Why choose a course on Italian wines?

• Italy is the wine country par excellence where there’s a tremendous lot to explore if you like variety and originality. I’d love to take you on the journey!  Throughout the world there’s an estimated 8000+ grape varieties, and more than a 1000 of them can be found in Italy, the country sure is richly endowed! In the basic wine course Italy, the most important wine grape varieties all are addressed. In part 1 of the wine course Italy : Southern Italy  you discover the wines and grapes of the isles of Sicily and Sardinia, of Calabria, Campania Basilicata, Molise and Puglia/Apulia.
• You don’t want to feel intimidated by the (overwhelming) wide selection of (Italian) wines on the shelves in the supermarkets.
• You would like to feel more confident when choosing a wine to purchase and not feel intimidated.

looking for originality

• You like authenticity and can’t wait to discover all those unknown grapes and wines on offer in Italy.
• You are curious and mostly want to know more, increase your current knowledge of Italian wines.
• You’re a wine lover and would like to further/deepen your knowledge of Italian wines

Deliberate choices

• You want to make the right choice for the environment (and your health), but also make sure the wine itself is real tasty.
• You want to contribute to the environment/long term sustainability

Holiday inspiration

• You are taking a trip to Italy and would like to be prepared to buy the finest wines there
• You love Italy, its culture, and would like to know more about the local wines
• You want to find some inspiration because you think about spending your holiday in Italy and visiting the wine regions.

(learning how to) Combine wine  and food

• You are fond of Italian food and would like to know more about their wines and how to combine them with the foods.

A further immersion for professionals /advanced participants 

• You obtained your wine certificate and would like to deepen you knowledge of in Italian wines
• You are employed in the (Italian) catering sector and would like to deepen specifically your knowledge of the Italian wine regions.
• You own a catering business/liquor store or you’re a wine importer and would like some advice or a course tailored to your business for you and/or your employees

Intensive course: On wine discovery tour troughout Italy!

• Afterwards you have a clear picture of the most important wines and grape varieties that occur in Italy, where they occur and how they taste.
• You will be able to make your own choice in the wine industry with more confidence and you will be able to enjoy your own discovery journey with great pleasure!
• In addition to more trust, you will also be able to make more original choices, which is certainly nice if you give a wine present or if you give yourself a dinner party for fellow lovers.
• In my wine examples it is expressed that you can choose wine that is made without harm to the earth by choosing organic. Of course you can also simply opt for conventional, you are free yourself in it.
• You can choose the complete extended basic course at once, or you start with part I: The  Magic of the South- introduction, Calabria, Basilicata and Molise, Puglia and Campania:For those who think the entire of Italy is a little too much, or those who doubt whether the course is right for them, or those who’re primarily interested in Southern Italy.An extensive introduction to the grapes and wines of the fascinating isles of Sicily and Sardinia, two worlds by themselves, and the wonderful southern regions.

Price intensive course:  €247 Price ‘the magic of the South’: €67 For details and subscribing go to the shop.

Course for professionals /

advanced participants :

An in-depth exploration of the wines of the Boot – From Aglianico to Timorasso!

This course is meant for the more advanced participants, namely/ enthusiasts and professionals who’re already acquainted with vinification techniques etc.   I also offer tailor-made courses/workshops, either on site, or in Italy. I ‘d be happy to discuss the different possibilities with you (via skype). Course price:  €347  For details and subscribing go to the shop. 

Sicily wine course trip:  for participants of the Italian wines – course or participants of ‘the magic of the South

We visit together in a group the isle of Sicily, at least a specific part of it, because Sicily is big and a world on its own. Who is not fascinated by isles? The seperation usually already starts when you board the boat who will bring you to the other side. On many isles, the inhabitants have a name for the people of the main land, for example on Texel they call them ‘other siders’ to mark a clear distinction.  In Italy, they take this even further. There the difference starts when you live on the other side of a river in the same city. In Rome for example, there’s a district called Trastevere, on the other side of the river Tevere (Tiber) and in Firenze one named Otrarno, with oltre meaning ‘beyond’ the Arno river.  So you might imagine what kind of an impact there is when there’s a vast amount of sea water in between. Even if it seems just a small amount in the case of Sicily when you’re looking from Calabria. Sicily, a distinctive isle on which there have been a lot of different outside influences, cultural, but also with respect to the grape varieties that were imported by foreign powers long time ago.  You expect persistent drought but there are a lot of very green areas, not in the least caused by the volcano Etna. Sicily has got more vines than most other regions.  Yearly there’s a battle with Puglia and Veneto for the honor of the biggest production (you could ask yourself whether that really is an honor).  In total, it has a surface of 25.710 kilometers, of which 150.000 m² are vineyards with 70% of white grapes (especially for the Marsala) and 30% red grapes.  Over 5 million inhabitants which seems a lot but with exception of a few big cities (like Palermo and Catania) who are densely populated, there’s a vast amount of space. We’ll be visiting the eastern side and go south to honor the only docg of the isle, the Cerasuolo di Vittoria and of course we visit the most unique wine region (of Italy, but probable also of the world) namely the Etna.  This still active volcano, with its lava rich soil, high slopes, and the sea nearby is host to a lot of remarkable circumstances that are responsible for a very remarkable red and white wine.  We’ll end our visit on the Aeolian isles that are situated right above the isle.  Here there’s the influence of the volcano too, the name Vulcanos for one of the isles says it all.  Here we can find some fine dessert wines.     When:  July 2018 Group: 12 – 16 persons How long: 7 – 10 days (or 7 days with an optional 3 days) Price range:  around 100€-150€ a day including lodging, transport, tastings, excursions and guide and so on Lodging: agriturissmi or family hotels Interested? You can sign up without obligation and I will keep you informed!  It’s possible to already reserve your seat by paying 300€ in advance.  If the minimum number of participants is not achieved, this sum of course will be reimbursed.