pronounce, from a country or region they have never visited. You, who are reading this, once you have accepted the challenge, please share your experience with me on Instagram posting the wine and tagging my account (@theitalianwinegirl, hashtag #theitalianwinegirlchallenge).
This is what the wine community is about: sharing curiosity, inspiring, dreaming about travels, places and people. Through a glass of wine.
