PAST EVENT PART II: Experimental Etna IN PERSON

Mt. Etna Masterclass

Saturday April 27th

3-5:30pm

Oakland, CA

Seating limited to 12 people

15% of sales will be donated to World Central Kitchen and MAP- Medical Aid for Palestinians, for relief efforts on Gaza. Please consider donating more- your extra donation will 100% go to these organizations.

Sicily and even specifically, Mt. Etna, was/is an in demand territory- its invasions from various groups, from the Phoenicians to the Greeks to the Arabs, have all left a lasting impact on the culture and the wine!

Mt. Etna was a hub even during the Crusades- people have been drawn to the volcano for thousands of years, each group leaving their mark. In the 1800s, when winemaking took a technological and more serious turn, that we universally attribute to the French, Etna was one of the first zones to hop on board the innovation. Like Barolo, it was even thought that Mt. Etna wines would contribute somehow to the Unification of Italy- bringing together cultural traditions from the North and South.

In this class, we will geek out over some very cool historical information (did you know that grape growing used to be on the West side of the Volcano?) as well as open bottles of those keeping the experimental tradition on the Volcano alive via winemaking and incorporation of different grape varieties, that while may not be considered "native" to the area, have some pretty serious historical significance. 

MAPS- the Cittavino & Co. map as well as the soil map of Etna, and the map of the contrade that the Consorzio published late last yea will all be included in your kit (if you did not receive it already in the previous class).

I will be cooking and there will be substantial Sicilian snacky snacks.

🔑 takeaways:

🥂Sparkling wine tradition on Mt. Etna

🍇 “non native" grape varieties and what they inform us about the cosmopolitan heritage of Mt. Etna

📚 How Mt. Etna wine plays into the larger history of Italy Unification, and why, ultimately, Barolo came to rule the Italian wine world.

💫 Prominent producers, their contribution to the Etna Renaissance- why it’s important to know them

Wines:

• 2020 Scamacca del Murgo Etna Spumante
• 2021 Cornelissen Pistemuta Rosato 
• 2021 Buscemi Taraci Bianco Sicilia IGT (Bronte)
• 2016 Santa Maria della Nave Grecanico Dorato Sicilia IGT
• 2014 Castello Solicchiata Pinot Nero Sicilia IGT
• 2020 Foti "Radica" Garnaccia (Bronte)
• 2020 Passopisciaro Passorosso 
• 2021 Buscemi Tartaraci Bianco Sicilia IGT (Bronte)
• 2020 Buscemi Tartaraci Rosso Sicilia IGT 
  
• 2017 Passopisciaro Passobianco Sicilia IGT
  
• 2020 Cornelissen Mungebel Bianco Sicilia IGT
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