Class Description
Umbria, lesser known than its neighboring region just to the north, Toscana, should by no means be overlooked as it offers many wonderful treasures and products, such as chocolate, olive oils, agricultural products and of course, great wine.  Part of Eataly’s ongoing mission is to familiarize guests with each of Italy’s 20 regions and the products they offer.  During April, we will feature Sagrantino, a unique grape varietal indigenous to Umbria, and 8 esteemed winemakers that produce vino with this grape.  Each Thursday evening, during the month, two winemakers will visit La Scuola to lead you through a tasting and discussion of their wines (Sagrantino and more).  Guest winemakers will be joined by Dan Amatuzzi, Eataly’s Wine Director and Chef of La Scuola, Patrick Lacey.  Chef Lacey will treat guests to complementary food pairings from the region.  Each week class will differ, as two new wine producers visit us and Chef Lacey pulls what’s freshest from the market.  Class will be complete with tasting notes and recommended recipes to take home.  Join us for one or all four of these special aperitivos with the winemaker!

Wines
Antonelli Montefalco Rosso DOC 2008
Antonelli "Chiusa di Pannone" Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG 2004
Antonelli Sagrantino di Montefalco Passito DOCG 2006
For more information about Antonelli please visit http://www.antonellisanmarco.it/.

Perticaia Montefalco Rosso DOC 2008
Perticaia Sagrantino di Montefalco DOCG 2006
Perticaia Sagrantino di Montefalco Riserva DOCG 2008
For information about Perticaia please visit http://www.perticaia.it/.

Menu
Salumi Misti (A Selection of Mixed Cured Meats)
Formaggi Umbri (A Selection of Umbrian Cheese & Condiments)
Minestra Umbra (Seasonal Umbrian Market Vegetable & Bean Soup)

Additional Class Dates
Thursday, April 5^th, 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday, April 12^th, 6:30-8:00pm
Thursday, April 19^th, 6:30-8:00pm
Register www.eataly.com/learn

Sagrantino is an interesting grape and one that is garnering a lot of interest throughout Italy.  Similar to Nebbiolo, Sagrantino is rarely found outside its regional home, in this case Umbria. When Sagrantino has been planted outside Umbrian borders, the resulting wines have been less impressive.  Sagrantino wines are often thick and juicy with racy skin tannins and massive fruit appeal.  Montefalco is a small town located southeast of Perugia, and many of the best vineyards encompass the Montefalco town borders.  Like its neighbor grape, Montepulciano; Sagrantino is a thick-skinned grape that translates into rich and powerfully tannic wines.  The grape thrives in this region whose sloping landscape, optimal sun exposure, and stony soils with easy drainage all contribute to an ideal growing environment. Sagrantino di Montefalco was granted DOCG status in 1992, establishing Sagrantino as one of Italy’s most prized and unique grapes.  It has been one of the more consistent wine styles thus far.

Dan Amatuzzi
Following a semester in Florence studying wine production, Dan entered the hospitality industry in New York City. His first job was polishing wine glasses at Mario Batali's flagship restaurant, Babbo. While it may have seemed mundane to most, he enjoyed the position nonetheless.  Since that time, Dan has worked at other Batali & Bastianich restaurants, learning from chefs and sommeliers who have helped him hone his craft.  In addition to managing the wine department at Eataly, he also blogs about wine.  His website, wineforthestudent.com, is based on wine and spirits education, featuring interviews with winemakers and regional grape descriptions.  Dan is currently pursuing his MBA degree from the Stern School of Business at NYU, focusing on the economic benefits of environmentally friendly restaurant practices.  Recently Zagat named Dan as one of New York's rising "30 under 30" culinary stars.

Patrick Lacey, a Syracuse native, grew up no stranger to cooking. Pat’s large Irish/Italian family got him started in the kitchen early on, sparking a passion that led him directly to the New England Culinary Institute for more formal training after high school. Pat jumped right into the restaurant scene at Craftbar in NYC where he trained under the Executive Chef at the time, Akhtar Nawab. After 5 years under Akhtar’s tutelage, Pat moved on to a brief stint at the Batali & Bastianich restaurant, Del Posto, before he relocated to Venice Beach, CA to work at the Mediterranean eatery The Tasting Kitchen. It was here that Pat immersed himself in whole animal food preparation and butchering. A true New Yorker can never stray too long and after a year Pat was back on the East Coast, joining the team at Eataly. If he had not pursued cooking, Pat most likely would have been teaching history.

** Class duration is approximate and may vary by 10-15 minutes. Menu and wine are subject to slight change.