Just weeks ago, the country's first free 24-hour wine fountain opened in Abruzzo, offering locals and tourists the chance to help themselves to a glass.

And now, Italy is opening a school where you can extend your knowledge of the beverage beyond the practical.

The Wine School in Perugia, Umbria, will be the world's first educational centre dedicated to wine. 

It's the product of a partnership which was made official today, between Perugia's University dei Sapori, which offers a wide variety of culinary courses, and the Umbrian branch of Italy's Foundation of Sommeliers (FISU). 

The first courses will kick off in November, and will include an advanced level of training for professionals in the wine industry, as well as a selection of programmes for amateur wine enthusiasts.

Additional courses, including lessons on pairing wine with cheese and even courses on other drinks such as beer and champagne, are planned for the future, along with plenty of talks and tastings.

The president of the university, Anna Rita Fioroni, told Perugia Today she believed the school “can only bring positive results”.

“We are delighted to share the wine culture of our region,” said Davide Marotta, chairman of FISU. “This has always been our mission.

“We have a dream of contributing to a greater awareness of food and drink in Umbria, and ensuring more people are well-prepared to receive wine tourists,” added Marotta.

In fact, studying wine is far from a radical idea in Italy. 

Earlier this year, politicians put  forward a bill to introduce classes on the history and culture of Italian wine in the country's schools.

The proposals, which have been laid out in a draft bill, would see schoolchildren spend one hour a week learning about Italy's thriving wine industry as part of the national curriculum.

“We're not trying to teach kids to drink – although even if we were it wouldn't be so bad,” Dario Stefàno, from Italy's Left Ecology and Freedom party, told Il Fatto Quotidiano.

“I've put the idea out there and it's been met positively,” Stefàno said.