(Bonappetit) - He said it out of nowhere, in the same stern tone he used to dictate fermentation processes or to tell someone where to park: “You should make wine.” I searched his face in the patio light for any sign of humor. It was April 2018 in Abruzzo, Italy, nearly a year to the day since I’d met him. After he said it, he didn’t curl a lip or crack a smile. There wasn’t even a nose twitch. As far as I could tell, Danilo Marcucci was carved of the same Umbrian limestone that lay beneath his vineyards. And he was serious.

Marcucci refers to himself as “a simple Umbrian man,” but in the world of natural wine, he is a master. He has 13 vintages under his belt. He’s a consultant for nearly a dozen wineries scattered across the country—from outside Rome to Trento in the Alps. He is prolific, methodical, and idealistic. And I’m an unruly wine columnist who writes nonsensical tasting notes that could be ripped straight from a Lewis Carroll book.