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Experiencing Wine:
Wines of Mt. Etna

Designed for novice and advanced wine connoisseurs alike, our Experiencing Wine Series aims to help you gain a deeper understanding and appreciation of the essential aspects of sensory evaluation that are often overlooked in most wine tastings

EXPLORE THE WINES OF MT. ETNA

Perched on the slopes of Europe’s most active volcano, Mount Etna, Sicily’s Etna DOC is where human craftsmanship meets nature’s extremes.

Here, vineyards cling to ancient lava flows at varying elevations.

Volcanic soils, wide day–night temperature swings, and shifting microclimates shape wines with striking minerality, lift, and tension.

From fragrant, fine-boned reds to incisive, saline-edged whites, Etna’s wines capture both the intensity of the volcano and the finesse of meticulous, small-parcel viticulture.

Join Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino for a guided tasting and exploration of this dynamic region at the intersection of fire and vine.

Camilla brings sensory expertise and practical insights to this session, offering a grounded, approachable journey through Etna’s unique terroirs and grape varieties.

WINE COURSE OVERVIEW

By the end of this wine workshop, you will:

  • Explore the Volcanic Terroir of Etna: Learn how elevation, cooled lava soils, and dramatic diurnal shifts shape Etna’s distinctive styles.

  • Discover Key Grape Varieties: Taste and compare Nerello Mascalese (red) alongside Grillo and Carricante (white) to understand their signatures and roles in Sicilian winemaking.

  • Understand Etna’s Winemaking Traditions: See how centuries of cultivation on terraced slopes and contrade (cru-like sites) inform today’s quality and personality.

  • Refine Your Tasting Skills: Practice guided sensory evaluation to identify hallmark volcanic cues—minerality, texture, and structure—in Etna wines.
Whether you’re a curious enthusiast or looking to deepen your palate with one of Italy’s most talked-about regions, this class offers an engaging, sensory-rich introduction to the wines of Mount Etna.

Wine Tasting in Corvallis

This unique workshop couples science with the senses, resulting in a richer tasting experience and comprehensive understanding of wine.

Through lectures and guided tastings, you will discuss taste, mouthfeel, aromatics, spoilage and other aspects of the science of wine.  

  • Friday, November 7 from 6 – 7 p.m. at OSU Corvallis Campus (tasting included). 

All participants must be 21 years of age or older. 

calendar
November 7, 2025
6 – 7 p.m
clock
One hour
location
Corvallis, Oregon
price (2)
In-Person: $60
60
Additional Information:
CORVALLIS: OSU Campus

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It did help me better understand and recognize aromas of wine. I believe it does help me in my profession by being able to better educate staff. I really appreciated the tangible aspect of the class and Dr. Tomasino was great. I really appreciated her passion for the content she was teaching. I would recommend this class and have done so with my peers. I hope there will be more class opportunities for additional wine topics offered. I really want to expand my knowledge and this class fit so well into my schedule and the content was fantastic.

Vicki Farris

I used the info and skills I learned in the tasting room and with my staff. It was great to practice the skills on different wines after the class. It was also fun to see the differences people tasted, and similarities. I could really see what was the most difficult for me to detect and what was easier. I thought the info was useful and worth taking the class. I thought the instructors were knowledgeable and really enjoyed the hands-on tasting learning.

Lauren Druse

Instructors

Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino

Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino is an Associate Professor of Enology at OSU. She has had the opportunity to study the wine industry world-wide, including in Europe and New Zealand. Her research interests lie in wine sensory analysis and flavor chemistry. A main research includes determining relationships between sensory and chemical data, particularly those aroma compounds important for wine quality and regional differentiation.

Camilla Sartori
Camilla Sartori is a Wine Sensory Manager at OSU. Originally from Northern Italy, she is a food scientist specializing in sensory analysis and flavor research. At OSU, she manages Dr. Elizabeth Tomasino’s sensory program, oversees sensory studies, and supports research on wine aroma and taste perception.

Past Students' Work

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