Rebuilding an Ecosystem, One Vineyard at a Time | Enrico Rivetto

<p>What if the future of Barolo isn't about perfecting monoculture—but about rebuilding biodiversity? Fourth-generation winemaker Enrico Rivetto is doing exactly that on his Piedmont hill, with 1,000 trees, five kilometers of biological corridors, and Demeter-certified biodynamic vineyards that produce wines unlike any others in the region.</p><p>In this episode:</p><ul><li>Why Enrico calls himself a "caretaker of agricultural organisms" rather than just a winemaker</li><li>The brutal first five years of converting from conventional to biodynamic viticulture</li><li>How his daughter's childhood drawings became his wine labels (and why the consortium initially rejected them)</li><li>What co-plantation means and why it's his next big experiment</li><li>Tasting Nascetta Borea and Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Lirano—two wines that express terroir through biodiversity</li></ul><p>Enrico Rivetto is the fourth generation of his family's Barolo winery, based between Serralunga d'Alba and Sinio in Piedmont. Seventeen years ago, at 30, he began transforming his estate into a complex ecosystem—one that prioritizes biodiversity, soil health, and authenticity over standardization. His wines are Demeter-certified biodynamic and his approach challenges everything the Barolo monoculture represents.</p><p>Wines discussed:</p><ul><li>Langhe DOC Nascetta "Borea" – Indigenous white grape, early harvest, eastern exposure, floral and herbal with minerality</li><li>Nebbiolo d'Alba DOC "Vigna Lirano" – From the estate's first biodynamic vineyard planted in 2009, high acidity, terroir-driven</li></ul><p>Links &amp; resources:</p><ul><li>Rivetto Winery: <a href="https://www.rivetto.it/en" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rivetto.it/en</a></li><li>Nascetta Borea: <a href="https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/langhe-doc-nascetta-borea" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/langhe-doc-nascetta-borea</a></li><li>Nebbiolo d'Alba Vigna Lirano: <a href="https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/nebbiolo-dalba-doc-vigna-lirano" rel="ugc noopener noreferrer" target="_blank">https://www.rivetto.it/en/wines/nebbiolo-dalba-doc-vigna-lirano</a></li></ul>