Episode 378 of I’ll Drink to That! was released recently and features Marta Rinaldi of the Giuseppe Rinaldi winery in Piemonte’s Barolo area.
For many drinkers, Giuseppe Rinaldi is better known for a set of principles than for anything else. Most fans of Barolo could tell you that the cantina is known for traditional winemaking, but few could really tell you much about Beppe Rinaldi the person, when he started at the winery, or even what his father’s name was. This follows through into the next generation as well, and not everyone is aware that Beppe now works alongside his two daughters, Marta and Carlotta. One of the greatest aspects of this interview with Marta Rinaldi is just the perspective it offers. Beppe viewed as a father figure, and not just as a winemaker. What role his own father – Battista – played in the fortunes of the winery, when for instance, in the 1980s, he purchased the parcel of Cannubi San Lorenzo that the winery still vinifies today. And then the lives of the daughters. Marta is very frank and open about her own early ambition to find a place in the winery, and about how a childhood playground would later become a space for her own work. Plus she gives a clear picture of what she and Carlotta have been up to recently, as Marta brings her own philosophy to the vinification and Carlotta focuses on improvements to the vineyard work. If you are curious about what has really been happening behind the scenes of one of the Piemonte’s most esteemed wineries, you will not find a door more wide open to the inside workings than this one.
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
