Bacchus Uncorked: Wine from a Golden Goblet

Food & Talk in Bacchus Uncorked series
Funnel-shaped gold goblet with two small handles on top in the shape of animal heads.

Kylix, from the citadel at Mycenae, 1500-1400 BCE, Mycenean. Gold. H. 13.7 x Diam. 13.1 cm (5 3/8 x 5 3/16 in.). Athens, Hellenic National Archaeological Museum, P959

Aug 9 and 10, 2025

Saturday and Sunday
5:15–8:30pm

Getty Villa

Villa Auditorium

$125

Tickets include a thematic selection of wine, hearty appetizers, beautiful surroundings, and friendly conversation. Limited capacity. 21 and over.

Tickets must be purchased for event entrance and are non-refundable. Your event ticket will also serve as your Villa entrance reservation. Please note, there is an additional fee for parking.

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About

During the Late Bronze Age in Greece, the Mycenaeans drank wine to accompany social gatherings and religious worship. Join archaeologist James Wright as he shares his personal experiences excavating and studying the remains of grapes, wine vessels, and other evidence for drinking and feasting 3,500 years ago. His research illuminates texts and wine cups from the pantries in the Palace of Nestor at Pylos and highlights the significance of ritual drinking. Wine educator Diego Meraviglia then introduces the evening’s tasting of contemporary wines from around the Peloponnese. Following the presentations, guests will enjoy an evening of wine, food, and conversation in the Villa’s Inner Peristyle gardens as well as after-hours access to the exhibition The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Mycenaean Greece.

This program is generously supported by the Getty Museum Villa Council.

    Speaker

    1. James Wright

      Archaeologist

      James C. Wright is professor emeritus in the Department of Classical and Near Eastern Archaeology at Bryn Mawr College, where he held the William R. Kenan, Jr. chair. Jim’s primary research is in the evolution of complex societies in the Aegean with special interests in architecture, urbanism, mortuary customs, and foodways. He has excavated extensively including sites in Wharram Percy in Yorkshire, Poggio Civitate in Tuscany, Kommos in Crete, ancient Corinth, and ancient Nemea—known for its wines in antiquity and today—where he also directed the long-term Nemea Valley Archaeological Project. Jim has authored, edited, and co-edited six books and proceedings, 69 articles, and numerous book reviews. His recent co-authored publication on Nemea was awarded the Archaeological Institute of America’s Anna Marguerite McCann Award for Fieldwork Projects. He is currently directing the University of Toronto Excavations at Kommos in Crete, leading a master plan of conservation.

    2. Diego Meraviglia

      Wine Educator

      Diego Meraviglia is president and director of education for the North American Sommelier Association. In 2008, Meraviglia obtained the Gold-Pin certification with the Italian Sommelier Association and the Worldwide Sommelier Association (WSA). He is a certified Master Taster and a Certified Specialist of Wine (CSW) with the Society of Wine Educators in the United States. A native Italian, Meraviglia is passionate about archeology and ancient European history, with a focus on his native land's Celtic (Gaulish) heritage. Based in Los Angeles, he can be seen regularly around the US and Canada as a freelance consultant, speaker, and avid educator.

    Know Before You Go

    Planning your arrival

    Please bring your tickets with you and have them open on your mobile device or printed. Your event ticket is also your entry to the Villa and will be checked upon arrival.

    Your ticket will also be checked at the event entrance.

    We recommend planning your visit to allow for at least 20 minutes to park, go through security, and make your way to the event.

    Museum galleries are open from 10am until 5pm. The lecture and wine presentation takes place in the Auditorium starting at 5:15pm followed by wine enjoyment in the Inner Peristyle Garden from 6:30–8:30pm. During this event, our special exhibition The Kingdom of Pylos: Warrior-Princes of Ancient Greece will be open for viewing starting at 7:30pm.

    Event Check-In

    Check-in begins 60 minutes before program start time at the Auditorium.

    Doors open 30 minutes before program start time.

    Seating

    Unless otherwise noted, all seating is available on a first-come, first-served basis. We recommend arriving early to guarantee a seat.

    Accessibility

    Wheelchairs are available for free rental on a first-come, first-served basis in the Entry Pavilion.

    For the talk portion of this event, seating for wheelchair users and their party is available at the back of the auditorium, as well as at the front of the space. If you'd like to sit in the front, please let a Visitor Services associate know when you check in and they can escort you to these seats.

    Assisted listening devices are available for this event. Please request one from our Visitor Services associates when you check in.

    For more information on how we can support your visit to the Getty Villa, learn about accessibility at Getty.

    Series Information

    Related Exhibitions

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