Italian Wine Podcast Ep. 2450 Roza Zharmukhambetova interviews Hannes Pichler of Contrada Palui | Clubhouse Ambassadors' Corner
Welcome to Clubhouse’s Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2450 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Roza Zharmukhambetova IWA interviews Hannes Pichler of Contrada Palui in Valpolicella.
These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and reproduced here for the Italian Wine Podcast.
Key Learning Objectives:
- Discover the personal story and values that inspired Hannes to create Contrada Palui from scratch in the Valpolicella hills.
- Understand Contrada Palui’s terroir-driven, organic approach and how it shapes the character of their Valpolicella and Amarone wines.
- Gain insights into how the winery is evolving, and how it fits into the broader conversation about sustainability, identity, and innovation in Italian wine.
More about our Co-host:
Roza Zharmukhambetova has a background in foreign languages and education. She discovered her passion for wine in Beijing, where she gained two years of experience in wine sales. Since returning to Kazakhstan, she has focused on studying Italian wine and exploring its regions.
Roza holds certifications as an Italian Wine Ambassador (VIA), Italian Wine Scholar (WSG), Langhe Wines Ambassador (BBA), and Valpolicella Wine Specialist (VEP). She is also a member of the Kazakhstan Sommelier Association. Since late last year, she has been a member of the Italian Wine Podcast (IWP) team, contributing her passion for Italian wine.
Connect:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/roza.zharmukhambetova
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/le_vin_enrose/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rozazharmukhambetova/
More about today’s guest:
Hannes Pichler is the founder of Contrada Palui, a young, organically farmed winery in Valpolicella, near Verona. His love for grapes began as a child on his grandfather’s wine estate in St. Justina above Bolzano—though it often ended with a stomach ache from overindulgence. The estate was lost during his teenage years, but his passion for wine remained. After studies in London (LSE) and Oxford, followed by a career in London and Milan, Hannes returned to South Tyrol to work in renewable energies while also pursuing cellar management and sommelier training. When the chance came to establish vineyards in Valpolicella, he embraced it.
Contrada Palui started as a true greenfield project: meadows untouched by pesticides were transformed into vineyards, and an old hay barn became the cellar, now filled with barrels and amphorae. The estate’s high-altitude site (around 500 meters) is distinguished by its rare mix of white limestone, black basalt, and flint, lending a striking minerality to the wines. Contrada Palui focuses on native grapes, Corvina, Corvinone, and Rondinella, crafted into intense, complex, and elegant wines through organic farming and thoughtful vinification.
Connect:
Website: https://www.contradapalui.com/?lang=en
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/contradapalui/
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Until next time, Cin Cin!
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