I was born and raised in Suvereto, a beautiful, unspoiled medieval village on the coast of Tuscany, Italy. In 1996, I graduated with a degree in Hotel and Tourism management at the University of Economics in Florence, followed by an MBA in Hospitality Management at Brighton University (UK). During my studies and after graduation, I worked as an F&B manager in several luxury hotel chains including Westin Hotels, Relais & Chateaux, and Kempinski Hotels in the United States, England, France, Germany, Spain and Italy.
I began my career in the world of wine in 1999 when, at the age of 26, I founded Fufluns, a travel boutique concierge company specialized in customized wine tours in Tuscany and other regions of Italy for both wine professional and wine enthusiasts. After attending a number of tastings and trips in different wine countries, I got the wine bug and I earned a degree in 2001 at Le Conseil Interprofessioinnel du Vin de Bordeaux (France). Two years later, I enrolled in the WSET program. After a period of long, intense studies between Tuscany and London, I completed the WSET Diploma in 2006, which is considered one of the pinnacles of professional wine qualifications.
As an independent wine write, I have developed partnerships with various wine magazines, the longest ongoing partnership is with II Corriere Vinicolo, a trade wine review in Italy. Thanks to my writing activity, I have been admitted as a permanent member of the Circle of Wine Writers (CWW) and the International Federation of Wine and Spirits Journalists and Writers (FIJEV). These highly respected professional associations include the majority of the most famous wine writers in the world.