Maddalena Riboli- Matriarch, trailblazer, inspiration.
Thank you, Southwest -The Magazine for this amazing piece!
Thinking of California wine might conjure images of sprawling vineyards in Napa Valley or trendy tasting rooms in Sonoma. But in downtown Los Angeles, 102-year-old San Antonio Winery has weathered ups and downs—including Prohibition—to become the City of Angels’ longest-producing winery.
An instrumental part of the winery’s longevity? Ninety-seven-year-old Maddalena Riboli, who’s been in the family business for more than 70 years. In 1946, Riboli, then Maddalena Satragni, met Stefano Riboli on her family’s farm and married him later that year. Together, they began working with Stefano’s uncle, Santo Cambianica, at San Antonio Winery, and after Cambianica’s death in 1956, Stefano was granted ownership, with Riboli at his side.
In a male-dominated industry, Riboli made room for herself. She took over bookkeeping, had the idea to begin sourcing grapes from California’s Central Coast, and encouraged the company to open a restaurant within the winery—one of the first such operations. Almost 50 years later, the eatery, Maddalena, is still open.
Today, Riboli remains involved with the winery, with a little help from her children, grandchildren, and great-grandchildren, who are carrying on the legacy she helped build. And her namesake line of vinos at San Antonio Winery—Maddalena—has been carefully crafted with “bold, yet humble flavors,” to honor the passionate woman for whom it’s named. —M.F.
