Marc Millon at Gravner Winery
Five years is a long time in wine. Vineyards change, vintages come and go, fashions evolve and, occasionally, an obscure grape that nobody outside its home village has heard of suddenly becomes the next big thing.
But for Marc Millon, the last five years have meant something rather more impressive: hundreds of conversations, countless glasses of wine, stories from every corner of Italy (and beyond) and a remarkable spectrum of wine people brought together through his weekly Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon series on the Italian Wine Podcast.
This September marks five years since Marc first picked up the microphone for the Italian Wine Podcast. By September 2025, the show had already reached its 250th consecutive episode, and by 2026 Marc had passed the 250-episode mark of the series itself.
To celebrate, Episode 2797 is a special fifth-anniversary episode looking back over Marc’s journey so far, the people he has met, the places he has explored and the stories that have shaped the series. It also reflects on how the Italian wine world has evolved during those five years, from the growing focus on sustainability and environmental responsibility to changing attitudes towards tradition, innovation and the future of wine.
Through Marc’s conversations with producers, writers, chefs and other voices from the industry, the episode offers a fascinating snapshot of a wine world that continues to change while remaining deeply rooted in its sense of place and tradition.
And perhaps the most remarkable thing is that Marc has managed to make it feel less like an interview programme and more like being invited to sit around the table.
The man behind the microphone
Marc’s credentials were well established long before he entered the podcast studio.
Born in Mexico, his mother came from Hawaii via Korea, while his father was an anthropologist from New York via Paris. Marc has spent more than four decades travelling, eating, drinking, learning and writing about wine, food and travel.
Alongside his photographer wife Kim, he has written fourteen books covering wine, food and travel, including The Wine Roads of Italy, which won the Premio Barbi Colombini.
He became a certified Italian Wine Ambassador in 2021, the same year that Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon began.
Since then, the podcast has become another chapter in an already extraordinary career.
From famous names to family stories
One of the pleasures of Marc’s series is its depth.
His guests have included internationally recognised critics, writers and producers such as Monica Larner, Jamie Goode and Marco De Grazia of Tenuta delle Terre Nere.
But some of the most memorable conversations are those that go beyond the conventional wine interview.
Episode 2706 with Mateja Gravner explores family, tradition and the return to ancient winemaking methods. Episode 2618 with Alessandro Cellai considers the relationship between wine, land and sustainability, while Episode 2624 with Emanuele and Michela Scarello brings together food, friendship, suppliers and a deep sense of place.
These conversations help explain what makes the series distinctive. Marc isn’t simply interested in wine itself, but in the people, places, food, history and traditions surrounding it.
Five years and plenty more besides
The podcast is only part of what Marc has achieved during this period.
In 2024 came Italy in a Wineglass: The Taste of History, a 424-page journey through Italian history told through its wines. The book went on to win the Drinks Writer Award at the Guild of Food Writers Awards 2025 and Best Wine History Book at the Gourmand World Cookbook Awards 2025.
Marc has also continued to lecture and lead gastronomic cultural tours in Italy and France, alongside his writing and publishing work.
And then there is the travelling.
The podcast has taken Marc from Piedmont and Tuscany to Sicily, Sardinia, Veneto, Friuli and beyond. In 2026, he even followed the Giro d’Italia through Italy, exploring the food, wine, landscapes and culture along the route.
Five years on, perhaps that is what makes Wine, Food & Travel with Marc Millon so appealing. Marc isn’t simply talking about wine. He is talking about the people who make it, the places that give it meaning, the food that accompanies it and the history that sits behind every bottle.
Listen: Ep. 2797 — 5th Anniversary Special
The fifth-anniversary episode is a chance to look back at all those conversations and journeys and to celebrate the remarkable range of stories gathered along the way.
In other words, Marc has spent five years doing what he has spent a lifetime doing: travelling, asking questions, telling stories, and finding another good reason to raise a glass.
Here’s to the next five.
Cin cin, Marc.
