The first of our Beyond the Glass experiences: a night at school in Paddington, where Italy is taught one region, seven wines and five courses at a time.

Once home to the much-loved Lucio’s, Civico 47 is a modern Italian restaurant in Paddington, Sydney, where the menu is often imbued with Australian native touches. Now in its fifth year, it has held a chef’s hat in the Good Food Guide every year since opening.

With chef Matteo Zamboni at the helm, the food and atmosphere are delightful reasons to dine here, but it was its wine list that caught my eye. Curated by sommelier Luca Collardini, the restaurant boasts an impressive 172 wines, with 74 options available by the glass. It’s no surprise, given Collardini’s pedigree. At Jonah’s in Whale Beach, his wine list was named Australia’s Wine List of the Year in 2017.

Aussie Collardini considers himself an adopted Italian, thanks to his passion for vino d’Italia. He credits much of his knowledge to his time at Pilu at Freshwater on Sydney’s Northern Beaches, where he explored the relationship between Sardinian food and wine and discovered just how inextricably linked the two are.

With almost 800 grape varieties, the world of Italian wine is wonderfully complex. The country has more than twenty regions, each with its own grape varieties, traditions and regulations, not to mention complicated bottle labelling that doesn’t always include the name of the grape.

Learning about wine can be daunting. There’s simply so much to know. Wine students will often bemoan the sheer volume of information they’re expected to absorb, from viticulture to winemaking to grape varieties, wine regions and appellation systems. For those studying WSET, the syllabus can feel rushed, with only a few hours dedicated to Italy.

Now in its fourth year, Civico 47’s Italian Wine School, led by Collardini, offers diners an enjoyable way to learn more about Italian wine. Running from February to November, the program explores ten Italian regions, one at a time. Each month, a dinner is held with a five-course menu and seven matching wines, focused on one region. There’s no pressure to sign up for the entire program; guests can join one dinner or all ten.

Around the dinner table, many guests are regulars who return for the experience, the food and the chance to learn a little more about wine. And I say ‘a little’ because Collardini is guided by the group and each individual attendee. He describes the experience as 10 per cent wine education, but how much you want to learn is up to you, as the honorary Italian is a fount of wine knowledge and will happily tell you all about the grape you’re sipping, share historical folk tales from the region and recount stories that really bring the wines and their origins to life.

Upon arrival, diners receive guided tasting notes, including a map and overview of the region, its main grape varieties, and the wines chosen for the night.

I attended the Abruzzo evening. What I particularly enjoyed was the comparative tasting experience, with multiple wines from the same variety poured side by side. It was an opportunity to see what difference a year or producer can make. We tried two different Trebbiano wines and four Montepulciano expressions, including a Riserva and a dessert wine.

Often, when attending a wine festival or visiting a vineyard, you’re poured a few sips or, if you’re lucky, a generous gulp. People are waiting behind you, and it’s not really the place to linger, savour and try to understand what’s in your glass. Here, you have time to sit with each wine, consider its profile and discuss your impressions with fellow diners while Collardini explains the differences you’re noticing. It’s a wonderful opportunity to slow down and really enjoy wine at your own pace.

No questions are silly, and no prior wine knowledge is required. All twelve guests sit together at one long table with Collardini in the middle. The intimate setting encourages conversation, and before long, guests are sharing dishes across the table.

Collardini is personable, friendly and welcoming. Among the diners are couples who have just returned from Italy and others preparing for an upcoming trip, keen to arrive with wine knowledge and travel tips. As the evening progresses, the level of interest in wine education varies across the group. Some are happy to enjoy the food and wine, and chat with fellow diners; others want to delve deeper. Collardini accommodates both, ensuring everyone at the table is sated and feels included.

Usually, when it comes to restaurant food and wine pairings, the sommelier selects the wines to complement the food. At Civico 47’s Italian Wine School, the glass leads the palate. Collardini chooses which wines he wants to showcase, then Zamboni decides the dishes best to accompany them. The result is a wine-led approach to food pairing, offering a different perspective on how the two work together.

And then there’s the food. The meal starts with bread, but this is soft, homemade focaccina made with Vegemite (added to the yeast) and an absolute must order, alongside pezzelle, little crispy polenta fritters drizzled with chestnut honey. Collardini has paired the entrees with a fresh, floral Pecorino, the 2024 Lunaria ‘Civitas’ Terre di Chieti IGP. It’s hard to resist ordering more, but the meal has only just begun.

Zamboni brings the flavours of Abruzzo to the table, starting with antipasto alla Giuliese: a seafood medley of prawns, mussels, calamari, and octopus, paired with two very different Trebbianos. The 2021 Ciavolich ‘Fosso Cancelli’ is an orange wine, fermented on its skins in amphora. It’s a surprising selection, but it works, the grippy wine standing up to the richer seafood. And if you find the amber wine not to your liking, Collardini has also selected the 2018 Trebbiano d’Abruzzo from Emidio Pepe, a cult producer whose hands-off, traditional winemaking has helped put the region on the map.

Three Montepulcianos accompany the mains. The 2020 Lunaria ‘Coste di Moro’ Montepulciano d’Abruzzo DOC partners the maccheroncini with pecorino and pork ragù, while the roasted lamb with cacio e pepe sauce and guanciale is matched with two older wines, the 2017 ‘Coste di Moro’ Riserva and a 2015 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano, showing how well the grape ages.

Somms delight in introducing diners to wines they haven’t tried before, and Collardini certainly achieved this with the final pour of the evening, the Collefriso ‘Sotto Sopra’ Vino Aromatizzato NV, served alongside bocconotti, shortcrust pastries filled with jam and cream. A traditional, rustic wine of Abruzzo, the aromatised wine is intensely fruity, made from 100% Montepulciano blended with a small amount of black cherry (amarena) syrup. This style of wine was invented in Abruzzo, and it’s rarely found outside its borders. For anyone who grew up in Australia, it might bring back memories of Ribena, albeit a grown-up version. Unique and absolutely delicious!

The Italian focus extends to the interiors, with an open, Mediterranean-inspired design and vintage Italian photography from the 1960s and 70s creating a relaxed, welcoming atmosphere.

Wine is clearly no afterthought at Civico 47, as evidenced by the 36-page wine list which doesn’t just list wines but tells their stories with notes from Collardini about the regions, grape varieties, vineyards and even tales of feuding wine families. And if you’ve ever discovered a wine you love over dinner, only to wonder where on earth you can buy it, Collardini has solved that too. Many of the wines can be found at his online wine shop, The Friendly Somm.

The 2026 program finishes with Sardegna (Sardinia) in November. In 2027, the school will explore Veneto, Piemonte and Toscana, along with a mix of classic and lesser-known regions.

Whether you’re a WSET student, planning a trip to Italy or simply want to dive deeper into Italian wines, it’s a class worth enrolling in.