New York, Dec. 3 – When in Rome, drink as the Romans do: with the very best Italian wines in the most spectacular of settings. Select Italy’s new series of six private wine tastings lets travelers revel in the goodness of the grape amidst the chic backdrop of one of the Eternal City’s most sumptuous wine bars. Designed to appeal to discerning oenophile and budding wine lover alike, these carefully curated luxury tasting experiences each include a guided degustation of three different but regionally linked wines paired with a range of fresh and inventive antipasti. The exceptional venue is a grand enoteca (Italian wine bar) situated on the ground floor of a restored 16th-century palazzo, replete with recently discovered Roman ruins in the extensive wine cellars.

The six wine tastings are:

• The Taste of Revelation: the Wines of Friuli
  Synonymous with great white wines, the northeastern Italian region of Friuli produces fresh and fruity wines with a delicate fragrance. This tasting features a trio of wines from three different estates, including such vintages as Gigante, Colli Orientali del Friuli "Friulano" 2007 and Pierpaolo Pecorari, Malvasia 2007.
• Aged to Perfection: Brunello di Montalcino
  Bold and aromatic wines with a fruit-driven character, Brunellos are among the smoothest reds you’ll ever drink. Enjoy the likes of Conti Costanti Brunello di Montalcino 2004 and Casanova di Neri Brunello Di Montalcino Tenuta Nuova 2003.
• Wines of the Italian Kings: the Wines of Piemonte
  Made from grapes grown in the Langhe and Monferrato hills, Barolo and Nebbiolo wines are of a superior caliber. The complexity and balance of their structure emerges in this gustatory journey through the pleasures of Piedmont.
• Chianti: the Quintessential Italian Wine
  Though Chianti wines are known worldwide, not everyone appreciates the subtle differences that arise when Sangiovese, Trebbiano and Canaiolo grapes are combined to create the nectar that is Chianti. But at this private wine tasting, you will.
• Italian Bubbles: the Fine Art of Spumanti
  Light, fresh, festive: that’s Italian spumanti. In this tasting, sample such superb sparkling wines as Cavalleri Franciacorta Spumante Metodo Classico Pas Dosé 2004 and Monsupello Spumante Metodo Classico Oltrepò Pavese Pas Dosé “Nature”.
• Kissed by the Sun: the Wines of the South
  In the past two decades, a new generation of oenologists has used native varietals to craft a solid range of supremely drinkable reds and whites from grapes of southern Italian provenance. At this tasting, participants can savor the likes of Marco de Bartoli Pietranera 2007 and Tasca d'Almerita Grillo Mozia 2008.

All the dedicated wine tastings take place at Casa Bleve, widely considered the best enoteca in Rome, located in the historic heart of the city near the Pantheon. They include gourmet antipasti and culminate in a visit to Casa Bleve’s wine cellars, where prestigious vintages are displayed in a setting that mixes the modern with visible vestiges of Roman antiquity. A two-year renovation uncovered original arches, marble columns and an ancient Augustan-era wall.

Hour-long tastings start at 7PM, must be booked in advance and are priced from $152 per person. All prices are guaranteed in U.S. dollars. Upon booking a wine tasting, customers receive a service voucher that contains all the information they need to embark on their Roman wine discovery. Travelers can also book multiple wine tastings prior to their departure for Italy. For more information about Select Italy’s new wine tasting evenings in Rome and other unique culinary offerings in Italy, or to make bookings, visit the company’s comprehensive Website at www.selectitaly.com.

Press contact:
Anthony Grant
Tel. (646) 379-0767
tony@selectitaly.com

Dream trip to the Amalfi Coast and beyond? Done. Opening night at La Scala? Check. Tuscan villa rental to remember? Presto! Based in Chicago with an office in New York and support staff in Italy, Select Italy has been a trusted ambassador of Italian travel expertise since 1997 and is the ultimate source for travel to Italy. The company offers a wide array of products and services, including customized itineraries, wedding/honeymoon and other vacation packages, culinary tours, a complete pre-departure ticketing service for museums and musical events, private guided services, yacht charters, transportation, hotel reservations and villas bookings, and more. All of these are available by calling (800) 877-1755 or by visiting the company's comprehensive Website, www.selectitaly.com.