Italy has the most impressive roster of grape varieties on the planet. Its unique geography, tapestry of distinct regional identities, and strong historical winegrowing tradition have given rise to a formidable cast of characters. Local specialties and obscure varieties can be found all over the country, offering near-endless potential for adventurous drinkers, and each one has a story to tell––but many of these grapes are effectively unknown in the greater wine world. Ren will share some of her favorite varieties from all over Italy with a lineup that goes way beyond Sangiovese and Nebbiolo, and she'll even help you pronounce them.
This class will begin at 6:00pm on Tuesday, February 18 and run for approximately 90 minutes. Wines tasted in class will be available for purchase with a discount available to attendees only. Seating is limited.
Ren Peir is a WSET III-certified wine curator and educator with a special interest in building community around wine for queer and trans people of color.
Ren's love of wine developed as a way to bridge the cultural and language gap with her father, and has since developed into a full-blown obsession complete with spreadsheets and graphs. In addition to teaching classes, Ren throws exclusive dinner popups and wine collaboration events all over the city. She loves advocating for wines made from sustainable and mindful farming practices.
Camus-Bruchon's 2022 Savigny-lès-Beaune "Aux Grands Liards Vieilles Vignes," shows how beautifully old vines translate classic terroir and Guillaume Camus did an exemplary job letting his vines sing in 2022. Despite the heat and stress of the vintage, he has managed to capture wines with incredible precision and balance with generous, juicy ripe fruit balanced with unstoppable freshness and lift.
To celebrate the end of 2024, we are offering an even more delicious version of one of 2023's most popular sparkling wines. We're talking about Bruno Dangin's blanc de noir called "Cuvée Blanche" — a Crémant de Bourgogne you could easily mistake for a great Grower Champagne.
Located in the small village of Boca, Le Piane is one of our favorite Alto Piemonte producers. Swiss-born Christoph Kunzli purchased the cellar and a tiny clutch of vines from octogenarian vigneron Antonio Cerri soon after arriving in the region in the late 1980s. If — like us — you find a hypothetical cross between the traditional wines of Barolo and the Savoie quite enticing, then these wines are must-trys.