May 2026
There is a moment, somewhere in the middle of the week, when something shifts. It happens in the vineyard, or in the cellar, or over a glass poured in the last light of an Etna afternoon and the student becomes something else entirely. They become ambassadors. I’ve watched it happen to twenty-one graduates from four continents. It happened again this May.
We are proud to announce that Alyson Badami, Nick Badami, Scott Thomas, and Dr. Jeanne Van Dyk have successfully completed the 2026 Etna Ambassador Certificate™ Program and joined the ranks of the world’s Certified Etna Ambassadors™.
They are now part of an elite group of studied wine connoisseurs, who carry firsthand knowledge of Mount Etna, its soils, its grapes, and its wines, and who have earned the honor of educating and promoting Etna with genuine authority.
The Week
A full week of on-the-ground training included a welcome dinner sponsored by DOC Sicilia Consorzio, an Etna Masterclass sponsored by DOC Etna Consorzio, and visits to Etna wineries including Terra Costantino, Santa Maria La Nave, Maugeri, Barone di Villagrande, Benanti, Tenuta delle Terre Nere, and Palmento Costanzo. These Etna estates represent a spectrum of how Etna expresses itself within the territory and in the bottle. We also hiked the volcano, and studied the wines and local pairings.
On the final morning, the candidates for the Etna Ambassador™ Certificate gathered at Firriato-Cavanera Etnea for the final examination, which included a challenging blind tasting of five wines.
We are grateful to the Etna DOC Consorzio and the DOC Sicilia Consorzio for their continued partnership and support of the program, and to every producer who opened their doors and their cellars to our students this year.
Meet the 2026 Certified Etna Ambassadors™
Alyson Badami
Alyson farms a biodynamic vineyard on the slopes of Mount Hood, a dormant volcano in Oregon’s Columbia Gorge, alongside her husband Nick. The two left their careers behind to work hands-on in Pacific Northwest wineries and vineyards, spending five years learning the rhythm of the seasons and the humility of farming close to the land. Alyson is drawn particularly to traditional method sparkling wine and to the particular gravity of volcanic landscapes. For her, the week on Etna was a conversation between soils and an opportunity to connect the two terroirs to serve the one she farms.
Nick Badami
Nick shares Alyson’s story and her farm, and brings to it his own perspective of volcanic wines. The Columbia Gorge (Oregon) and the slopes of Mount Etna are separated by thousands of miles and centuries of wine culture, but the soil beneath the vines speaks a recognizable language to anyone who has worked it with their hands. Nick has a curiosity and respect for terroir as a farmer and a student of wine.
Scott Thomas
Scott is a Denver-based sommelier, educator, and co-founder of Grappolo Food and Wine School. His credentials alone would command attention: one of only twenty-two Vinitaly International Academy Certified Italian Wine Experts in the world; Italian Wine Ambassador; Certified Wine Educator; Certified Sommelier; and he holds WSET’s Level III Certificate. Scott’s passion for Italian wine was forged in Piedmont and Tuscany, culminating in a Master’s in Wine Culture from Slow Food’s University of Gastronomic Sciences.
Dr. Jeanne Van Dyk
Dr. Van Dyk is a South African-born wine scholar and certified sommelier with a remarkable academic record. She is an Italian Wine Scholar, a French Wine Scholar, a Bourgogne Master, Certified Sherry Wine Specialist and the holder of WSET’s Level III Certificate. She is currently completing the Wine Scholar Guild Tasting Diploma and holds a PhD from the University of Pretoria. Jeanne brings a quality of attention, intellectual depth, and a genuine passion for Mount Etna’s volcanic wines.
About the Etna Ambassador™ Program
The Etna Ambassador Certificate™ is earned through independent study, through presence on the mountain, and through a rigorous final examination. Every person who carries this certificate has stood on this volcano, tasted these wines in context, and proven they can speak about them with precision and depth.
Twenty-one Certified Etna Ambassadors™ work in various capacities around the world. They are sommeliers, educators, journalists, growers, and gastronomic experts. What they all share is a firsthand relationship with one of the world’s most singular wine regions, and a commitment to telling its story.
We are proud to add Alyson, Nick, Scott, and Jeanne to our growing community.
Enrollment for the 2027 Etna Ambassador Certificate™ Program will open this summer. Space is limited to twelve (12) students. Follow us at www.EtnaWineSchool.com for updates, or write to us at info@etnawineschool.com for information.