Ten years ago, I learned something valuable while eavesdropping on a conversation between Aaron Coe and Tuscan winemaker Paolo de Marchi of Isole e Elena fame.

Coe was working for local Italian wine importer Casa Bruno at the time, and it was clear that his love for Italy and the sangiovese grape ran deep. The kind of deep that makes you drop everything and start buying grapes. I told myself to keep an eye on this guy’s progress that night.