Welcome to the Next Generation and Episode 2409 of the Italian Wine Podcast. Today, McKenna Cassidy interviews Riccardo Baldi of La Staffa from Castelli di Jesi.
More about today’s guest:
Riccardo Baldi (born 1990) heads La Staffa, an organic family winery in Staffolo, Marche, overseeing twelve hectares primarily planted with Verdicchio and Montepulciano. Although he at first studied Economics, in 2009 he officially took over the cellar he co-founded with his father and swiftly immersed himself in vineyard and cellar management.
Under his leadership, La Staffa became one of Italy’s most acclaimed producers, earning the Best Winemaker Under 35 award at the 2021 Food & Wine Italia Awards. A passionate advocate of tradition blended with innovation, Riccardo pursues artisan winemaking that both honors Verdicchio’s heritage and enhances terroir expression using modern insights .
His flagship wines, such as the classic La Staffa, Rincrocca (from a 1972 vineyard), and the bottle-fermented “Mai Sentito!”, highlight the region's steep, calcareous slopes, thermal shifts, and mineral-rich soils. These efforts helped La Staffa win Tre Bicchieri in 2020 for the 2017 Rincrocca Verdicchio Riserva.
Now exporting over 50% of its production to markets including the U.S., France, Russia, Japan, and Northern Europe, Riccardo views his mission as revealing the elegance and aging potential of Verdicchio, making terroir-driven wines with international appeal.
Connect:
Website: https://vinilastaffa.it/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/_maisentito_/
More about the host:
McKenna found her love of wine while serving in a Napa Valley tasting room. She later graduated from the University of Notre Dame and pursued wine on the East Coast with E. & J. Gallo Winery. She has worked in wine distribution for restaurants and luxury retail stores for the past three years.
Originally from Phoenix, Arizona, McKenna is a Certified Specialist of Wine (2021), Certified Sommelier (2022), and Italian Wine Ambassador (2023).
She loves country swing dancing, hosting brunch parties, and sipping Italian Wine.
Connect:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/mckennacassidy/
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/mckenna-cassidy-cs-csw-66baa412b/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@mckennacassidy
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