There is no better way to learn about Italian wine than from Italian Sommeliers. And, to further enhance the wine tasting and education experience, this year's Miami presentation of two North American Sommelier Association (NASA) courses will take place at Toscana Divino (Mary Brickell Village) and Ironside Pizza (Upper East) – two restaurants known for bringing authentic Italian food, culture, and ambiance to South Florida.

Whether you are a wine professional or someone who loves wine and wishes to cultivate a greater knowledge of wine and viticulture, the NASA Italian Wine Specialist course offers 4 days (24 hours) of wine education from June 27-30, 2015, as well as a certification exam on Friday, July 31st. All 20 Italian wine regions will be covered including wine laws, regulations, grape varietals, as well as a brief overview of cuisine and culture. The course will be held at Ironside Pizza.

NASA also launches its newest one day, tasting course, Piemonte: King under the Mountain. A region in Northern Italy known to be shrouded in fog, this course aims to "lift" the mystery associated with the culture, food, and wine from Italy's number 1 winemaking region. The course will be held at Toscana Divino.

The courses are led by Diego Grom Meraviglia, a Gold-Pin professional sommelier and Vice President and Director of Education for NASA, a non-profit organization directly affiliated and partnered with the Italian Sommelier Association (AIS - Associazione Italiana Sommeliers). Born and raised in Northern Piemonte, Meraviglia relocated to Los Angeles in 2005. He is one of NASA's founders, in charge of the educational curriculum and teaches several courses across the U.S. and Canada. In 2008, he obtained the 'Gold-Pin' certification with the AIS and the Worldwide Sommelier Association (WSA).

Meraviglia is a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) with the Society of Wine Educators in the United States and, in 2009, was awarded the prestigious international prize 'AIS – Villa Sandi', given to only 15 sommeliers worldwide.

"Italy is not a complicated wine country...it is a complex one," said Meraviglia. "We hope that, in the end, not only will our students have learned about Italian wine, but will share the same heartwarming passion for this paradise that we do."

The $650.00 Italian Wine Specialist fee includes all texts, wine colors charts, tastings that cover 30 wines representing all Italian wine regions, and a NASA promotional membership.

The fee for Piemonte: King under the Mountain is $270.00. Current 2015 NASA members receive a $50.00 discount. For more information and to register, visit http://www.nasommelier.com/location/miami/, call 786.427.9187, or email [email protected]