What does the name "iTrulli" stand for? Why did you choose it as the name of your business?
“I trulli” is the plural of “il trullo.” A trullo is a mid-14th century drywall, conical roof made of limestone slabs typical of Alberobello, a city in the southern Italian region of Puglia.

The trademark of our concept store is “fashion, food and wine.” We call it iTrulli because we import lots of gourmet food and wines from Puglia, where the trullis are located, and because the name of the designer of some of our furniture and leather bags is Massimo Trulli.

Why did you choose the Philippines and Makati as the location of your business?
The Philippines was my last post as a diplomat serving the Italian government. While here, I grew to like the people and the place. I met the right friends and partner at the very moment I realized that my experience as a diplomat was already at its end. It was a natural decision shared by my family, which allowed me to follow my passions and inclination for entrepreneurship.

What sets the food of iTrulli apart? Aside from Italian, which other cuisines are in your menu?
This is what we tell our customers on a daily basis: there are hundreds of restaurants purporting to be “Italian” in Manila but at iTrulli, we serve our food as if we were in Italy, without compromising the original recipes and, above all, using the right original ingredients.

We import all the necessary Italian ingredients directly from Italy. We choose them and we use them in our kitchen. We've had customers who complained that the pasta was not cooked, as we serve it al dente, of course. Also, clients who request the spaghetti with funghi porcini were told that tagliatelle is the right pasta for the funghi porcini, and so on. We really don’t mind. If you want the real thing, you can get it at iTrulli.

What's so special about the wines of iTrulli compared with the wines of other restaurants and wineries in the Philippines? Are all of your wines Italian?
Well, there are no comparisons possible and no competition. iTrulli is the only place where you can find an exclusive Italian wine bar and exclusive Italian wine cellar with a wine portfolio of the largest selection of exclusive Italian wines, from entry level to super-premium and luxury wines. Exclusive is the word. And only the best.

Let's get down to Italian fashion and style. What leading Italian brands can we find in iTrulli?
We don’t sell clothes at iTrulli’s boutique. Maybe in the future, why not? Instead, we sell the Italian leather bags and leather accessories by three different premium brands: Bojola, Giorgio G and Massimo Trulli; Italian leather shoes for women by Christian WMK and Massimo Trulli; Venetian Murano glassware jewelry and chandeliers; and Murano glass sculptures by the glass master Andrea Tagliapietra.

And how about the furniture one can find at iTrulli?
It strikes you as soon as you enter the store. The modern Barocco pieces of furniture by Madera that revisit the cartoon images of the actors and singers of the 1960s perfectly balance the colorful Classic furniture in leather by Massimo Trulli. The furniture is made by hand in Italy with leather printed by works of Pop Art style, inspired by the 1950s and 1960s, recalling that era. Each piece is certified, numbered in only 99 pieces and signed to prevent reproduction.

Going back to wine-and-dine, what are the factors that influence the taste of wine? How should wine be stored in order to preserve its taste?
Great question. I know masters of wine who could debate about it for hours without getting tired. There are many factors influencing the taste of wines, but perhaps to make it simple for asianTraveler's readers, I'd say only a few basic ones: grape varieties, soil, climate and winemaker’s work. On storage, you should always maintain your bottles, no matter if sparkling, white, red or dessert wines, below a temperature of 16/18 degrees Celsius. Serving temperatures are totally different for each type.

What are your bestselling wines and food? Why do you think these are particularly enjoyed by your customers?
This is also a question much debated between us. As much as we are happy to serve our high quality/price ratio entry level wines (from Php 370 to Php 780 retail prices per bottle) such as Egot Trebbiano Chardonnay, Ermete Medici Lambrusco or Menhir Salento Negroamaro, I am absolutely delighted when people pick up a Ferrari Brut Metodo Classico, a Villa Bucci Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi or a Zenato Amarone, with prices ranging from Php 3,900 to Php 5,850, not for their prices but because they will enjoy Italian wines of outstanding quality.

I've heard iTrulli will be holding professional wine classes and seminars, with you serving as a teacher. Can you tell us more about this?
Prior to the opening of our store iTrulli, we already incorporated Philippine Sommeliers Inc. (PSI) with the primary purpose of providing education, training and consultancy related to the profession of the sommelier. PSI is a member of the Worldwide Sommelier Association and the Fondazione Italiana Sommelier with exclusive rights to use the latter’s educational programs, curriculum and resources in the Philippines. We have taught Italian wine education at University of Santo Tomas, Genting Star Tourism Academy, and we hold courses at iTrulli. What we teach depends on the level of the course organized, ranging from basic wine appreciation courses that last about four hours, to full level one sommelier courses for seven days.

Why are you passionate about wine? Who or what influenced you to pursue wines and winemaking as a business?
I am a Friulano, that is, an Italian coming from the northeastern region called Friuli that is famous for, among others, its wines and its people’s drinking habits. In Friuli, you don’t get interested in wine, you are just born into, grow up, live, and sometimes, die with it. My grandmother made me taste wine when I was three years old. I became a sommelier at 24 before starting my career as a diplomat. After retiring, I studied as a wine educator in Italy.

Aside from food and wine, what are your other passions?
More food and more wine.