Viticulture Senior Spotlight: Matteo Ramagli

Fresno State viticulture and enology department senior Matteo Ramagli is putting a new spin on old world grape growing practices through his research.

The honors cohort research member from Livorno, Italy has worked with faculty member Dr. Luca Brillante to conduct a comprehensive three-year analysis of a Paso Robles family winery to help ensure its best production practices.

They are specifically studying the environmental relationships (such as soil characteristics, rootstocks, aspect, slope, water availability, etc.) affecting grape quality at the estate and block scale. This data will be cross-analyzed to include precision agriculture and mechanization techniques to maximize labor and production quality, quantity and profitability factors.

Read more in this recent Q&A with the accomplished #FresnoStateGrad who’s heading back to Livorno, Italy soon (to work with his family nursery or to start looking for work in Tuscany’s wine industry).

 

Where are you from in Italy; what brought you to the United States; and how did you choose Fresno State?

Ramagli: “I am from Livorno where all my family currently resides. I left Italy at the age of 16 and moved to the U.K. to finish high school. That challenging experience opened my horizons. I knew after graduating from high school that it wasn’t the right time to stop advancing academically and professionally. I knew that I wanted to study viticulture, and my U.S. citizenship made the choice relatively easy to move to California, a world-leading state in wine and grape production.”

Ramagli: “Prior to deciding which university to attend I toured the campuses of UC Davis, and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo, but it wasn’t until I visited Fresno State that I felt a family atmosphere and knew deep inside that this was the right place.”

Ramagli: “Fresno State has an outstanding reputation within California’s wine industry, and its excellent balance of theory and hands-on practice made the decision quite straightforward. Not to mention the more affordable tuition fees than the other two colleges.”

 

What other faculty have you worked with on research at Fresno State?

Ramagli: “Since January 2020 I have been working for Dr. Sonet Van Zyl's laboratory at the department of viticulture and enology, where I was able to gain important work experience on research project related to the effects of wine spoilage on wine quality.”

 

What are potential career paths that you're considering & why are you interested in those professions? 

Ramagli: “My long term goal is to become a leader in the agricultural Industry and to continue my family’s tradition, and by also inspiring future generations of ag-related students.”

 

How has this education prepared you for this path, and what’s unique from your experience at Fresno State that you couldn’t get at other universities back in Italy or in the USA?

Ramagli: “Fresno State has an outstanding reputation within California’s wine industry with an impressive hands-on field “laboratory” with its vineyards of wine, table, and raisin grapes, a full commercial winery on campus, and a world-class faculty. It prepared me with strong skill sets to join the industry and make a difference.”

 

What's your agricultural background prior to Fresno State?

Ramagli: “I began farming with my grandfather (Franco Signorini) while growing up in Italy. His vineyards and nursery were located in the province of Pisa in the beautiful, rolling Tuscan hills, and I shared his love for the land and passion for viticulture at a very early age. I was very involved in all of the viticulture practices from grapevine propagation, nursery and vineyard management, and winemaking. I was also able to gather experience in other agriculture related fields, such as planting and harvesting grains like wheat, while managing fruit, olive, and poplar orchards, as well as daily farming operations.”

 

Have you been a member of any other campus student organizations?

Ramagli: “When I transferred to Fresno State in the fall of 2018 I became a member of the Viticulture Club, and have been the vice president this year.”

 

Have you done any internships or jobs that relate to your career path?

Ramagli: “While I was attending Santa Rosa Junior College I worked as a sales representative at Vineyard Industry Products, selling vineyard supplies to farmers all over the country. Research has been my focus in that area since I’ve been at Fresno State.”

 

Why have you been so active in research on campus as an undergraduate?

Ramagli: “To be honest, when I transferred to Fresno State I didn’t have a research background or experience. I am a person that enjoys trying new things, and that’s why I wanted to get involved in the department’s interesting areas of research. Now that I have successfully completed the honors research cohort program I can say that this field of work has multiple benefits. I was able to expand my academic and professional skills while knowing that my work could one day be significant for the whole wine industry.”

 

Are there any other interesting aspects about you as a student or person?

Ramagli: “I fluently speak and write 3 languages (Italian, English, and Spanish). I am a student who never gives up and strives for perfection and success. I am a "people person", and I like helping others. During my free time I communicate with my family in Italy as much as possible, and I enjoy outdoor sports.”

 

What’s been your most memorable moment(s) at Fresno State?

Ramagli: “Where to begin! My time at Fresno State has literally flew by as it seems surreal that 2 years have passed and that I am graduating.”

Ramagli: “I would say that my most memorable moment would be when I attended and presented at the American Society for Enology and Viticulture (ASEV) National Conference in Napa in June 2019. There I was also recognized as the sole ASEV traditional scholarship recipient from Fresno State, and was able to meet and interact with wine industry researchers from all around the globe and gather a better understanding of why this field of work is so important for our industry.”