Sunday Night Wine Class
Here is your chance to plunge into Southern Italian culture, history and geography, not in the classroom but the dinning room.
Get to know this part of the world, each glass and forkful, solid stepping stones that help you cross the river.
Cooking Course Important Details:
When: Held before week-long courses. Although far from obligatory, most week-long students sign up for this course as well, as most arrive the day before the week-long course begins. Check Cooking Class Calendar for dates.
Course Fees: 195 Euro per person (View Cooking Class Calendar)
Click on “Logistic at a Glance” section below for complete details.
Sunday Night Wine Class
Take this class if:
- You’d like to learn more about the wines of Puglia, especially those not exported outside of Italy
- You’d like to learn how to blind taste, aiming to better spend money on wine when home
- You’d like to finally grasp Italy’s DOC and DOP and how it helps you to become a better consumer
- You’d like to experience a wine-soaked feast in a private home in Italy
- You’d like to understand extra virgin olive oil and how to critically taste for quality
- You’d like to know more about Italy’s amari and taste freely from Puglia’s largest private amaro bar
In this class you’ll:
- Visit a local enoteca (wine store) with a sommelier and begin to understand all the concepts that producers mean to convey to consumers through packaging and labeling, if only consumers know how to read the language
- Blind taste three Southern Italian reds: Learn to focus on persistence of flavor rather than bottle weight or quirky labels. Once home you’ll likely earn back the cost of this class in savings in the first month
- Learn to critically taste olive oil, not on food but isolated in ISO international olive oil glasses. You’ll learn to ascertain both merits and defects. You’ll learn about olive oil fraud and the role that supermarkets play
- Learn about the 7 best DOC and DOCG wines of Southern Italy: why each stands out as part of the world heritage of wine and wine culture. Get to know each in a guided tasting through the evening
- Forever master the 4 legal, governments-recognized tiers of Italian wine quality. You’ll wonder why all the world’s wine isn’t organized the same way
- Enjoy a long and winding, staff-prepared 5-course Southern Italian designed to pair with and showcase the free-flowing wines
- Learn about the history of amari (Italy’s after dinner drinks). Guided tasting of 3 and then be given an empty 4th glass to visit what must be Southern Italy’s largest private amaro bar
- Gain access to all the wine information, recipes and all of our password protected content, not just for this class but all of our classes. When we email you the password we’ll also include all the other students’ emails so that you can keep in touch and meet up all around the world (we receive emails and photos of reunions each week). And we’ll include the link and password to our Spotify playlist (Italian music is a big part of what we do and everyone asks for the list)
Logistics at Glance for Sunday Night Wine Course
Length of course: From 18:00 to 24:00 (from 6 pm until midnight, often later)
Taught in: English
Cost: 195 Euro per person
When: Held before week-long courses. Although far from obligatory, most week-long students sign up for this course as well, as most arrive the day before the week-long course begins
Size: There is only space for 10 students
Perquisite: No prior wine training needed
Parking: Via Adua (see map below). Parking isn’t an issue for week-long students, who are already sleeping in Lecce for the week
Meeting point: Under the column in Piazza Sant Oronzo. See map below.
Walking: You’ll need to walk about 2,000 steps but there is very little standing involved in this course
Diet restrictions: We can offer gluten free pasta. Alert us when booking
FAQ About Sunday Night Wine Class
Q: Do we cook or even make pasta in this class?
A: No, this is a wine, olive oil and amaro class, with dinner served. We feast together but you won’t actually enter the kitchen. This class is designed for those that want some cultural context before our week-long classes. The classes are open to everyone and are first come, first served. Reserve yourself with an email.
Q: I already know primitivo and drink it at home. Does Puglia produce other wines?
A: The majority of primitivo is exported and bottled outside of of Italy every year, and has been for hundreds of years. Inside of Puglia, the preference is for pinks, whites and lighter, less alcoholic reds. Few of these wines are exported so far but things are changing.
A: While this class is open to everyone, it’s designed to give cultural, historical and geographical context to the week-long class that begins the day afterward. This class is especially valuable for those new to Southern Italy or those of Southern Italian background
Q: Do I need any wine training to sign up for this course?
A: No. Everyone is welcome
Q: If I am taking the week-long class that starts the next day, am I already automatically reserved for this course?
A: No. You’ll need to book this course with an email. We send out links to it when anyone books the week-long course that starts the next day.
Q: How big is this class?
A: We allow only 10 people
