For wine "Beginners"

A week-end for a first approach to the wine-world…..expert teaches and a gastronomy guide will accompany you in the discover of this precious nectar.

1st Day: arrival scheduled for late in the afternoon/evening. Settle in the room and meet the other members of the group.  The first afternoon is focused on an introduction to the world of wine: historic origin, analysis of taste and smell. Other than the general and organoleptic properties of wine, the course will teach how to manage a bottle of wine correctly, from purchasing it to serving it at table. Dinner is served in the hotel, followed by a first wine-tasting session (two red wines and two white wines).

2nd Day: you will spend the day visiting wine cellars in the area around Novara. Visit to agricultural enterprises with a gastronomy guide, to learn how good wines are made, are scheduled. You will have the chance to taste the best products of each enterprise. Listed below are the selected wine-cellars and wine-making agricultural enterprises: Cantina Mirù, in Ghemme, Anzivino di Gattinara, Castello Conti, in Boca (vertical tasting of Boca DOC wine) and Dessilani, in Fara Novarese. The return is scheduled for late in the afternoon. At about 7 pm you will meet again for a short cruise on the lake (private motorboats), heading for the islands. Dinner (fish-based dishes) is scheduled in a small restaurant on Isola Pescatori (“Fishermen’s Island”).

3rd Day: after breakfast a different teacher will explain how to taste wine.
The following subjects will be discussed:   

• DOC and DOCG (Protected Designation of Origin and Protected and Guaranteed Designation of Origin): current and future classification
• product complexity and clearing up myths: sommeliers are not magicians
• brief hints about combining food and wine
  

To end this meeting appropriately you will be offered one of Piedmont’s great red wines.  Lunch in the hotel and return home.

Listed below are the wines tasted in the cellars:

Ghemme DOCG 2000 – Nebbiolo 2003 – Bianco Colline Novaresi 2008 (Mirù) (white)
Maulet VDT Bianco 2008 (white) – Nemesi VDT  rosso (red), Bramaterra DOCG 2004 – Gattinara DOCG 2003 (Anzivino)
Boca  DOC , made in 2000 – 1998 – 1991 – 1989 – 1987 (Castello Conti)
Fara DOC 2003 – Nebbiolo Spanna 2005 – Spumante di Erbaluce (Dessilani)

SERVICES INCLUDED:

• 2 HB in a good, 3-star hotel by the lake (dinner on the 1st day and lunch on the 3rd day)
• Transfer by minibus to all the wine-cellars
• All the visits and tasting-sessions included in the programme
• Dinner on Isola Pescatori (motorboat transfer to the island included)
• 2 HD theory lessons held by an experienced teacher
• 1 food and wine-tasting session and day visit with a gastronomy guide/translator