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80 { THE SOMM JOURNAL } FEBRUARY/MARCH 2017 2017 Cru Artisan College Syllabus 9:00 a.m. – 9:20 a.m. HOMEROOM – PASTRIES AND PROSECCO We'll break the ice with the quintessential symbol of Italian hospitality and offer an informal introduction to the concept of breakfast wine. Coffee and tea will also be served for those needing greater stimulus. Maschio dei Cavalieri Prosecco 9:30 a.m. – 10:30 a.m. BEYOND THE PALE — TRADITIONS AND INNOVATIONS IN ITALIAN ROSÉ THROUGH THE WINEMAKERS EYES Rosé is growing in popularity and seasonality; as it takes the market by storm, Italians won't be left behind. That argument will be made with the lighter side of five famous red varietal rosés—Pinot Noir, Sangiovese, Corvina, Montepulciano and Lambrusco di Sorbara—by the men who made them, with some inventive pairing suggestions. Cuvee Aurora Rose, Sartori Bardolino Chiaretto, Centine Rosé, Cerulli Cerasuolo, FB Lambrusco 10:40 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. DIGGING IN: CELEBRATING THE UNIQUE TERROIRS OF LA BELLA ITALIA More than 1,800 different native wine grape varietals thrive (or survive) on Italy's patchwork quilt of soil types, ranging from her mountainous Apennine backbone and volcanic soils to the rich clay of her plains and the sandy loam near her long coastline. A panel of winemakers from five of her 20 regions— Piemonte (Alberto Lazzarino), Toscana (Rudy Buratti), Lazio (Mauro Merz), Veneto (Andrea Sartori) and Abruzzo (Enrico Cerulli)—will show you some of the winning combinations of unique grapes and special places. Small-bite pairings will be served. Principessa Gavia, La Pettegola, Cortalto, Terre dei Grifi, Luna Mater, Ferdi, La Lus, Regolo, Torre Migliori, ASKA 12:20 p.m. – 12:35 p.m. COMPTEITIVE BLIND TASTING A cash prize is on the line for the student who can correctly identify the most characteristics of our four wines. 12:40 p.m. – 1:40 p.m. BUILDING A BRUNELLO FROM THE GROUND UP – A WINEMAKER'S PERSPECTIVE Hailed by Wine Spectator as "Builders of Brunello," the Castello Banfi estate has pioneered clonal research and zonation studies in its pursuit of excellence, raising a tide of quality that has lifted the entire region. Veteran winemaker Rudy Buratti will reveal the elements of his three-decade-long research and demonstrate how Sangiovese behaves so uniquely, not only in Montalcino as a whole but from hill to hill on just one single estate. Vineyard 1, Vineyard 2, Vineyard 3, Vineyard 4, Castello Banfi Brunello, Poggio alle Mura Brunello, Poggio all'Oro Brunello 1:50 p.m. – 2:50 p.m. AMARONE AMORE –ANCIENT TECHNIQUES FOR CONTEMPORARY TASTES: STYLE VARIATIONS AND THE FUTURE Two of Verona's leading producers of Amarone and Ripasso wines will share their knowledge, passion and insights for this winemaking technique that dates back to the ancient Romans and was a 'secret' of farmers for centuries. L'Appassione, Le Poiane, Bolla Amarone, Sartori Amarone, Corte Bra, Le Origini, I Saltari 3:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. NOT YOUR NONNA'S MARSALA: A SWEET FINISH AND A BITTER NOTE Benedetta Poretti of Sicily's historic Florio winery will show why her cellars are renowned for their reserves and reveal the complexity, flexibility and future of Marsala. Malvasia delle Lipari and Florio Fernet add Sicilian counterpoints. Florio Sweet Marsala, Florio Dry Marsala, Targa, Florio Malvasia delle Lipari, Fernet Florio Commencement exercises to immediately follow. make up Italy. For this seminar, we're also going to prepare more of a lunch pairing. We'll have a little heavier portion with all those wines. When you have ten wines to taste through, you've got to have food." As for Marsala, Leicht continues, "The fact is, we've received such great reception about the Marsala from seminars in the past that we decided to separate it out and give out and give the lovely Benedetta [Benedetta Poretti, family proprietor, Florio] a chance to strut her stuff and show all of us how special Marsala can be in a modern context. That's why we called it 'Not Your Nonna's Marsala.' Marsala for so long was something that used to be kept in the back of grandma's cabinet, but as we witnessed last year with Targa, etc., these wines are very spe - cial. They've been able to break out and hold their own, very much the same way Sherry did. Sherry has come a long way and Marsala absolutely has that same potential." To learn more about the details and wines of this year's curriculum, see the syl - labus included here. And upon reviewing it, consider the components of Cru Artisan College that aren't apparent from the text: the volatile chemistry of Italian winemakers and the insane amounts of wine, food, learn - ing and fun. Says Leicht, "When you put five winemakers in a room, you're going to have 25 opinions, but when they get together, magic happens. The results become greater than the sum of its parts." Maurizio Broggi, FWS, DWS, creator of the Wine Scholar Guild's Italian Wine Scholar program, in Gattinara. PHOTO COURTESY OF MAURIZIO BROGGI