ITALY: BIRTH OF A WINE NATION
A 6-class series on Italian wine, past, present, and future with Jeremy Parzen, Ph.D.
Tuesdays in October and early November, staring at 7 p.m.
The Austin Wine Merchant
512 W 6th St.
Austin, TX 78701-2806
To reserve, please call: (512) 499-0512.
Instructor Jeremy Parzen, Ph.D.
After receiving his Ph.D. in Italian from U.C.L.A. in 1997, Jeremy Parzen began writing about Italian food and wine for La Cucina Italiana, where he served as the chief wine writer for 2 years. His has written about wine for a wide range of publications, including Decanter, Wine & Spirits, Gastronomica, and Men’s Vogue, among others. In 2005, University of California Press published his translation of The Art of Cooking by Italian Renaissance chef Maestro Martino. He currently resides in Austin, TX and is author of the popular wine blogs DoBianchi.com and VinoWire.com.
Italian Wine 101 — October 6 — $25
Introduction to Italian wines, an overview of Italy’s most important grapes and major wine production zones, and the secret to unlocking the mysteries of Italian wine labels. Taste 6 wines from 6 different regions.
Tuscany — October 13 — $37.50
Learn what makes Super Tuscans so super (you might be surprised at the answer), experience Italy’s quintessential red grape Sangiovese in its greatest expressions (modern and traditional). Taste six wines including Brunello di Montalcino and Chianti Classico.
The “Other” Piedmont — October 20 — $25
This is the Piedmont your mother didn’t tell you about: Moscato d’Asti, Gavi, Freisa, Dolcetto, Barbera, and “outer borough” Nebbiolo. Taste 6 wines that the Piedmontese produce and drink regularly.
Piedmont’s De Facto Cru System — October 27 — $37.50
(recommended for wine professionals and collectors)
Learn the difference between the east and west sides of the Barolo to Alba road and explore the nuanced distinctions between Tortonian and Helvetian subsoils. Debunk the feminine vs. masculine in the Barbaresco and Barolo debate. Taste 6 noble expressions of Nebbiolo.
The Enigmatic Wines of the Veneto — November 3 — $37.50
Unlock the mysteries of Valpolicella, Amarone, and Recioto della Valpolicella, taste one of Italy’s most ancient noble wines, Soave, and learn why Venetians love their Prosecco so much. When in Venice: taste 6 ombre as the Venetians say!
Italian Wine and Civilization — November 10 — $25
Read 6 passages from Italian literature and history and taste 6 related wine selections. Readings include Dante, Machiavelli, Vice Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, Camillo Cavour (above, far left, 19th-century Piedmontese winemaker and Italy’s first prime minister), and Bettino “Iron Baron” Ricasoli (above, far right, 19th-century Tuscan winemaker and Italy’s second prime minister).
To reserve, please call: (512) 499-0512
