As a sommelier, I&rsquo;m often asked how to find delicious, budget friendly wines. This can often be a challenge because most people seek out commercially popular regions like Napa or Bordeaux. They&rsquo;ve heard of it, are comfortable with it and, when faced with numerous choices, gravitate towards it. I&rsquo;m here to tell you: this is your first mistake!

A lot of things go into the price tag of a wine and not all of them relate to quality. While, in my opinion, there is a huge difference between $10 and $25 wines, once you get to the higher price points, a lot of $50 wines taste just as great as some $300 wines. Why is this? A lot of different factors go into the cost of a wine. Land in commercial regions like Napa and Bordeaux comes with very high price tag. Vineyards in Napa range anywhere from $350,000 to $1 million per acre; naturally, producers need to charge more for their offerings to reap a profit. These regions are also infamous for using new oak barrels to give their wines that vanilla, baking spice quality popular with consumers. There&rsquo;s nothing wrong with that style of wine, but when new oak barrels can only be used once and cost up to $2,000, be ready for a higher price tag. It&rsquo;s not surprising that it&rsquo;s difficult to find a Napa cabernet sauvignon for anything less than $50- $75! So, how do you shop for great wine at a budget friendly cost?

&nbsp;

SEEK OUT LESSER-KNOWN REGIONS:

&nbsp;

Ever heard of Chinon? Or Basilicata? Exactly. Regions such as these are where the bargains live. This is because producers can purchase land for a fraction of the price and often obtain second hand, used oak barrels, resulting in lower over-head cost while maintaining quality wine. Chinon, a region in the Loire Valley of France, is often overshadowed by Burgundy and Bordeaux. The wine is made from Cabernet franc and has all the raspberry, cedar, earthy qualities of a good French wine&hellip; at a fraction of the cost. Whole Foods, one of my favorite grocery stores for affordable, quality wines, carries Chinon for about $18. Likewise, regions like Bandol and Languedoc in southern France are labels to look for when you want a cost effective Grenache, Syrah, Mourvedre instead of the more well-known region of Chateauneuf Du Pape.

Italy, in general, is a top pick of mine for delicious, affordable wines. Over 900 grape varieties are grown there, resulting in a lack of supply and demand that benefits the consumer. Many people have heard of Barolo, a premium wine region in northern Italy&rsquo;s Piedmont, or Brunello di Montalcino, a celebrated wine region in central Italy&rsquo;s Tuscany, but those often come with higher price tags. The previously mentioned Basilicata is a region in southern Italy, and home to quality bargain wines made from Aglianico, a deep, black fruited grape with powerful earth and structure. If you want something similar to Barolo, try seeking out the Langhe Hills region instead. It uses the same Nebbiolo grape variety from the Piedmont region but, without that commercial reputation, runs at a bargain. Barbera, a grape variety sometimes thought of as Nebbiolo&rsquo;s little sister, is another option. I&rsquo;ve found great Barbera by Cantine Povero for as little as $15. Which leads to my second tip:

&nbsp;

SEEK OUT LESSER-KNOWN VARIETIES:

&nbsp;

Still hankering for something from California? Try Sonoma&rsquo;s Pax Vineyard. They grow lesser-known grapes like Valdiguie, which is a light, bright, fruity grape similar to Burgundy&rsquo;s Beaujolais made from the Gamay grape. Or Napa Valley&rsquo;s Heitz Cellar&rsquo;s Grignolino, a berry, earthy gem originally from Piedmont in Italy. Both wines fall comfortably in the $25 dollar price range.

If you want a white Burgundy, try reaching for an Aligote, Burgundy&rsquo;s lesser known white grape, instead of Chardonnay. Faiveley makes a delightful sipper for around $22. My point is, there are a lot of delicious wines out there that don&rsquo;t get the credit they deserve. Like a lot of products, you are often paying for the name built by marketing. Just because you haven&rsquo;t heard of a grape, doesn&rsquo;t mean it isn&rsquo;t great.

&nbsp;

LOOK FOR SECOND LABELS

If you MUST have that well known region with that well known grape variety, this last tip is for you. The best way to find value is if a winery makes a second label, like most wineries in Bordeaux. For example, Chateau Palmer, a prestigious third growth estate, runs at about $400 a bottle. It&rsquo;s second label, Alter Ego, can be found for about $65. Chateau Palmer owns great land and employs top farmers, so even though Alter Ego contains the grapes that didn&rsquo;t make it into their top cuvee, it&rsquo;s still an above average wine. Most chateaux do this. Mouton Rothschild makes Le Petit Rothschild. Lafite Rothschild makes Carruades de Lafite and so on.

The big hitters in Napa have a similar system. Harlan estate&rsquo;s proprietary cabernet can run upwards of $900, but their second label, The Maiden, is closer to $350. They even have a third label, The Mascot, that can be purchased for a cool $150.

&nbsp;

HAVE FUN TAKING RISKS!

But if it were me, I&rsquo;d still prefer to grab a Chilean cab for a fraction of the price. You can get Max Errazuriz&rsquo;s top wine, Don Maximiano Founder&rsquo;s reserve for $85, much less than Harlan Estate&rsquo;s cheapest offering. This is because I find it fun and exciting to try wines and grapes from new regions. Sure, there might be some flops, but there are also hidden gems! You&rsquo;ll also get to brag to all your friend about the new find you discovered.

I understand that it can be intimidating buying something new, but I would encourage you to, nonetheless. The best way to learn is through experience and trial-and-error. And don&rsquo;t be afraid to ask for help! No one expects you to memorize every grape from every region. That&rsquo;s the sole reason people like me have a job. When that store clerk asks if you need anything, let him or her guide you.

But most of all have fun! Wine isn&rsquo;t as serious as it likes to seem. I hope by using these tips you&rsquo;ll widen your usual repertoire and save some money doing it. Happy hunting!

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

A lot of things go into the price tag of a wine and not all of them relate to quality.

Shopping for Value and How to Find It

Love me some Paso! Located in the heart of California's Central Coast wine region, Paso Robles is a hidden gem for wine enthusiasts and food lovers alike. With its diverse array of wineries and charming tasting rooms, this scenic destination offers an unforgettable experience for visitors.

Come discover Paso Robles hidden gems for Wine and Food Enthusiasts

The most important things to consider while aging wine is temperature and angle. So, please, no storing wine vertically on top of the fridge in the hot sun!

How to Age Wine

To understand what to pair with oysters or any other meal for that matter, it’s good to understand the basic tasting notes and how they work with certain foods. So here’s a quick review of the most popular varietals’ tasting notes and the foods that pair well.

Pairing Wine with Oysters at the Grand Central Oyster Bar

For something light and giggly, consider the Rossini Royale, a delicious combination of Grey Goose Vodka, Italicus, strawberry, and "Sant Ambroeus" Prosecco. If a refreshing pick-me-up is what you need, the Summer in the ends is a light blend of Bombay Dry Gin, cucumber water, and spring herbs cordial and it will not disappoint. However, if you’re looking for something with a little more weight, try the Carta Bianca with Glenmorangie X, Amaro Lucano, pineapple, and almond orgeat may offer what you want.

Cocktails and Wine at Casa Lever

To help you find the perfect wine to pair with lobster and more, Kim Kuznitz wine educator and certified sommelier explores Atlantic Grill’s wine list. This wine list carries 160 labels The menu here is inspired by ocean life, in fact, an abundance of fresh fish is displayed on ice and in an aquarium, although they do offer a couple of meat dishes, this restaurant is definitely focused on seafood and sushi.

Pairing Wine with Lobster at the Atlantic Grill

Balthazar is an iconic French Brasserie in the heart of Soho, Manhattan, and indeed, it is so very French. The waiting staff, the decor, the clientele and the vibe is reminiscent of a typical French cafe. Elegantly casual, but let’s move on to the wine list. The wine list is all French, and as such, most wines are made from French grape varietals, so let’s take a look at the nuances and notes of a few varietals that are the foundation of the wine.

Bordeaux Wines at Balthazar

The world of wine has always been associated with sophistication, elegance, and a sense of refined taste. However, it may surprise you to discover that some of the world's most renowned NBA players have not only conquered the basketball court but also ventured into the captivating world of winemaking. In this comprehensive article, we will explore the fascinating stories behind NBA players turned vintners, discover their exceptional wines, and uncover the origins of their passion for winemaking.

When Passion Unites: NBA Players and their Exquisite Wines

Benoit is a Parisian-style bistro in midtown Manhattan where they provide an exceptional dining experience and a 28-page wine list with a stellar selection of bottles from every region in France.

Wines from Burgundy at Benoit

Robert Tas interviews Erika Polmar, Executive Director and one of the founders of the Independent Restaurant Coalition (IRC), and Bobby Stuckey – a legend in the hospitality industry.

Current Challenges facing the Restaurant Industry in 2023

Robert Tas

Key Challenges Facing the Restaurant Industry 

IRC CorkRules Podcast

&nbsp;

Music Intro:

RT: Hello and welcome to Corkrules!&nbsp;

A podcast where,&nbsp;in each episode, we typically will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. But today I have two special guests to talk about an important topic to all of us, the state of the restaurant industry.

I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with the legendary Bobby Stuckey from Frasca Hospitality and Erika Polmar executive director from Independent Restaurant Coalition.

Hello Bobby and Erika,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s a pleasure to have you both join us here on CorkRules.

BS: Hello Robert&hellip;

EP: Hello Robert&hellip;

So today, we are talking about the state of the restaurant industry, and I&rsquo;m pleased to introduce two people who are in the inner circle of advocating for restaurants. Let me start by introducing them:

<ol>
	<li>Erika Polmar &ndash; Executive Director and one of the founders of the independent restaurant coalition. She founded Plate and Pitchfork and has been a strong advocate in our industry.</li>
	<li>Bobby Stuckey &ndash; a legend in the hospitality industry. If you look up hospitality, you&rsquo;ll see Bobby&rsquo;s pic. He is a Master Sommelier who&nbsp;worked for the likes of Thomas Keller and has built his own hospitality group that includes the exceptional and renowned Frasca in Colorado.</li>
</ol>

It&#39;s great to have you both here today.

Let&rsquo;s start by defining a restauranteur, what&rsquo;s their mission? What drives them?

I love the experience of dining out, the experience it&rsquo;s what drove me to start CorkRules to help elevate experiences.&nbsp; What drives people into the hospitality business?

So let&rsquo;s turn to the current state of the restaurant world, it&rsquo;s good now, right? Covid is in the rearview mirror. People are back to eating out. I can&rsquo;t seem to get a reservation into the in a lot of places in (NY or SF) as examples. Am I right?

I&rsquo;ve talked with a lot of restauranteurs; can you help educate us on what are the challenges facing restaurants today?

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>Inflation</li>
		<li>Supply Chain</li>
		<li>Staff hiring/experience.</li>
		<li>Changing consumer habits
		<ol>
			<li>Drinking less wine</li>
			<li>Eating earlier</li>
		</ol>
		</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

Last year I read we are continuing to see restaurant closures. Where do you see the restaurant world heading? High-end and low-end, is there a middle? Can they survive? I saw a lot of restaurants pivot to ready-made products, moving away from service to products.

Let&rsquo;s talk about IRC, its Mission, Describe who&rsquo;s in, Goals, and success to date. Talk about the documentary.

What&rsquo;s next for the IRC?

What can I/consumers do?

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>Tip</li>
		<li>Reviews</li>
		<li>Empathy &ndash; is that really an answer?</li>
		<li>?</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

What&rsquo;s the future? What does hospitality look like in 5 years?

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>What must change?</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>Career pathing</li>
		<li>Training</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>&nbsp;The role of tech</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

<ol>
	<li>
	<ol>
		<li>Innovation</li>
	</ol>
	</li>
</ol>

RT: Bobby and Erika, Thank you for this fabulous discussion about our restaurant industry. It&rsquo;s inspiring to be a part of this community. &nbsp;&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: <a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">Info@corkrules.Com</a> or visit our web website where we have a request form available.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for all our latest episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists and please download our app which has all your favorite restaurant wine lists, make&nbsp;personalized recommendations, and allows you to connect with your friends. &nbsp;&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Bartholomew Broadbent

Buddy V's

Krasi

Sandbar

Hav & Mar

Yardbird

Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern

Mirabelle at Three Village Inn

Sazon

Meet the “Queen of Barbaresco” Gaia Gaja from the legendary Gaja Winery

Family-friendly eatery serving traditional Italian plates in a humble strip-mall space.

Frenchette

Le Bernardin

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

Charlie Bird

Becco

Buddha-Bar Restaurant New York

Buddha Bar

Franks Wine Bar

Frank's

Maison

Maison Premiere

Pastis

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Aldo Sohm

homepage

CorkRules application allows you to discover wines at your favorite restaurants, learn with friends and be confident with price transparency. Order wine with confidence at restaurants and retailers. Get personalized recommendations. #DrinkWhatYouLove

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