Behind Rhum Rhum
If the Rhum Rhum adventure germinated in the head of a certain Luca Gargano in the early 2000s, it was in 2004 that the latter officially succeeded in convincing his distiller friend Gianni Capovilla to follow him to Marie-Galante, with the crazy project to produce “the best rhum agricol in the world”. But we know less about the third man behind Rhum Rhum: Michele Lunardon.
Born in 1979 in the town of Cittadella, a commune in the province of Padua in the Veneto region of Italy, nothing predestined Michele to a career in rum. Freshly graduated in agro-technology, he started his working life in 1998 by entering the doors of the Poli company, a very old artisanal (and family) grappa distillery. During the nine years he spent there, he did everything: handling in the warehouses, bottling, distillation three months a year, Michele perfected his skills and took care of all the steps that lead to the spirit.
In 2007, a friend slipped him a note about a project in progress: a certain Capovilla was planning to distill sugar cane in Marie-Galante... Despite the barriers that stood before him (new language, new environment and new material to distill), his desire for change is stronger and soon Gianni hires him. After six months of training in Rosà with the master, he took over the management of Marie-Galante. During the first years, Michele spent six months on the island (from February to July) and the rest in Italy at Capovilla, the time to perfect the art of distillation.
Officially arriving at Marie Galante in March 2007 for the very first distillation of Rhum Rhum, his days are today entirely dedicated to the development of PMG rum (which means For Marie-Galante in French): from the crushing of the cane to the distillation, going through the so characteristic -long- fermentation (5 to 6 days there or elsewhere it often does not exceed 48 hours). Both a distiller and cellar master, Michele has been able to evolve with Rhum Rhum and become indispensable. We owe him, among other things, the latest batches of PMG and the two Liberation 2020s which will bring back sweet memories to many of you.
More than 15 years after its beginnings, Rhum Rhum is still very much alive and has since taken up residence at the Poisson distillery (since 2020), stronghold of Père Labat rums, after being born in the neighboring Bielle distillery. During the three years of uncertainty (three frustrating years for rum lovers) marked by the end of the partnership with Bielle, the still, the vats and the barrels will be transferred to Domaine Poisson after a short stay barrels at Karukera.
