These LI classes will help you be more wine savvy
Massimo DeVellis is the owner of Insieme Wines in Oceanside, where he offers classes meant to be fun, he said. Credit: Howard Simmons
Larry Feldman knew a fair amount about wine from his days as a bartender and a wine purchaser at a country club, but he wanted to learn more. So he took a red wine and a blind tasting class with Massimo DeVellis, owner of Insieme Wines in Oceanside.
“He’s one of the most knowledgeable people I’ve ever met about wine,” said Feldman, 75, a retired teacher of deaf students, who lives in Long Beach. “And since he produces the wine himself — he is the winemaker as well and the purchaser of the grapes that he sources — his knowledge has to be very deep.”
Whether they’re total novices or somewhat knowledgeable about the subject, people take classes because they’re curious about wine, DeVellis said.
DeVellis’ father, Enrico, descended from a family that long grew olives and grapes in the Lazio region of Italy. DeVellis became more intrigued about winemaking after having a meal with his wife in Martha’s Vineyard.
“Wine has always been this very mysterious thing for people, and they just love to learn about it,” he said.
Insieme means “together” in Italian. According to its website, the winery on Lawson Boulevard offers tasting classes for date nights, bachelorette parties and those celebrating a birthday.
Feldman appreciated the intimacy of Insieme’s classes: one had about 20 participants; the other just Feldman and his friend.
“It was just the two of us and Massimo. It was a private lesson, actually,” Feldman said. “But we had a great time.”
Insieme Wines is a licensed winery that produces its own wines as a “négociant” producer, contracting with various farms throughout North America, predominantly those in California, and also Washington and New York State.
“People don’t realize you can make wine and not have to be a vineyard owner,” said DeVellis.
Insieme’s classes delve into the grapes, barrel selection, equipment and the basic how, why and when the wine is produced.
“A lot of times, I’ll be talking about what wine in the world inspired me to want to make this,” DeVellis said.
COST
Individual classes at Insieme, range from $96.50 for a white or red wine class to $105 for a cabernet sauvignon class. The two-hour course include tasting several wines, charcuterie and flatbread, and interactive discussion with Devellis, Insieme’s head winemaker, and a sommelier.
North Fork Table and Inn in Southold offers classes starting at $140 per person, northforktableandinn.com/event/wine-classes/
Many East End vineyards offer educational wine tastings. Visit liwines.com/events/ for upcoming experiences
TASTING
DeVellis offers classes each week in red wine, white wine, Italian varietal wines and —the most popular class — cabernet sauvignon. “We talk about cabernet sauvignon, its origins, what makes it unique, why the wine maker loves to make it so much,” he said.
WINE + FOOD
Pairing wine with food is an essential part of Insieme’s wine classes.
“Wine is supplemental to food,” said Feldman, noting that sauvignon blanc or fumé blanc, both of which have strong mineral tastes, match up well with fish.
NO INTIMIDATION ZONE
People can walk into a wine shop and get intimidated by the selection, DeVellis said. He tries to break it down to the basic components: where the grapes come from; why they grow well in the places they grow; and why he makes it in the style that he does.
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