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23 September 2026Latest Articles
THE IMPERIAL EPICUREAN GAZETTE
THE WORLD'S TABLE, SERVED EVERY DAY
Most ReadGet the letter
The Cellar
By Inés Alcubierre, the Cellar deskItaly3 min read
Estate con i sommelier

Estate con i sommelier

The AIS, the Italian Sommelier Association, is also offering many courses this season dedicated to wine, culture, and good food.

Straw yellow and ruby ​​red, aromas of violets and red berries, a harmonious, balanced, and persistent flavor. Those fascinated by the world of wine and eager to learn more about, and better appreciate, the wonderful wines produced in Italy and the proper way to savor and describe them can do so simply by enrolling in a course offered by the AIS, the Italian Sommelier Association. The courses, held in many Italian cities, also offer summer programs to discover some of the most fascinating wine regions, such as Piedmont, Tuscany, and Sicily. The courses, held in numerous Italian cities, consist of three learning modules, each consisting of 15 lessons. The first level teaches the rudiments of tasting and the fundamentals of viticulture and oenology—in short, the ABCs of understanding this fascinating world.

A journey through tradition and taste

Piedmont, Tuscany, and Sicily are important wine regions, rich in wines waiting to be discovered. In Piedmont, the Langhe, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, is characterized by steep hills and breathtaking landscapes: they are home to two of Italy's most famous and sought-after red wines, Barolo and Barbaresco, complex, elegant, and long-lived wines made from the Nebbiolo grape. But not everyone knows that another highly interesting native grape is also grown in this area, Pelaverga di Verduno, which produces fresh, mouth-watering, and spicy reds. The local cuisine, featuring Alba white truffles, agnolotti, and vitello tonnato, completes the sensory experience. Tuscany, on the other hand, alternates wild landscapes with Renaissance treasures, and its most famous wines are based on the Sangiovese grape: from the powerful Brunello di Montalcino to Chianti Classico, waiting to be discovered in all its nuances. The cuisine is also rich in flavor, and in summer, alongside the ever-present Florentine steak, there are some seasonal specialties not to be missed, such as fresh pappa al pomodoro. For a Mediterranean immersion, the Italian Sommelier Association takes us to Sicily, an island with a rich historical and cultural heritage, exceptional cuisine, and wines that, year after year, are increasingly winning over experts from around the world. The star of the region is undoubtedly Mount Etna, with its minerally, complex red and white wines. But perhaps the most famous Sicilian grape, Nero d'Avola, is also well worth discovering, perhaps paired with a plate of pasta alla Norma. All the information and dates for upcoming courses can be found on the aisitalia.it website. Are you ready for this wonderful journey that will delight all the senses?

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