My name is Stefano Spagnolo and I was born in Rome 42 years ago. I have travelled the length and breadth of Italy for study and work, but my roots have always been firmly planted in the deep south, specifically in Salento, the land of my father and grandparents, a harsh and rugged land but also rich in sea, sun, farms, agriculture and noble people. I am a biochemist by training and a wine lover by passion. After graduating in biology, I obtained a master's degree in cellular biology and a PhD in applied biochemistry. I worked for 15 years as a researcher in various universities and research centres. The latter part of my academic career was closely linked to wine, first with work on the selection of indigenous wine yeasts at the Institute of Agricultural and Food Production of the CNR and then as a bio-informatician at IBM, where I worked on supply chain traceability and biomolecular traceability of wine. From there, I decided to change my job and devote myself entirely to the world of wine, creating www.salentowineshop.com, the world's first e-commerce site for Salento wines, followed shortly afterwards by activities dedicated to wine promotion and hospitality. My passion for my homeland guides all my work, which ultimately consists of conveying my passion for wine to customers, wine lovers, travellers, enthusiasts and tourists.