Ep. 2607 Stephanie Johnson IWE interviews Matej Skerlj of Skerlj winery in Carso, FVG | Clubhouse Ambassadors' Corner

Feb 12, 2026

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Welcome to Clubhouse’s Ambassadors’ Corner and Episode 2607 of the Italian Wine Podcast. In this episode, Stephanie Johnson IWE interviews Matej Skerlj of Skerlj winery in Carso, Friuli-Venezia Giulia. The conversation explores the challenges for growing wine grapes in the Carso, the region’s main grape varieties and styles of wine, and the cultural traditions of the region.

These sessions are recorded from Clubhouse and reproduced here for the Italian Wine Podcast.

Key Learning Objectives:

Understand the challenges for growing wine grapes in the Carso area.
Recognise the region’s main grape varieties and styles of wine.
Appreciate the cultural traditions of the region.

More about today’s host:

As well as being a certified Italian Wine Expert (IWE), Stephanie Johnson holds a WSET Diploma in Wine & Spirits. Her wine career spans the journalism, retail and restaurant sectors. She joined Wine & Spirits Magazine in 2013 and later served as Italian Wine Editor from 2016 to 2024. Stephanie has judged at international competitions such as the Concours Mondial du Sauvignon in Bordeaux and 5StarWines – the Book in Verona. She has led masterclasses for top sommeliers in New York City and presented at major industry events including Vinitaly and wine2wine Business Forum in Verona. A passionate educator, she teaches WSET Level 2, Level 3, and Diploma courses at NYC’s International Wine Center. Her upcoming venture, SteepleJack, will spotlight the heroic stories of Italian wine producers, blending deep expertise with compelling storytelling.

Connect:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/stephanie-johnson-dws-b0a0121a/

More about today’s guest:

The Skerlj winery (Azienda Agricola Skerlj) is a family-run estate located in the Carso region, specifically in the small village of Sales (Salež) near Trieste, Italy. The winery is known for producing traditional wines like Vitovska, Malvasia, and Terrano in stone-dug cellars within the Carso plateau. The family specializes in natural winemaking with minimal intervention, including aging in wood barrels. Matej Skerlj is recognised as one of the youngest, most skilled producers in the area, focusing on a traditional, hand-worked and unfiltered winemaking technique. He works alongside his sister, Kristina Skerlj, and their parents to manage the vineyards and the agriturismo.

Connect:

Website: https://www.skerlj.it/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/skerljwineestate/

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Until next time, Cin Cin!

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