The Great Online Italian tasting is a follow on event from last months Rioja Tasting. John Wilson, Wine writer for the Irish Times will give us an uninterrupted and guided tour of Italy, and Italian wines. John will share his passion for wine, answer your questions and take us through six of his favourite wines, all of which he has chosen himself. It is in his words his 'grand tour of Italy'. The tasting will last approximately one hour and 30 minutes. How it Works?Once you purchase a Great Italian Tasting Case, we will email you a link for the online tasting. The tasting will take place on Friday 20th November at 7pm. We will ship your tasting case to you up to one week beforehand.  On October 16th, John hosted The great Rioja Tasting' for over 160 of our customers online. There are plenty of opportunities to ask questions in a very informal and enjoyable setting and there's much to learn along the way. You will be welcome to buy a case and share the wines amongst a couple of households. To do this, you should share the link sent to you, with multiple households in order that you can all taste the wines, getting the most out of each Great Italian Tasting Case. Tasting Cases will be dispatched w/c 9th November. What wines has John Chosen? Isole e Olena Chianti ClassicoTuscany, Italy1 x 75cl Bottles Tuscan Winemaker Paolo di Marchi is something of an icon. Hailed as one of Tuscanys treasures, the winery is a must visit for anyone visiting the town of Radda in Tuscany. His is a flagship Chianti Clasico and one of the very best examples of Sangiovese at it's very best. The wine is matured for a year before bottling and is then released after a further 4 months of bottle ageing.  Dark ruby in color, the Chianti Classico has a clean and fresh perfumed nose of red cherry and strawberry. It is medium bodied and boasts copious floral, minty red berry and red cherry flavours of lovely purity, with a smooth yet vibrant texture nicely firmed by an edge of acidity. Donnafugata 'Sherzade' Nero d'AvolaSicily, Italy 1 x 75cl BottlesThe Rallo family has made wine in Marsala since 1851 and their ancient cellars tunnel beneath the city. Donnafugata means 'fleeing woman' and is a reference to Queen Maria Carolina, who escaped the court of Naples in the early 19th century with her husband, Ferdinand IV of Bourbon, when Napoleon's troops arrived. The wine is exceptional and one of Sicily's great Red Wines. Brilliant ruby red with purple hues, the Sherazade has a bouquet of fragrant strawberries and blackberries with violets and hints of black pepper. The palate is soft and enveloping with smooth tannins and a spicy fruit profile that reflect the nose. Antonella Corda Vermentino Sardinia, Italy1 x 75cl Bottles Antonella Corda, the granddaughter of the famed viticulturalist Antonio Argiolas, founded her winery in 2010 after finishing her masters in viticulture and winemaking at the prestigious Edmund Mach Foundation. This is a wine that is new to Ireland, and it is spectacular. There are intense aromas of tropical fruits and peach. The intensity continues with a refreshing acidity, bursting freshness  and the most wonderful finish in the mouth. A really well made excellent wine.  Farnese Montepulciano d'AbruzzoAbruzzo, Italy1 x 75cl Fantini Farnese Montepulciano d’Abruzzo begins with a very pleasing aroma of red and black cherry plus other ripe red berries. The wine tastes soft, fruity and easy to drink. At first blush it seems somewhat simple, but after a few sips of this extremely tasty wine you quickly come to appreciate its charms. Maraschino cherries, plums and a touch of spice stand out in this nicely balanced, medium-bodied wine. It ends dry with good length. This is a great pick to pair with pasta in red sauce.   Ca Rugate Rio Alba ValpolicellaVeneto, Italy 1 x 75cl Ca Rugate are famous throughout Italy for producing exceptiopnal quality wines and this Valpolicella shows why they deserve this status. This is a gentle red wine in terms of tannins yet it has heaps of flavour and goes really well with chicken, pork and hard cheeses. The family business has been handed down through the generations of the Tessari family since the early 1900s. Ca'Rugate has been awarded the prestigious 'Tre Bicchieri' award rating from Gambero Rosso multiple times, making it one of the most awarded producers in the competition. Di Camillo PasserinaTerre Di Chieti, Italy1 x 75cl Bottles Paolo di Camillo manages his family business Di Camillo Vini, which was founded in 1900 by in Abruzzo. Over the years, the di Camillo family bought more and more vineyards in the best areas around Poggiofiorito. His daughter Sara runs the winerey and together they are a great team. Their wines are a breath of fresh air.  Passerina is a largely unknown grape variety. It is a fresh wine, with simple clean, elegant fruit with crisp minerality. If you like your Albarino, Chablis or Picpoul  you will love this wine. It is a steal of a wine at the pricepoint and will become one of your new favourites, as it has ours!   Total RRP: €159.00 Mixed Case RRP: €129.00 Save: €2000 on this Case & live tasting!