Courses In Italian and International Wines
The Ian D’Agata Wine Academy in Montalcino’s exclusive wine courses offer progressive levels of wine learning (“Connoisseur”, “Advanced” and “Expert”), small class sizes (max 20) for personalized learning, and a stimulating, state of the art experience combining education, accommodation, and Tuscan and Italian culture.
Our mission is to provide high-quality wine courses that blend knowledge, hands-on experience, and the wine expertise of Ian D’Agata in the uniquely high-level location of Castiglion del Bosco in the heart of the Montalcino wine country. In so doing, we hope to enable our wine students to become a key references and leading opinion leaders and experts on Italian wine.
In 2025, the next Ian D’Agata Wine Academy (IDWA) course held in Montalcino will be an Advanced level scheduled for November 17-20. Presently, two IDWA courses are planned in Montalcino a year, either of Advanced or Expert level, and will be scheduled accordingly, but always in April and in November. The available dates for 2026 will be published shortly.
DON’T MISS THIS!
COME JOIN OUR GROWING WINE COMMUNITY BY BEING AMONGST THE LUCKY STUDENTS ATTENDING OUR NEXT COURSE IN MONTALCINO BEING LAUNCHED NOW!
To sign up for the course and for any questions you may have, please contact Giulia Corino at: giulia.corino@iandagatawine.com
IDWA ADVANCED LEVEL: ITALY’S MYRIAD NATIVE GRAPES, THEIR TERROIRS, AND THEIR WINES
PROGRAM OUTLINE
Dates: November 17-20, 2025 (just before Benvenuto Brunello)
Focus: An in-depth, very complete and detailed course on the diversity of Italy’s native grapes, their terroirs and their wines.
This is an intermediate-level course that is perfect for wine professionals seeking a strong foundation in Italian wine and a good understanding of native grapes and why they are special, along with the terroirs they are historically associated with and the wines they are representative of. The course is easygoing enough that wine enthusiasts with some wine knowledge will enjoy it as well. The course in Montalcino is divided into a series of modules devoted to classroom lectures, extended wine tastings, and winery visits.
Program Highlights Overview:
Day 1: Italian native grapes and wine overview; understanding clones and biotypes; understanding terroir; wines of the North-West (Piedmont, Liguria, Valle d’Aosta, Lombardy), and North-East (Veneto, Friuli Venezia Giulia, Trentino-Alto Adige).
Day 2: Wines of Central Italy (Tuscany, ER, Umbria, Abruzzo, Marche, Lazio), Southern Italy (Sicily, Sardinia, Campania, Puglia, Basilicata), and a surprise module focusing on Italian grapes planted elsewhere in the world.
Day 3: Castiglion del Bosco Rosso and Brunello di Montalcino Masterclass with Ian D’Agata and Castiglion del Bosco winemaker, Cecilia Leoneschi, followed by a Winery Tour and Tasting at Castiglion del Bosco Winery and then another local winery.
Educational sessions and tastings in Montalcino take place at Castiglion del Bosco Wine Resort in the beautiful Members Wine Cellar.
Daily Schedule:
Participating students will lodge at the Hotel SI di Montalcino. Group transportation for the students is arranged from Florence Santa Maria Novella train station to Montalcino.
Morning: Breakfast is served at the SI di Montalcino. Organized transportation takes participants to the Member Cellar of Castiglion del Bosco, a highly exclusive venue that combines the charm of tradition with state-of-the-art facilities, providing an ideal setting for lectures and tastings.
Daytime: Educational sessions and wine tastings at Castiglion del Bosco. A curated light lunch is provided onsite, offering participants the chance to enjoy Tuscan flavors in a world-class environment.
Evening: Participants are transported back to the SI di Montalcino, where they enjoy free time to explore Montalcino’s culinary and cultural offerings. Optional dinners or activities can be arranged in town or with partner wineries and restaurants.
Day 1
09:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Introduction to Italian wine: grape varieties, appellations, clones/biotypes, terroir.
11:30 AM – 01:00 PM: The wines of northwest Italy (8 wines)
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Light lunch
02:00 PM – 03:30 PM: The wines of northeastern Italy (8 wines)
04.00PM: return to hotel and free time
Day 2
09:30 AM – 11:00 AM: Wines of Central Italy (8 wines)
11:30 AM – 01:00 PM: The wines of Southern Italy and Islands (8 wines)
01:00 PM – 02:00 PM: Light lunch
02:00 PM – 03:30 PM: Extra module: either Italian grapes and wines elsewhere in the world or a vertical tasting of one specific Italian wine
Short 50 multiple choice question test. Certificate of participation and Advanced level pin for those who pass.
04.00PM: return to hotel and free time
Day 3
Castiglion del Bosco Rosso and Brunello masterclass with Cecilia Leoneschi.
Visit to two local wineries, Castiglion del Bosco and another local one.
04.00PM: return to hotel and free time
Departure early the next morning
Fee:
Course Cost: 490 Euros/person
Signup deadline: March 10, 2025.
Accomodations are at: Hotel Sì Montalcino (transfer to the classroom at Castiglion del Bosco is included); 140 Euros/night (total for three nights: Euro 420) . Students need to add this cost to the course fee.
To sign up for the course and for any questions you may have, please contact Giulia Corino at: giulia.corino@iandagatawine.com
