Certified sommelier Maria Valetta explores the <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/smith-&amp;-wollensky/episodes/6">wine list of Smith and Wollensky</a>&nbsp;on the upper east side of New York City. Top wine varietals under the spotlight include a 2020 Louis Jadot Macon Village, the PAX 2019 Gamay, the 2018 Aperture Cabernet from Sonoma showcased on their Captain&rsquo;s Pocket List Page or the 2018 Hourglass Blueline Estate Cabernet from Napa.

When it comes to defining wine, you can categorize them by region, varietal, or style, but to really get to grips with understanding the world of wine, it makes sense to go to the source. The grape.

The type of grape is known as the varietal, and whereas once upon a time the varietals were specific to a region, in contemporary vineyards, varietals are planted, crossbred, and potentially, genetically modified. Additionally, the flavors, skins, and chemical compounds of each varietal will change depending on the terroir, temperature, and weather.

There are over a thousand different varietals of wine grapes but the following eight are the most commonly known grape household names. chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, &nbsp;pinot gris, and riesling, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, and pinot noir.

However, beyond these eight common varietals there exists a large and adventurous world of wine varietals to explore, each with its own unique characteristics based on environment, age, and production method.

At <a href="https://www.smithandwollenskynyc.com/">Smith &amp; Wollensky</a>, prime, dry-aged steaks are the cornerstone of their menu, but if fish, lobster or oysters are on your mind, you won&rsquo;t be disappointed with the Cold Water Lobster Tails or the Scottish Salmon Waldorf. Pair the salmon with the Benton Lane Pinot Noir from the

Willamette Valley to experience how a light tannin red works well with the meaty fish. Pinot noir is a lighter-bodied wine with notes of cherry, cranberry, and rose. It&rsquo;s drier and has a higher acidity with smooth tannins. The higher acidity and tannins pairs well with oily, meaty fish dishes. The tannins help bring out flavor that is carried in the fat, and in symbiosis, the fat tempers the tannins&rsquo; astringency, which allows the other characteristics in the wine to rise on the palate.

And with the Lobster, &nbsp;try a bottle of the Louis Jadot, Macon-Villages Chardonnay

Burgundy, and see how the chardonnay&rsquo;s notes of yellow citrus, pear, green apple pairs well with the rich seafood. Chardonnay is a full-bodied white that won&rsquo;t be overpowered by the richness of the lobster. When pairing wine with food, just like every good match, it&rsquo;s all about bringing out the best in each other.

On CorkRules podcast episode five, Maria identifies a few value wines on the list that should not be missed, she points out a few outliers that are well worth trying, and she shines a light on the meaning of verticals to help demystify the world of wine.

Cheers.

At Smith & Wollensky, prime, dry-aged steaks are the cornerstone of their menu, but if fish, lobster or oysters are on your mind, you won’t be disappointed with the Cold Water Lobster Tails or the Scottish Salmon Waldorf. Pair the salmon with the Benton Lane Pinot Noir from the

Top Wine Varietals at Smith & Wollensky

Navigating the wine list at a restaurant can be a daunting task, as many wine lovers have experienced. In our previous article on the tension of ordering wine at restaurants, we discussed this issue and shared some tips to help ease the process. However, one CorkRules user has recently encountered a situation that highlights just how challenging it can be.

The Switch? – #restaurantfail #winelistfail

Memorial Day weekend signals the official kick-off to summer, and what better way to celebrate than a backyard barbecue with friends and family? But for the wine lovers out there, the usual pairing of burgers and beer can feel a little, well, uninspired.

Fear not, fellow geeks! Let's ditch the predictable and dive into three exciting wine options that will have you sipping and savoring alongside the sizzling BBQ.

Memorial Day BBQ Bash: 3 Wines to Geek Out Over (While Grilling)

What is the right price for a bottle of wine at a restaurant? Wine pricing at restaurants is a hot topic of late but has many complexities. Let's dig into it and better understand the issues and some potential solutions.

The tension around wine pricing at restaurants?

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a name that resonates with prestige and quality in the world of wine. This illustrious appellation is steeped in history dating back centuries and has been producing some of France's most celebrated wines for generations.



Nestled within the southern region of Rhône Valley, France lies Châteauneuf-du-Pape - translated as "the Pope's new castle". The area earned its moniker during the 14th century when it served as a summer residence for Popes who sought refuge from political turmoil in Rome.

The Rich History of Châteauneuf-du-Pape highlighting some great value wines

In the world of wine and food, we often find ourselves ensnared by ratings, stars, points – an endless parade of numbers that dictate our choices. We chase after high-rated wines or Michelin-starred restaurants with fervor only to be met with experiences that seldom live up to their lofty reputations. But amidst this whirlwind pursuit for perfection lies a simple truth - what truly makes wine and food special are not scores or accolades but pure experiences crafted from love.

The Serendipity of Experiences in Wine and Food

The world of sparkling wine is a vast one. While champagne has long been the reigning king, there's another contender that’s not only equally delicious but also offers great value for money - Cremant.

Cremant vs Champagne: The real deal for bubbles.

Omakase is experiencing a surge in popularity, let’s dig into what it is and of course what wines to drink.



 Omakase, a term that translates to "I'll leave it up to you" in Japanese, is rapidly gaining popularity in the culinary world. This dining experience places your meal entirely in the hands of the chef, who meticulously crafts each course based on seasonal ingredients and their personal creative flair. It's not just about seafood; while sushi often features prominently due to its status as a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, an omakase menu can include anything from Wagyu beef to seasonal vegetables.

Omakase and Wine Pairing: A Booming Gastronomic Journey

California Chardonnay: it's a name synonymous with sunshine, buttery richness, and maybe even a splash of white wine envy (looking at you, Bridget Jones). But how did this grape, originally hailing from France, become a Californian icon? Buckle up, because we're diving into the world of CA Chard, from its unexpected origins to the reasons it continues to reign supreme on wine lists.

Buckle up, because we're diving into the world of CA Chard!

Forget everything you think you know about sweet, syrupy wines. Lambrusco is a sparkling red wine from Italy’s Emilia-Romagna region that’s as light and bubbly as a summer day.

Lambrusco: The Party in a Bottle You Need to Try under $25

Ayza Wine & Chocolate Bar

Grace Hood

Ayza

Ayza

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where&nbsp;we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Grace,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

GH: Hey Hey Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about those wine lists. We created CorkRules to help 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.

RT:&nbsp;So today we&rsquo;re talking about the wine and chocolate bar, Ayza - Grace what are your initial thoughts?

GH: I mean who doesn&#39;t love wine and who doesn&#39;t&nbsp;love chocolate? I&#39;ve done chocolate and wine pairings in the past so this will be fun!

RT: Oh man I&rsquo;m excited! So where do we start?

GH: When it comes to pairing wine and chocolate, the things to be mindful of are dryness and sugar content. It&#39;s&nbsp;good to pair wines with similar styles of chocolate ya know. Like milder&nbsp;chocolates go well with lighter-bodied wines, while chocolates with more intense flavors can stand up to fuller-bodied wines.

RT: Makes total sense. What is sticking out to you on the Ayza list?

GH: Yeah so they have a nice little list - short and sweet and super affordable. And Most of their bottle prices are under $100 so that&#39;s always awesome.&nbsp;They have it broken down not only into the regular categories &ndash; white, red, rose etc. But then within the categories they break it down by style - floral, citrus, herbaceous, earthy etc. you know I love a well-thought-out wine list! Makes it so much more approachable to customers.

RT: Love that. Less complicated the better. So how are you going to approach a wine and chocolate pairing?

GH: I think breaking it down by type of chocolate would be the best way to go! So, starting in white chocolate which&nbsp;has a sweet, buttery flavor with notes of honey and cream. Sweet wines help cleanse the palate of the rich flavors from the white chocolate. So, on the Ayza list, you could go with the sparkling Moscato d&#39;Asti from the Alasia vineyard from the Piedmont region in northern Italy. I would say that out all the sweeter style wines out there, Moscato is one of the most well-known universally. You could also go with a Riesling as well for white chocolate - they have one from the brotherhood winery in the Hudson valley of New York. Which, super fun fact is the oldest continuously operating vineyard in America! It&rsquo;s been around since the early 1800s and was one of the only wineries to be able to survive through prohibition b/c what is a brotherhood, monks! It made wine for the church so that&#39;s how it was able to stay open while the rest of the and spirits&nbsp;production of America shut down. People love that piece of knowledge - whenever I ask someone where the oldest winery in America is they automatically say California, but nope it&#39;s in New York!&nbsp;&nbsp;

RT: How about that! I&rsquo;ll have to go visit that spot soon. Oldest Vineyard in America. How neat. So, what about milk chocolate?

GH: When we&#39;re talking milk chocolate&nbsp;its usually sweeter and creamier with some hints of brown sugar, vanilla, and cream. It&rsquo;ll do best with a light to medium-bodied wine as to not overpower those lovely nuances of the milk chocolate. This Gewurztraminer&nbsp;from Chateau&nbsp;St. Michelle out of Washington would complement&nbsp;those flavors nicely. And you can even do some reds with&nbsp;milk chocolate. I would go with the 2019 Cline from Sonoma, or the 2017 Cote de Beaune from Bouchard in Burgundy

RT: Ohhhh yum that sounds like a great combination. Now, how about dark chocolate?

GH: So, this is arguably my favorite style of chocolate - it&rsquo;s also the most healthy for you! High in antioxidants! I always have some dark chocolate-covered almonds in my kitchen. Since dark chocolate has less sugar and more pure cacao, we&#39;re going to get a lot more bitter earthy qualities to it, so we&#39;ll need a deeper richer wine to stand up to those characteristics. This 2018 Merlot from Mollydooker out of Australia would be a great pairing for dark chocolate, as well as this 2012 St Estephe from Les Pelerins de Lafon-Rochet from Bordeaux&nbsp;

RT: Amazing Grace. Great choices as always. Thank you for helping us navigate the wine list at Ayza.

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.&nbsp; 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 and we will do our best to get it in the queue as quickly as possible.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for other episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists. Follow us on social media @CorkRules and @wineswithgrace

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

End

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

Gap Weekend: A Film Shoot in Wine Country

Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Marotti Campi is a family-owned winery located in the heart of the Marche region in Italy. They have been producing high-quality wines for over 100 years, using traditional winemaking techniques and sustainable farming practices.

Beloved corner eatery returns with a bar on the ground floor & New American dining upstairs.

Cafe Champagne

The Metropolitan Grill

Ray’s Boathouse

Ray's Boathouse

Purple Café and Wine Bar

Purple Cafe & Wine Bar

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Seastar

The Butcher's Table

Sofreh

Have & Meyer

Don Angie

Ruffian

business

Wine Pairing, Wine Sommelier, Italian Red Wine, Wine Recommendations, Wine Varietels, Wine Tips, italian white wine, Best wine for beginners, Italian sparkling wine, Discovery wines

Elevate your hospitality and drive more wine sales!

Sign up for the CorkRules Hospitatlity Management Platform which includes:

Try it now, claim your 30 day free trial