Tibaldi - Roero, Piemonte
The Tibaldi family have been grape growers for several generations in the Pocapaglia area of Piemonte. In fact Nonno Tibaldi at 86 still works in the vineyard (starting with a glass from the barrel at 6am) with his son, Stefano. The Tibaldi’s have not traditionally made wine preferring to sell their crops to local producers. Stefano had 2 daughters, Monica and Daniela, and had no expectations that they would devote their lives to wine. But eldest daughter Monica studied Oenology and decided that she was going to start to make wine from the family’s wonderful fruit. Sister Daniela soon followed. And so Cantina Tibaldi was established. I simply know them as the Tibaldi Sisters.
It is not unusual to see female winemakers in charge of important vineyards. Some of Australia’s finest wines are made by women and they will tell you that they are much better suited to the role as the olfactory senses are far more developed in females. What is unusual is to see the entire wine making process managed from start to finish by two women, both in their mid twenties.
Spending time with Monica and Daniela is quite unusual. When they go to a restaurant they huddle over the wine list and argue in rapid fire Italian for ten minutes before selecting. And then over dinner they will talk about wine for the entire evening without ever tiring of the subject. They are passionate, ever keen to learn and delightful young women. They very much wanted to bring “Girl Power" to Australia. It's worth spending two minutes to check out the video the sisters put together.
http://www.cantinatibaldi.com/en/noi_storia.asp