Join our own Professor Ed Jenks at our tasting counter for an introduction to the wines of Italy, including an overview of the country's regions, common grape varieties, and wine classification system, not to mention a line-up of excellent Italian wines from some of the country's most talented producers!

Sparkling wine. Conegliano, Veneto, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Glera. High-pitched aromas of stone fruits, lime, and pears. There's good balance and energy to the flavors of lemon, white peach and green apple. A restrained style of Prosecco, with very nice balanced acidity that leaves the mouth feeling fresh and clean but that accentuates the impression of dryness on the surprisingly persistent finish.

Red wine. Piedmont, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Barbera sourced from a 60-year-old vineyard. Temperature controlled fermentation followed by brief aging in tank. The age if the vines and the type of soil make it possible to produce a ready-to-drink wine with structure, but which retains its aromas and flavors after aging. Aromatic bouquet of black cherries, plum, and pepper. A fresh, beautifully balanced wine.

Red wine. Valltelina, Lombardy, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Nebbiolo. Careful harvesting of only the best grapes at optimal ripeness. The grapes are dried in a special larder for 3 months, then de-stemmed and fermented in stainless steel. Aged in neutral 20hl French oak foudre for 18 months. Deep and well- balanced, this mountain-produced dry passito made from Nebbiolo has a round palate that is bursting with ripe currant and dark mature fruit. Very balanced with a terrific finish.

Red wine. Piemonte, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Barbera. A juicy, rustic Barbera full of easy-going red fruit. Sweet, ripe red cherry, plum, and expressive floral notes feature prominently. Primed to drink over the next 2-3 years, while the fruit remains youthful and juicy.

White wine. Fruili, Italy. Organic. 100% Friulano. From 70-year-old Friulano vines planted on a marl & sandstone flysch hillside near the Slovenian border. Whole grape clusters pressed gently to extract only the purest juice. Primary fermentation begins naturally in stainless steel tanks and no malolactic fermentation. Matured 6 months on the lees in stainless steel vats before bottling. Delicate aromas of grapefruit, lemon and fine-herbs. The palate displays marked minerality with flavors of citrus fruit, green herb and a nutty, almost almondy finish.

Rosé wine. Piemonte, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Nebbiolo. Deep pink. Classic Italian red berry flavors with delicate notes of spice, flower, and mineral. Impressively complex and silky on the palate, with a long and mouth-watering finish.

White wine. Piedmont, Italy. Sustainable. 100% Timorasso. Sourced from a vineyard planted in 2009 sitting atop clay soils with a west-facing exposure. Succulent, juicy pears, flowers, tobacco and anise all flesh out in this generous, gorgeous white. The aromas and flavors are on the bright side, but this is a white with more than enough body and shoulders to stand up to fairly rich foods.