Philly has always been torn between two great wine obsessions. California delivers confidence, scale, and immediacy. Italy offers depth, memory, and an almost unreasonable loyalty to place. Italy vs. California brings that quiet rivalry into the open, pairing wines with shared ambitions but very different instincts: revealed side by side, no tricks, no blindfolds, just a fantastic sommelier smackdown.

This is a playful, high-energy tasting built around contrast rather than dogma. Some pairings will feel inevitable, others slightly unfair, and a few may upend expectations altogether.  Great wines, a brilliant wine instructor, and a room full of Philadelphians deciding where their loyalty really lies.