Ever since I studied abroad in Italy in 2005, I have been a big fan of wine. Pinot Grigio has always been my first love, but I have since expanded my palate to appreciate bold reds, dry whites, and of course anything of the sparkling variety. While I don’t consider myself a wine expert by any means, over the past few years I have taken an interest into learning more about wine and how different varietals contribute to the wine’s flavor.
This past spring Il Fornaio in Irvine offered wine education classes and because they were so popular, the restaurant is offering an intermediate series starting Saturday, July 21st at 2pm.
This three-part series will offer an intermediate class in July, August and September and will explore different types of Italian wines (which are my favorite along with California wines). Each session is $29.99 and includes wine and appetizers. The sessions will be taught by Certified Wine Educator Tracy Cervellone from Wilson Daniels. If you want to expand your wine knowledge or are just a wine enthusiast in general, I highly recommend attending these sessions!
Here is a quick rundown of each session:
July 21st: Italian Regions
The first wine education session will focus on the differences between Tuscan wines and Wines from the Piemonte region. I have had many Tuscan wines but not really any from the Piemonte area so it will be interesting to see how the two compare.
August 11th: Prosecco!
Prosecco happens to be my favorite Italian sparkling wine and this session will focus on the best foods to pair Prosecco with. There will also be a Prosecco flight that compares taste and against price. I think it’s safe to say I’m pretty excited for this session.
September 22nd: Pinot Noir
The final session will focus on Pinot Noir and how to find the best pinots to complement various Italian dishes. The session will also focus on the differences between old world and new world pinot styles. I’m not the most well versed in pinot noir, so I am looking forward to learning more in this session.
If you are interested in participating in any of the Wine Education Sessions, make your reservation today by calling Il Fornaio 949-261-1444. If you want to attend all 3 sessions, you can purchase all 3 at once for a discounted price of $75 total. All sessions take place at Il Fornaio in Irvine.