July Classes!

With many of you away on vacation, I decided to scale down my class offerings for July to two fan-favorites! Read on…

For those sticking around the Bay Area, check out Sunday July 16th, where I will unveil 7 iconic white wines from Italy in Vini Bianchi. This is a long time coming, finally realized after the same feedback this past year: Italian whites seem to sneak up out of nowhere with “wait, this white is excellent, and its Italian! I didn’t know Italy made great white wines.” The short answer is yes, absolutely! It surprises me folks don’t know about the stunning whites from the appellations of Etna, Tortona, San Gimignano, Caldaro, and so many others across Italy. I am very excited to share, or to be honest, to show off the incredible range of whites available today.

Next up, is a class tailored for those tickled by learning about the wild grapes of Italy. Look no further! With Ian D’Agata’s volume ‘Native Grapes of Italy’ in tow, I will be showcasing 7 obscure and interesting grapes on Sunday July 30th, in this Native Grapes class. To clarify, I classify grapes as “native” if they have been in documented production for the last 500 years. After all this time in a single place, I think its fair to call them locals. So, get ready for Cagnulari from Sardegna, Magliocco from Calabria and Nascetta from Piemonte, among others, as we dive into their history, production and ideal pairings with local cuisine.

Remember, classes are intimate with only 12 seats available, so act fast! All classes come with a light selection of cheese, crackers, olives and grisini, all house-made by an Italian chef (except the cheese). I create informational booklets packed with maps and photos, as well as a spot to record your impressions. Take you knowledge of Italian wine to the next level, where education begins in the glass.

That’s me holding court, doing my thing…