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Italian Wine for Fall Nights!

Food & Drink >

Nothing is better than a nice glass of wine after a delicious meal. I personally prefer Italian wines and that’s why 18 Reason’s Italian Reds for Fall with Oliver McCrum caught my eye.

I spent much of my 20s and early 30s waiting tables in Italian restaurants so I definitely developed a knowledge of Italian wine making. Yet, despite years of attending wine tastings and classes I feel like I’ve barely scratched the surface of this complex and varied wine making region, which is one of the oldest in the world.

There are over 2000 indigenous grape varietals in Italy’s 20 wine making regions making it a dense topic to jump in to. Luckily, this tasting has narrowed it down to a seasonal theme, pairing only Italian wines that go great with Fall cuisine. Featured wines include: Petit Rouge and Fumin from the Vallee d’Aoste, a region located in the Northwestern part of Italy that shares borders with Switzerland and France; Lagrein from the Alto Adige, an autonomous region located in Northern Italy that speaks predominately German; Aglianico and Piedirosso/Tintore di Tramonti from Campania, a culturally rich region in Southern Italy that boasts Naples as its capital city and Nerello Mascalese/Nerello Capuccio and Frappato/Nero d’Avola from the island of Sicily. Your host for the evening will be Oliver McCrume of Oliver McCrume Wines, one of the predominate Italian wine importers in the Bay Area. So, you know you’ll be learning from someone that really knows his stuff.

If you’ve never delved into the world of Italian wines and live in the Bay Area, this is a great opportunity to see what you’ve been missing out on. If you consider yourself a connoisseur of Italian wines, then this is a great opportunity to learn a little more. Oliver McCrume has been in the wine business since 1978 so I’m sure he has something to teach even the most experienced wine lover.

If you’re not in the Bay Area, there’s some other great wine events going on this week. Check these out if they’re close to your home:

Thursday, November 10 Viberti Winemaker DinnerSeattle, Washington  Join Osteria La Spiga as Claudio Viberti’s wines and Chef Sabrina Tinsley’s food collide in a celebration of Italian culture. Claudio will be here to tell the stories of his life and his grapes as attendees enjoy a menu made exclusively for these exceptional wines. Wines include: Dolba “Langhe Dolcetto-Barbaer,” Barbera d’Alba Bricco Airoli and Barolo San Pietro from 2003.

Friday, November 11 Autumn on Whidbey Wine TourLangley, Washington  Join the Whidbey Island Vintners for their Autumn on Whidbey Wine Tour. Enjoy the island as the leaves turn color and the wineries are in full swing with the current vintage crush. Ticket will include the map to the tasting rooms, wines featured at each stop and a souvenir wine glass from Whidbey Island Vintners Association.

Saturday, November 12 Taste of the SummitWarner Springs, California  Head to the beautiful mountains of San Diego County for the first ever “Taste of the Summit.”  Three wineries (Hawk Watch Winery, Shadow Mountain Vineyards and La Serenissima Vineyard), all located in Warner Springs are teaming up for what promises to be a fantastic Fall wine and food experience!  Each winery will be featuring live music, newly released wines and extraordinary food pairings. A single ticket gets you to all three wineries. Start your adventure at any of the 3 wineries!

Saturday, November 12 Mother Seton Academy Wine Harvest and Silent Auction 2011Baltimore, Maryland Mother Seton Academy, an all-scholarship, independent, co-educational Catholic middle school serving economically disadvantaged children living in Baltimore City, is hosting the “Mother Seton Academy Wine Harvest” in partnership with Grand Cru, an exceptional wine shop in the Belvedere Square Marketplace. The tasting features the finest wines brought in from distributors throughout the State of Maryland. Work your way from light, summery whites to bold, assertive reds.

Image Courtesy of The College of William & Mary Wine Society‘s Blog.