The Master Cellar, Palazzo de Piro by Infinitely Xara and Marsovin have joined forces to organise Mondovino – The International Wine Festival on June 12 and 13 at Palazzo de Piro in Mdina. The event will be divided into three: a festival, a series of masterclasses and a wine and dine event.

Festival

Visitors will have the opportunity to taste and chat with foreign top wine producers to the sounds of vintage blues band The Creepers. The price includes free-flowing foreign and local premium wines. Tickets for the event have to be purchased in advance on a first-come, first-served basis.

Masterclasses

On June 13, tutored sessions, delivered in a classroom style set-up, will cover in detail a variety of themes:

‘Unsung heroes of Italy’ – there is a rising trend among some avant-garde Italian wine producers to rediscover their roots by moving away from the classical noble grape varieties and concentrate on indigenous ones.

‘New World flavours’ – history has shown that pioneering New World wine producers have successfully set out to produce wines which can very well live up to their Old World European counterparts.

‘The heritage of a winery’ – Malta premium wine prod-ucer Marsovin will be presenting a selection of their cellar-aged wines. The winery’s wine specialists will guide patrons through each wine, highlighting the vintage factors that make the wines taste unique.

‘Showcasing the best of Etna Agatino Failla from Benanti, a reputable Sicilian winery famous for the production of premium wines loyal to the soils of Mount Etna, will discuss the origins of the winery and how the volcano is expressed in their wines.

Wine and dine

A gastronomic wine dinner will be held in the palazzo’s Sala Panoramica.

Wines from the Sicilian boutique winery Benanti will be paired to the dishes served during a five-course meal prepared by the Infinitely Xara kitchen .

For more information and bookings, visit www.facebook.com/mondovinofestival.