On the eve of our very first class, May 28, the Palermo-based EnoGastronomic magazine Cronache Di Gusto published a short interview with the Etna Wine School’s lead agronomist, Valeria Carastro. During the interview, Valeria shared the strategy for our new innovative wine educational center based on Sicily’s east coast, in the Mount Etna zone.
Here’s a rough translation:
“Etna Wine School, lessons for touring enthusiasts and experts … Living well and learning about wine in Sicily.
“Introducing the Etna Wine School, with the blessing of the good life and the desire to learn all about Sicilian wines. The school is designed for experts, enthusiasts, and wine lovers, who wish to taste [the wines of Mount Etna, Sicily and the surrounding islands]. Founding the Etna Wine school were Benjamin Spencer, a Californian transplanted to Mount Etna – an expert winemaker, sommelier, a scholar of viticulture and enology – and Etnean Valeria Carastro, an agronomist, sommelier, and wine business expert. A meeting between the two wine experts on the highest volcano in Europe has resulted in the creation of a school for wine touring, that will make its official debut with the first course May 30, 2013. ‘The first event we will be in Taormina with a group of students of Minnesota’ Carastro said. ‘But we [have mobilized our courses to meet] the needs of our participants. One of the next steps for the lessons will be directed at offering the courses at multiple locations around the volcano, including Feudo Vagliasindi, in Randazzo,’ where the interview took place. The courses are designed to educate and entertain. They are divided by topics: An Introduction to Wine; Sicily: A Story Through Wine; Exploring The Language of Wine; Pairing Wine and Food; Professional Techniques of Wine Tasting; Etna Wines; and Wines of the Islands.”
The editor went on to include our contact details … which you don’t need, because you are already here … Now, how can WE help YOU learn more about the wines of Sicily?