Episode 356 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently. It features Angelo Gaja of the Gaja winery in the Piemonte, as well as Ca’ Marcanda and Pieve Santa Restituta in Tuscany, Italy.
Angelo Gaja is so famous that it is easy to think we already know him. But this interview is rich with personal details and observations that make him seem entirely new. He tells in this discussion of how he had to “steal his knowledge” from his father, how he was challenged about his life by his grandmother, the situation of the family and other wineries in the 1960s, and the decision-making impetus behind a major purchase in Barolo. It is a full conversation, and there are vivid diversions taken and core philosophies returned to. It is one of those interviews that you feel could go on similarly for several hours. But we are lucky to have this portrait as it is, and the hints offered into the personalities of contemporary characters like Bruno Giacosa, Armando Cordero, Romano Levi, and Giovannini Moresco. The relationship with Angelo’s father Giovanni resonates deepest, and you may in the future look at a Gaja label on a bottle and consider first the influence of Giovanni in putting it there.
Listen to this episode:
I’ll Drink to That is the world’s most listened-to wine podcast, hosted by Levi Dalton. Levi has had a long career working as a sommelier in some of the most distinguished and acclaimed dining rooms in America. He has served wine to guests of Restaurant Daniel, Masa, and Alto, all in Manhattan. Levi has also contributed articles on wine themes to publications such as The Art of Eating, Wine & Spirits magazine, Bon Appetit online, and Eater NY. Check out his pictures on Instagram and follow him on Twitter: @levi_opens_wine
