Italian Breaks Down Borders in Piedmont Winemaking
In 1963, Franco Martinetti donned his only suit and ate at Paris’ Tour d’Argent. But he hadn’t come for the famous pressed duck — instead he wanted to study the wine list. A half-century later, he’s creating some of the best Piedmont wines, worthy of a Michelin-starred restaurant, even if his products defy tradition by using nonnative grapes, like the Pinot Noir and Chardonnay in his sparkling wine. And as the first and only Italian member of France’s prestigious Académie du Vin, he might also soften his country’s aversion to fruitful cross-border collaboration.
