The Wines of Southern Italy: A Tasting and Class

The unification of Italy didn't occur until 1861. When considering that much of the wine infastracture in Italy was establised by the Ancient Greek and Roman civilizations, this unification can be considered a recent development in the European wine industry. Before it became the Kingdom of Italy, this Mediterranean Penninsula was broken up into separate kingdoms and city-states with their own identities and cultures. Today, even though Italy is one unified country, these regions hold onto their own separate ways of life and agricultural focuses. All regions of Italy produce wine, and the country has more native grape varieties than all other wine producing countries combined! However, the wines you will find in Puglia in the south will be very different than the wines you may find in Veneto up north. For generations, the north has tried to use their geographic closeness to the rest of Europe to establish themselves as the key producers of fine Italian wines. But the south has benefitted from hundreds of years of immigration and foreign influence from Mediterranean trade and conflict to develop a truly diverse wine culture. Additionally, the south has incredible volcanic soils and coastal influences. Many wine experts agree that the southern states of Italy are starting to truly stand out as top European wine producers.

In this class, we will talk a bit about the history of Southern Italian wines while tasting through six of our favorite wines from this Mediterranean powerhouse.

Included with your ticket:

• Seated wine class with with Wine Director, Erin Dudley
• Tasting of six fine Southern Italian wines
• Small serving of artisanal cheese and bread to accompany your tasting
• Discounts on bottle purchases of all wines tasted

Host or Publisher Planet Wine Shop