Wines of Italy: A Comparative Tasting

• PHOTOS

Our Wines of Italy: A Comparative Tasting, which complements our basic level tasting, is a more advanced approach to experiencing Italian wine – one that utilizes comparisons between wines as a tool to honing the palate and acquiring a more advanced appreciation of wine. This workshop, led by a trained sommelier and taking place in some of Rome's most traditional enoteche (or wine bars), will guide us through a comprehensive and illuminating tutorial on a pivotal aspect of Italian culture.

The two enoteche visited during the walk are located in the quaint and characteristic neighborhood of Monti, an oasis of small-town life in the big city, which in recent years has become home to a thriving dining scene. Within this context, we will begin our discussion of wine production and its importance in Italian life. Our docent will build on the group's familiarity with wine by going over some basic precepts of production and history before moving on to the comparative tastings.

While no b

Our Wines of Italy: A Comparative Tasting, which complements our basic level tasting, is a more advanced approach to experiencing Italian wine – one that utilizes comparisons between wines as a tool to honing the palate and acquiring a more advanced appreciation of wine. This workshop, led by a trained sommelier and taking place in some of Rome's most traditional enoteche (or wine bars), will guide us through a comprehensive and illuminating tutorial on a pivotal aspect of Italian culture.

The two enoteche visited during the walk are located in the quaint and characteristic neighborhood of Monti, an oasis of small-town life in the big city, which in recent years has become home to a thriving dining scene. Within this context, we will begin our discussion of wine production and its importance in Italian life. Our docent will build on the group's familiarity with wine by going over some basic precepts of production and history before moving on to the comparative tastings.

While no background knowledge is required, these select tastings will involve a more in-depth analysis of wine styles and wine-making methods. While exploring, for example, the difference between a Charmat- and a Classic-method sparkling wine (secondary fermentation in a tank versus in the bottle), a white aged in steel compared with one in oak, or a traditional and a modern style red, we will come away with a greater understanding of the ways that soil, tradition, and the hand of man or woman can make a profound difference to the style of a wine, while at the same time learning about the different regions of Italy and wine and food pairing techniques.