Born and raised in Philadelphia by a family of butchers (they own 5 shops in all), Michael Madrigale’s nose-plant into the world of food and wine was no accident. However, it wasn’t just a matter of cow-cutting DNA; Madrigale’s formative years had as much to do with Dylan, Prince, Radiohead, and a UFO sighting following the ingestion of several Carvel ice cream sandwiches. Luckily, Madrigale’s theories on ice cream as a means to communicate with extra-terrestrials didn’t have the same stick as the lessons learned from his foodie family.
Upon graduating from La Salle University with a BS in Marketing, Madrigale headed to New York City and initially snagged a job as a waiter. As he spent more time in the restaurant world, however, he found himself gravitating more and more toward the wine cellar, eager to learn more. “I could smell the differences in the wines,” he says. “After work I would read books on the topic and taste everything I could. I made the decision then to immerse myself in the world of wine full time.” Madrigale was clearly listening to an excess of sentimental early 90s rock, but it ended up working in his favor.
He soon landed a coveted consultant position with the Burgundy Wine Company, where he sold wine relics to passionate private collectors. There he met the winemaker at Domaine de l’Arlot, who offered him the opportunity to work the 2002 harvest in Burgundy. Madrigale’s time in Nuits St. Georges was a turning point, the experience that sealed his fate as lifetime ambassador of all things vinous. “This was extremely important for me,” says Madrigale. “I needed to touch the grapes and be with the winemaker. In Burgundy, I didn’t break open the books to learn, I went right to the soil.” During his time at l’Arlot, he met Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director for the Dinex Group (the restaurants of Chef Daniel Boulud), and one of the most revered experts in the industry. Their vineyard-side conversations on wine were a precursor of things to come for the young Madrigale; upon returning to the US in 2007, he joined The Dinex Group as Chef Sommelier at db Bistro Moderne.
Not long after, he moved on to the group’s more wine-centric Bar Boulud, where he now manages over 500 selections largely dedicated to the Rhône and Burgundy. When he isn’t traveling the globe in search of wine deliverance, Madrigale can be found cruising the East Village for curried noodles or changing the world tweet by tweet (@BARBOULUD).
Michael Madrigale, Bar Boulud
Born and raised in Philadelphia by a family of butchers (they own 5 shops in all), Michael Madrigale’s nose-plant into the world of food and wine was no accident. However, it wasn’t just a matter of cow-cutting DNA; Madrigale’s formative years had as much to do with Dylan, Prince, Radiohead, and a UFO sighting following the ingestion of several Carvel ice cream sandwiches. Luckily, Madrigale’s theories on ice cream as a means to communicate with extra-terrestrials didn’t have the same stick as the lessons learned from his foodie family.
Upon graduating from La Salle University with a BS in Marketing, Madrigale headed to New York City and initially snagged a job as a waiter. As he spent more time in the restaurant world, however, he found himself gravitating more and more toward the wine cellar, eager to learn more. “I could smell the differences in the wines,” he says. “After work I would read books on the topic and taste everything I could. I made the decision then to immerse myself in the world of wine full time.” Madrigale was clearly listening to an excess of sentimental early 90s rock, but it ended up working in his favor.
He soon landed a coveted consultant position with the Burgundy Wine Company, where he sold wine relics to passionate private collectors. There he met the winemaker at Domaine de l’Arlot, who offered him the opportunity to work the 2002 harvest in Burgundy. Madrigale’s time in Nuits St. Georges was a turning point, the experience that sealed his fate as lifetime ambassador of all things vinous. “This was extremely important for me,” says Madrigale. “I needed to touch the grapes and be with the winemaker. In Burgundy, I didn’t break open the books to learn, I went right to the soil.” During his time at l’Arlot, he met Daniel Johnnes, Wine Director for the Dinex Group (the restaurants of Chef Daniel Boulud), and one of the most revered experts in the industry. Their vineyard-side conversations on wine were a precursor of things to come for the young Madrigale; upon returning to the US in 2007, he joined The Dinex Group as Chef Sommelier at db Bistro Moderne.
Not long after, he moved on to the group’s more wine-centric Bar Boulud, where he now manages over 500 selections largely dedicated to the Rhône and Burgundy. When he isn’t traveling the globe in search of wine deliverance, Madrigale can be found cruising the East Village for curried noodles or changing the world tweet by tweet (@BARBOULUD).
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Lyle Fass
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Zachary Adam Cohen
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