No doubt, podcasting is one of the most successful new media in recent years. It can reach everyone, anywhere, as it doesn't require any special effort or complicated tools - a smartphone is all you need.

A few years ago, the Italian Wine Podcast began its journey, featuring a wide range of themes and guests on the microphone. Over the years, many famous entrepreneurs, consultants, communicators, book authors, producers, marketers, journalists, and critics in the wine industry have been interviewed. The themes discussed have been diverse and varied. However, there seems to be a common thread running through all episodes of the Italian Wine Podcast: a theme that Stevie Kim (and likely many others in the wine world) calls "wine democracy."

What is wine democracy? To find out, you can purchase a copy of the book where the concept is discussed in depth from many perspectives. For me, maybe wine democracy is just an ideal to strive for; maybe it's an impossible dream - can wine truly be inclusive when part of its appeal is exclusivity, much like any luxury good?

In recent years, the podcast has featured a wide range of voices from the international wine industry. The book has brought these voices together around the theme of wine democracy, providing an interesting and timely reflection. One thought that stood out to me was from Polly Hammond, a well-known consultant, and speaker in Wine2Wine: “ (…) it’s natural that we would each define w.d. in the context of our personal values and professional interest.  As a marketer, expat and parent, I Look toward democracy as a system that (done right?!) allows for representation, relevance, and resilience; that ensures that we become neither entrenched nor complacent; that gives hope.

Is it too ambitious to ask WD  to do the same - to help us to evolve, open new doors, and forge better connections? I think not. But the time to do so is now upon us”.

To purchase the book, have a look at Amazon.