Episode 376 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently and features Lingzi He, who is a freelance journalist living in Bordeaux, France.
Lingzi sounds a lot like Lindsey when it is pronounced, and that kind of easy switch into different languages and cultural connotations is the sort of occurrence that has been a constant in Lingzi He’s life. She moved at an early age from a burgeoning Chinese city to Vancouver, Canada, and essentially began her life over in the search for friends and acceptance. Later she would move to study in Bordeaux, and again she became an outsider between different worlds: the Canadian journalist spending time with a set of Chinese friends in a classic French wine region. To add another layer, Lingzi became deeply interested in Italian wine and began traveling to Italy regularly. There is, inside this story, a realization that the wine world really is global now, to such an extent that someone like Lingzi might identify with several diverse cultures simultaneously. This is something she acknowledges herself, and she points out that her own parents would not have had the same opportunities to travel. Along her many journeys Lingzi picked up some anecdotes and realizations about the wine world, but perhaps the strongest interest of this interview comes from just how frank she is about her own history. Each turn of her life has apparently afforded her a better view of who she is.
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: @leviopenswine
