FOOD & DRINK


Going places M


irko Gosgnach is Italian born but grew up in Canada. He met his wife, Melissa there and together they


incubated a dream to raise their family in Italy. Mirko laid wooden floors for a living but, in good Italian tradition, he has been a wine enthusiast for as long as he could remember. “My Dad made wine in Canada from whatever grapes he


could lay his hands on. I have grown up with a love of the winemaking process and of wine itself.” Whilst still living in Canada he thought it a good idea to


start importing wines from Italy using a family and friends network over here. The first hurdle to overcome was that Canada has a monopoly import system. You have to prove your wines are worthy of import to the governing body and then you are given license to import. In 2007 he presented some of his chosen wines to the monopoly commission (whilst also working 12 hours a day flooring) but the wine was rejected, not because of quality but more likely because he was a ‘new kid’ trying to break into a very lucrative and competitive business. “The commission were fixed on luxury wines – I had to convince them to take normal Italian wines that weren’t too expensive: this way the wine market as a whole would grow and we all do well”. No to be put off, Mirko kept knocking on those official


doors and finally had one wine, a white Pecorino from Abruzzo, accepted. This was his big break and throughout the next year he expanded his list of wines, adding a Spanish wine to his portfolio in 2008. In late 2008 he and a friend stormed the Russian wine market, which wasn’t exactly sophisticated at the time but not easy to get into. With all the international business being done it made


sense for the family to move to Italy in 2008. They couldn’t be happier in their new home in Tuscany. “My wife, Melissa, is 100% supportive. She is always there for me, looking after the children, looking after me and encouraging me in my work. I couldn’t have done any of this without her.”


22 | TUSCAN LIVING MAGAZINE


I was lucky to be brought up in a family with a strong work ethic and I know that nothing is unachievable if you work hard for it. You have to earn a good business; success is no accident.


Now Mirko is expanding again, this time into wine tours.


“Going around these little vineyards in Tuscany I get to see the most wonderful people, taste amazing food and try the best wines this region has to offer. “ It is only sensible therefore to offer this experience to the public. On highly personalized and beautifully choreographed tours, Mirko shows the holidaymaker and wine enthusiast something of the wine industry that they won’t find anywhere else – complete authenticity. Throughout the holiday, clients stay on the actual vineyards with the Italian families. They learn about the culture, traditions and lifestyle of the producers and are guided every step of the way by an expert translator/ sommelier. “I have developed the tour around the wonderful


characters we have met. Duccio, one estate owner, has a tendency to jump up in the middle of dinner and run off with his 12 bore to scare the wild boar out of the vines. At another estate you can take a nighttime safari to see the local wildlife. The emphasis is on relaxed luxury and giving clients an experience they cannot find anywhere else.” So, what is the secret of Mirko’s business success? “I was lucky to be brought up in a family with a strong


work ethic and I know that nothing is unachievable if you work hard for it. You have to earn a good business; success is no accident.” It’s certainly no accident that this charming Canadian – Italian is going places.


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