The podcast about local drinks and local sayings.

Created by Rose Thomas Bannister
Featured
▷S4E6 My Husband's Duolingo Obsession (Bonus Episode Preview)
Season 4
▷S4E6 My Husband's Duolingo Obsession (Bonus Episode Preview)
Season 4

Rose Thomas Bannister's husband, Bob, has a 2100 day Duolingo streak. For a while, he was doing 14 languages a day. But is he "conversational"? Is he fluent? Does that matter?

Access the full exclusive interview by becoming a paid supporter at patreon.com/mododibere.

Season 4
▷S4E5 Sibling Harmony at Georgian Royal Wine
Season 4
▷S4E5 Sibling Harmony at Georgian Royal Wine
Season 4

Ineza Karalashvili been making wine in the Kakheti region of Georgia for over sixty years, together with her brother Tamaz. Their family has been making and selling wine for generations before that, with forebears among the influential "Merchants of the First Guild" in the nineteenth century.

Season 4
▷S4E4 Swirling Stems with Glasvin Founder David Kong
Season 4
▷S4E4 Swirling Stems with Glasvin Founder David Kong
Season 4

David Kong loved drinking wine out of expensive handblown glasses but hated the sinking feeling every time one got broken. He wanted a handblown wine glass at a more accessible price, so started his own company to make it exist!

Season 4
▷S4E3 The Heart of a Language: William Cisilino talks Friulano
Season 4
▷S4E3 The Heart of a Language: William Cisilino talks Friulano
Season 4

Dr. William Cisilino, a a leading expert and advocate for linguistic diversity, discusses his work promoting the Friulano language and the difference between a language and a dialect.

Ascolta in italiano / Listen in Italian

Season 4
▷S4E2 Love from Solid Rock at Lokanda Devetak
Season 4
▷S4E2 Love from Solid Rock at Lokanda Devetak
Season 4

Avguštin Devetak and his daughter Tatjana tell the story of the restaurant, inn and wine cellar that their family has built on the Karst plateau for six generations.

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Season 4
▷S4E1 Raw Shrimp in Venice
Season 4
▷S4E1 Raw Shrimp in Venice
Season 4

Rose Thomas Bannister, who was just honored as one of Wine Enthusiast Magazine's 2025 Future Forty tastemakers, reads part 2 of her Venice travel tale. A pretty but lonely afternoon leads to a seafood adventure and a midnight cruise around the lagoon.

Season 4
Featured
▷S3E13 Uranio: the Unconfine-able Album by Ou
Season 3
▷S3E13 Uranio: the Unconfine-able Album by Ou
Season 3

Ou has a new album, Uranio! Amy Denio translates for composer Ersilia Prosperi, and speaks for herself as Ersilia's producer and bandmate in this dynamic, multilingual band.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 3
▷S3E12 The Boot in 20: Marche (with Tiziana Forni)
Season 3
▷S3E12 The Boot in 20: Marche (with Tiziana Forni)
Season 3

Rose Thomas interviews Ancona native Tiziana Forni for the Boot in 20 series, where an expert brings each of Italy’s 20 wine regions to life.

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Season 3
▷S3E11 BONUS EP PREVIEW Italian Slang and American Cheese with Giulia Álvarez-Katz
Season 3
▷S3E11 BONUS EP PREVIEW Italian Slang and American Cheese with Giulia Álvarez-Katz
Season 3

A bonus episode preview with returning guest (and now our podcast editor) Giulia Álvarez-Katz.

Season 3
▷S3E10 "The Woman Can": Angela and Marianna of Velenosi Wine
Season 3
▷S3E10 "The Woman Can": Angela and Marianna of Velenosi Wine
Season 3

Angela and Marianna Velenosi discuss the local wine grapes of Marche and Abruzzo and share their family story.

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Season 3
▷S3E9 The Flyaway Girl at Home in Gibraltar
Season 3
▷S3E9 The Flyaway Girl at Home in Gibraltar
Season 3

Travel creator Penelope aka The Flyaway Girl shares the romantic story of how she came home to Gibraltar. From the sound of Llanito, the local language, to the flavor of frozen Sun Cola in a sawed-off carton, Penelope paints a delicious picture of the territory built on a historic rock. 

Season 3
▷S3E8 “You Have to Like Yourself,” says Abe Zarate, Sober Sommelier
Season 3
▷S3E8 “You Have to Like Yourself,” says Abe Zarate, Sober Sommelier
Season 3

When Abe Zarate chose sobriety during the pandemic, he returned to his restaurant career with a new reality. This episode is a frank discussion about what it's like for wine professionals who decide to consume less alcohol. 

Season 3
▷S3E7 Brian Gelletly, Barista Trainer, Spits Out His Favorite Drinks
Season 3
▷S3E7 Brian Gelletly, Barista Trainer, Spits Out His Favorite Drinks
Season 3

Brian Gelletly is a barista trainer with a sensitivity to caffeine.

Season 3
▷S3E6 Wine Faults and Flaws with Dr. Rachel B. Allison (Part 2)
Season 3
▷S3E6 Wine Faults and Flaws with Dr. Rachel B. Allison (Part 2)
Season 3

When the waiter pours a taste of wine for you and it's your job to inspect that wine for flaws, while the sommelier and your fellow dinner guests look on, this episode is your guide to how to taste that wine with confidence.

Season 3
▷S3E5 Blind Tasting with Dr. Rachel B. Allison, Wine Flavor Scientist (Part 1)
Season 3
▷S3E5 Blind Tasting with Dr. Rachel B. Allison, Wine Flavor Scientist (Part 1)
Season 3

Blind tasting can seem like the wine world’s most mystical practice. Wine flavor scientist Dr. Rachel B. Allison breaks down how it’s done.

Season 3
▷S3E4 The Revolutionary Donkey: Sicilian Folk Music History with Michela Musolino
Season 3
▷S3E4 The Revolutionary Donkey: Sicilian Folk Music History with Michela Musolino
Season 3

Sicilian American singer and folklorist Michela Musolino teaches Rose Thomas about the donkey as a symbol of the contadino through two southern Italian folk songs.

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Season 3
▷S3E3 BONUS EP PREVIEW: Michele Thomas Reads Her Memoir Essay "Under Construction" (Excerpt)
Season 3
▷S3E3 BONUS EP PREVIEW: Michele Thomas Reads Her Memoir Essay "Under Construction" (Excerpt)
Season 3

This is just a preview of our Patreon-exclusive bonus episode. You can listen to the entire episode, and watch the full video, by becoming a supporter at the Podcast Lover level.

Season 3
▷S3E2 Shift Drink: Michele Thomas on Writing Wine & Working Retail
Season 3
▷S3E2 Shift Drink: Michele Thomas on Writing Wine & Working Retail
Season 3

Michele Thomas is a writer, sommelier and the manager and buyer at a neighborhood wine shop in Brooklyn.

Season 3
▷S3E1 Funny Toasts From Around the World
Season 3
▷S3E1 Funny Toasts From Around the World
Season 3

Never stop learning how to say cheers, wherever you go, whatever you like to drink. 

Ascolta in italiano

Season 3
Featured
▷S2E12 Venice Spritz Magic
Season 2
▷S2E12 Venice Spritz Magic
Season 2

Rose Thomas spills the prosecco on Italian swears, her favorite Italian gesture, the ultimate spritz recipe, and the bartender travel advice that could cure your ennui.

Season 2
▷S2E11 A Lot of Life to Live: Sam Bail's Post-Alcohol Community
Season 2
▷S2E11 A Lot of Life to Live: Sam Bail's Post-Alcohol Community
Season 2

In a city that has everything, was nursing a seltzer all night really newly sober Sam Bail’s only option?

Season 2
▷S2E10 New York is the Place for Giulia Álvarez-Katz
Season 2
▷S2E10 New York is the Place for Giulia Álvarez-Katz
Season 2

The gustatory glory of multicultural NYC has been food writer Giulia Álvarez-Katz's stomping ground for as long as she can remember.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
▷S2E9 Michaele Weissman on the Meaning of Bread
Season 2
▷S2E9 Michaele Weissman on the Meaning of Bread
Season 2

In her literary memoir The Rye Bread Marriage, author and food writer Michaele Weissman turns her skills with history, psychology and adventure to her own family story.

Season 2
▷S2E8 Sparkling Wine from The Mountains: Trento DOC with Alessandra Caroni
Season 2
▷S2E8 Sparkling Wine from The Mountains: Trento DOC with Alessandra Caroni
Season 2

As an advocate for small growers with her company Wine Soul, Alessandra Caroni educates us about Trento DOC.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
▷S2E7 Rye Revolution: Whiskey and Bread with Avery Robinson
Season 2
▷S2E7 Rye Revolution: Whiskey and Bread with Avery Robinson
Season 2

Culinary historian and bakery manager Avery Robinson works with a nonprofit called Rye Revival, encouraging people to plant and enjoy more rye.

Season 2
▷S2E6 The Boot in 20: Lombardia (with Susannah Gold)
Season 2
▷S2E6 The Boot in 20: Lombardia (with Susannah Gold)
Season 2

Susannah Gold returns as the expert on Lombardia for the Modo di Bere series The Boot in 20. For each of Italy's 20 wine regions, Rose Thomas asks an expert to bring the map to life, identifying major grapes, wines, soils and microclimates.  

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
▷S2E5 Sublime Memories: Food and Wine Pairing with Joyce Lin
Season 2
▷S2E5 Sublime Memories: Food and Wine Pairing with Joyce Lin
Season 2

A conversation with Joyce Lin, sommelier, artist and food and wine pairing specialist.

Season 2
▷S2E4 Through Bacco’s Door: Nobile News from Montepulciano
Season 2
▷S2E4 Through Bacco’s Door: Nobile News from Montepulciano
Season 2

Rose Thomas interviews Andrea Rossi, president of the Consorzio of Vino Nobile di Montepulciano. Silvia Loriga, who works at the Consorzio, translates.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
▷S2E3 Mesa by Mesa: Advice from Navajo Artist Elmer Yazzie
Season 2
▷S2E3 Mesa by Mesa: Advice from Navajo Artist Elmer Yazzie
Season 2

Rose Thomas reports from a month on the road for Modo di Bere, a trip that’s taking her from Texas to New Mexico to Italy.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
▷S2E2 Texas Wine with Shelly Wilfong
Season 2
▷S2E2 Texas Wine with Shelly Wilfong
Season 2

Shelly Wilfong, host of the podcast This is Texas Wine, takes Rose Thomas through the map of the USA's fifth-largest wine producing state.

Season 2
▷S2E1 Bestial States, the “Girly” Glass and the Sicilian Sunset
Season 2
▷S2E1 Bestial States, the “Girly” Glass and the Sicilian Sunset
Season 2

Rose Thomas returns from a summer of research and adventure, kicking off the season with a collection of hangover sayings from around the world.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 2
Featured
▷S1E12 The Raw Rush of Survival: Wine Tour Driving with Rose Thomas
Season 1
▷S1E12 The Raw Rush of Survival: Wine Tour Driving with Rose Thomas
Season 1

On the road for Modo di Bere, Rose Thomas records the story of how she overcame her trepidation about driving in Italy and Spain.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E11 Glass on the Table: the Multi-Instru-Lingualism of Ou
Season 1
▷S1E11 Glass on the Table: the Multi-Instru-Lingualism of Ou
Season 1

Ersilia Prosperi, the composer of the Modo di Bere theme music, and her illustrious producer Amy Denio play together in Ou, a band that sings in a myriad of dialects.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E10 The Boot in 20: Campania (with Susannah Gold)
Season 1
▷S1E10 The Boot in 20: Campania (with Susannah Gold)
Season 1

For each of Italy's 20 wine regions, Rose Thomas asks an expert to bring the map to life. Wine Scholar Susannah Gold illuminates Campania's deep commitment to its local grape varieties.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E9 Language is a Door: Lindsay Szper of Culture Without Borders (Part 2)
Season 1
▷S1E9 Language is a Door: Lindsay Szper of Culture Without Borders (Part 2)
Season 1

Are children really better at learning language than adults? Is an unknown language a "barrier," or a door to another culture? What is an idiom, anyway? Part 2 of RT’s interview with Lindsay Szper.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E8 “What I Need is a Friend”: Lindsay Szper of Culture Without Borders (Part 1)
Season 1
▷S1E8 “What I Need is a Friend”: Lindsay Szper of Culture Without Borders (Part 1)
Season 1

Lindsay Szper and her pals believe the best way to learn language is through friendship.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E7 Wine Makes Blood: Sicilian-American Folksinger Michela Musolino
Season 1
▷S1E7 Wine Makes Blood: Sicilian-American Folksinger Michela Musolino
Season 1

When Michela Musolino was a little girl in New Jersey, she resolved to learn Sicilian so that she could know what everyone was laughing about.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E6 Spew Assertively: Wine Fair Wisdom with Rose Thomas
Season 1
▷S1E6 Spew Assertively: Wine Fair Wisdom with Rose Thomas
Season 1

A happily exhausted Rose Thomas, still in Verona for the Vinitaly fair, records an episode of wine fair wisdom.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E5 Horse-crazy: Roberto di Filippo on Traditional Farming in Umbria and Romania
Season 1
▷S1E5 Horse-crazy: Roberto di Filippo on Traditional Farming in Umbria and Romania
Season 1

Bebe, Diamante, and Pioggia are a team of Italian horses who practice organic viticulture in Umbria with Roberto di Filippo.

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Season 1
▷ S1E4 Dialect is a Luxury: Peppe Voltarelli sings in Calabrese
Season 1
▷ S1E4 Dialect is a Luxury: Peppe Voltarelli sings in Calabrese
Season 1

Peppe Voltarelli is a songwriter and actor who travels all around the world singing in Calabrese, the Calabrian dialect.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E3 Presidents, and Friends: Teresa Bruno & Ilaria Petitto
Season 1
▷S1E3 Presidents, and Friends: Teresa Bruno & Ilaria Petitto
Season 1

Raised in the purest air, where waterfalls cascade down the forested hills of Campania, Teresa Bruno and Ilaria Petitto became friends by chance. Now they lead the Consorzio of Irpinia.

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Season 1
▷S1E2 Dr Rebecca Lawrence Dons Her Wine Jacket
Season 1
▷S1E2 Dr Rebecca Lawrence Dons Her Wine Jacket
Season 1

Dr. Rebecca Lawrence is a wine educator, running enthusiast, podcaster, and the Head of Editorial for Wine and Hip Hop. She and Rose Thomas discuss minor(?) wording differences in insults from Verona and Friuli, Rebecca's BBC accent, rap in wine study, and the best advice for people with dreams to get started in wine or any other grand adventure.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1
▷S1E1 Modo di Bere Trailer
Season 1
▷S1E1 Modo di Bere Trailer
Season 1

Introducing the Modo di Bere podcast, Rose Thomas Bannister's interview show about local drinks and local sayings.

Ascolta in italiano

Season 1