With the exception of sommeliers and vintners, for most of us who love wine, no matter how many bottles you drink in your lifetime, and no matter how delicious, you rarely think of the terroir, the grape, or the growing process as you drink it.

That&rsquo;s all about to change. Listening to Chris Phelps talk about his first foray into making wine makes you appreciate his deep knowledge and consideration for the grape and the land.

In Episode 283 of CorkRules, Robert Tas talks to Chris about his background in wine, how his son encouraged him to start making wine, and origin story of&nbsp; <a href="https://www.advivumcellars.com/">Ad Vivum,</a> but throughout this interesting conversation, one thing is clear: Chris has an immense passion for the land, the grape, and, of course, the alchemy that happens when you bring the grape through fruition, fermentation, and finally wine.

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Wine for Body, Mind and Soul

Like so many passionate vintner&rsquo;s Chris&rsquo; path into the vineyard was shaped by fate. Originally enrolled in pre-med at Davis University, he spent a summer firefighting where he encouraged a friend, a passionate wine geek, to join him at Davis where they ran a viticulture/enology program. The tables turned when the friend later encouraged Chris to jump from medicine to wine.

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Fast forward a few years of studying and working in France and at various vineyards, including a wine ch&acirc;teau within the village of Puisseguin-Saint-&Eacute;milion in Bordeaux, and Chris is now a consultant for wineries, including Inglenook in Napa Valley, and Grounded Wine Company.

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For Chris, the joy of selecting a varietal that produces exceptional and original fruit is just the beginning. He talks passionately about finding those unique grapes, picking them at the right time, not an hour later or earlier, and how the moment of tasting the raw, as yet unfermented fruit, a few days after cold soaking, reveals the aromatics and top notes.

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Today, Chris produces small productions of select wines, usually just several hundred cases each year. The wines are selectively and directly distributed locally at wine shops and restaurants. He is the winemaker, and his son runs the business side of sales and promotion. The father-son team also run Coil Wines where they produce a Mendocino County Pinot Noir and a rare old-vine Napa Valley Chenin Blanc.

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Chris believes the secret to good wine lies in the love of the land. He spends time in the vines, getting to know them, watching how they grow so he knows when they should be harvested. Timing is key when picking grapes, the sugar content and ripe factor play a major role in the final product. And of course, good vintners know that the vitality of the terroir is, well, vital for the health, growth, and taste of the grape. He pays attention to which grapes do well in which area of the land. He takes note of the sun, water, wind, and minerals in the soil all of which play a role in the magical science that turns vine into wine.

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However, Chris also believes that wine is about more than selective wine tasting and the snobbery that may be encountered within the industry. Wine is about life, and his philosophy rings true with many wine lovers across the globe for whom the love of the juice reaches far beyond tasting notes: it&rsquo;s about sharing and pairing; it&rsquo;s about long conversations and enjoying an evening of&nbsp; convivial company.

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As Chris so eloquently states, &ldquo;Ad Vivum was the first single-vineyard wine to emerge from a unique name: Ad infers movement toward a goal with intention. Vivum is the synthesis of two Latin words &mdash; vivere (to live) and vinum (wine). Ad Vivum, is, therefore, where wine and life meet.&rdquo;

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Cheers to that, Chris, and may your wine glass be always half full.

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With the exception of sommeliers and vintners, for most of us who love wine, no matter how many bottles you drink in your lifetime, and no matter how delicious, you rarely think of the terroir, the grape, or the growing process as you drink it.

Chris Phelps on Wine and Life

Certified sommelier and CorkRules’ resident Somm, Michaela Quinlan shares her expertise on the wine list of il Buco. il Buco’s wine cellar holds a selection of over 400 wines and includes an exciting range of lesser-known, artisan wines from Europe. This restaurant has been called "one of the best and most exciting in America" by Gourmet magazine and the wine list has won Wine Spectator’s "Award of Excellence" several times.

Artisan Wines at Il Buco

Orange wine is made from white grapes, but the skin stays in contact with the juice longer during the maceration period, which increases the tannins and turns the normally white wine a more golden hue. The longer the contact,  the darker the hue, which increases the tannins and a stronger intensity. Pinot gris and malvasia are two common grape varieties used to make orange wine, but if you dig a little deeper, explore a little further, you can find some delightful orange wines along the border between northeastern Italy and Slovenia where orange wines are madefrom indigenous grapes on the region, including sauvignon vert (friulano), ribolla gialla, and pinot grigio.

Pairing Orange Wines at Pasquale Jones

The Lobster Club in the Seagram Building, New York City is a Japanese Brasserie that is renowned for its unique interpretation of Japanese cooking and Sushi, and what’s even more exciting is that it has an extensive wine list.

Fine Wines at The Lobster Club

Unless you are born into a vineyard, grow up in wine country, a career in wine is not a go-to profession for most graduates. But for some people, their love of wine and career path are intertwined. This is how it was for Jane Lopes, sommelier, co-founder of Legend Imports, and author of Vignette: Stories of Life and Wine in 100 Bottles.

Stories of Wine & Life with Jane Lopes, Sommelier, Author and Co-Founder of Legend Imports

CorkRules has been presented with the BMMA ‘Best New Mobile App” Platinum award, the highest award achievement in category.

CorkRules Wins the 2023 BMMA Platinum Award for "Best New Mobile App"

Pairing wine with Asian food is a common dilemma. Just what should you order with the Spicy Yellowtail Yu Sheng or the Mongolian Lamb Chops? How do we make palatable choices that cross cultures and bring out the best in each location’s use of herbs and spices?

Pairing Wine with Asian Food at Buddakan

Felice is an Italian restaurant located on Manhattan’s upper east side. Owner Jacopo Giustiniani opened this establishment in 2007 and it has been a popular spot where diners can experience authentic Tuscan cuisine while sampling Italian wine from the extensive Italian-focused wine list. Italy has 20 wine regions each with unique characteristics in climate and terroir, and this list is inspired by the spirit of the Italian countryside and the wines of Jacopo’s family’s vineyard.

Italian Wine Regions Explored at Felice

The San Francisco Giants have upped their wine game by offering a curated selection of wine for fans at games. In fact, serving wine at Giants’ games is so popular with fans that, in 2022 they hired their own Master Sommelier, Evan Goldstein. The goal is to enhance the gameday experience and we at CorkRules wholly agree.

San Francisco Giants' Master Sommelier, Evan Goldstein is Upping the Wine Game

Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas kick back at the restaurant, Stoneacre Garden in Rhode Island

Wine List Review of Stoneacre Garden, Rhode Island

Sam Hohl

Stoneacre Garden

Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where, in each episode,&nbsp;we will review a Wine List from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Sam,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

SH: Hey Robert great to be back.

RT : Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, or value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

You can now download our CorkRules app available on the apple app store. Were you can access all the wine list of your favourite restauarant wine lists, get personalized recommendations and connect, share and learn with your friends.

RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list. Today Sam and I &hellip;

Cork Rules

Stoneacre Garden

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Located in Newport, Rhode Island, Stoneacre Gardens has a greenhouse bar and dining room, a courtyard bar, and rooftop bar where you can enjoy incredible sunsets. They create internationally inspired dishes that you can enjoy while overlooking the views of the water.&nbsp;

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Overview

This wine list is straightforward and categorized into four sections. It consists of mostly Old World selections but includes wines from the United States as well. It&rsquo;s a well-crafted list that includes some classics as well as lesser-known bottles and producers.

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Interesting finds

A unique red I saw on the list comes from La Garagista Farm and Winery in Barnard, Vermont. They are known for their wines and ciders and &lsquo;The House Music Homefarm Field Blend&rsquo; is their take on a Lambrusco. It&rsquo;s made from 6 varietals that grow in their mountain vineyards including Marquette and Frontenac Noir. They focus on mostly hybrid grapes that can withstand the cool climate. They hand pick their grapes and also utilize good old foot stomping to crush them. I love this pick to start with because it&rsquo;s just so playful. It&rsquo;s going to have bright red cherry and raspberry notes along with some dark fruit flavors too. The zippy acidity and the effervescence make it perfect to start the night with and it will also accompany rich dishes

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A great option for a white would be the 2019 Gerard Boulay Sancerre Monts Damnes. Of course, Sancerre is a much beloved appellation in the Loire valley, and this bottle comes from the village Chavignol, which is known for producing really sought after and gorgeous expressions of a Sancerre. The Boulay family has a history of grape growing in Chavignol since the 1300s so there&rsquo;s some amazing history here. This bottle is going to be full of those gooseberry and citrus notes, along with herbaceous qualities and hints of grass. Try it with some classic pairings like salmon, or with fried or creamy dishes, like the crab rangoons or shrimp chips and crab dip.

Value

This list has a nice range for bottles on the more affordable side so you could go in a lot of directions. A red that stood out to me was the 2018 Gail Vineyards &lsquo;Doris.&rsquo; This is a fun choice for a few reasons, one of which is that the winemaker, Dan O&rsquo;Brian, is originally from Rhode Island and now creates a variety of wines showcasing the varietals of Sonoma Valley, California. This 100% Cabernet Sauvignon is also fermented in stainless steel instead of oak, so instead of having those notes of vanilla, spice, or smoke it&rsquo;s going to be more juicy and acidic than oaked Cabernet. This wine will have blackberry and ripe blueberry notes, along with aromas of eucalyptus. It&rsquo;s a little lighter and racier, so definitely a fun way to experience Cabernet in another way. Something handheld would be playful with this bottle, like the Beef Burger or the Chickpea Vegetable Burger!

Celebratory 

There&rsquo;s some fantastic finds on here if you&rsquo;re looking to make the night a little extra special. The first one that stood out to me was the 2015 Ra&uacute;l P&eacute;rez Ultreia. This bottle is made from 100% Mencia grapes and is produced by Ra&uacute;l P&eacute;rez who&rsquo;s a well known Spanish winemaker in the Bierzo region. Mencia has been compared to Beaujolais and Cabernet Franc so this could be a fun bottle to try if those are wines you enjoy. It&rsquo;s going to have both red and black fruit flavors and earthy tones as well.

A delicious white wine to elevate the evening could be the 2017 Les Vieux Clos Joly Chenin Blanc. Nicolas Joly took over the Joly family winery in 1977 and has been influential for biodynamic winemaking in France. He currently runs the estate with his daughter and their Loire Valley Chenin Blancs are highly praised. This wine will be crisp and acidic, really aromatic. It&rsquo;s going to have notes of pear, apple and lots of mineral qualities. It&rsquo;s got a fuller body and great complexity. It can also handle rich and citrusy food so it will pair with a variety of dishes on the menu.

RT: Sam Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Stone Acre&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself. &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 download our CorkRules app and check out our website for all other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

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Thank you.

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End

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Join us each week as we pour a glass and share top restaurant ‘wine list’ picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the ‘wine list’ through somm recommendations, suggested food pairings and masterclass insights.

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Meet CorkRules

Order wine with confidence at restaurant or retailer.

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Hy's Steakhouse

Expert Insights

Artisan Wines at Il Buco

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Make more money with your wine program

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