As our community continues to grow, we were thrilled to discover some exceptional wines/producers posted by our CorkRules community in 2023. Check out these fabulous white and red wines:

White Wines:

1) <a href="https://www.klwines.com/p/2021-dyquem-y-bordeaux-blanc/1697735?searchId=863411e7-c495-4eba-ac28-33c1288da6e7&amp;searchServiceName=klwines-prod-productsearch&amp;searchRank=15">Y D&#39;Yquem Bordeaux Blanc:</a> This luxurious French wine is truly a gem. It presents an intoxicatingly rich aroma of honey, apricot, and vanilla. The color is medium gold which reflects its age and oak maturation. On tasting, it&#39;s opulent yet perfectly balanced - dry but with luscious fruit sweetness complemented by vibrant acidity. Its full body envelops your palate while maintaining elegance throughout. Renowned critic Robert Parker described it as &quot;liquid gold.&quot;

<a href="https://www.aowinery.com/product/Chardonnay-Napa-Valley-2020">2) Alpha Omega Chardonnay:</a> From Napa Valley comes this elegant Chardonnay offering soft aromas of citrus blossom mixed with tropical fruits like pineapple &amp; mango &ndash; very inviting! The color is light golden reflecting its youthfulness &amp; varietal character well. Taste-wise, it leans towards high acid coupled with moderate alcohol levels &ndash; crisp yet smooth without being overly buttery or oaky as some California Chardonnays can be.

<a href="https://www.gramercywine.com/wines/Paolo-Bea-Santa-Chiara-2018-w8496386e5">3) Santa Chiara Paolo Bea:</a> An Italian natural wine that&#39;s unlike any other! With medium intensity aromas of ripe stone fruits like peaches mixed with wild herbs and flowers; it&#39;s complex yet intriguing to the nose. A deep golden hue gives away its extended skin contact during fermentation (a characteristic of orange wines). Taste-wise, it straddles between dryness &amp; acidity offering a unique textural experience due to its tannin presence - rare for whites!

<a href="https://commonvines.square.site/product/Dalia-Maris-B-Bianco/3732">4) Dalia Maris B Bianco: </a>Hailing from Italy, this white has a soft floral bouquet intermingled with hints of green apple and pear aromas &ndash; fresh and inviting! Its light straw color suggests youthfulness and vitality. The taste profile leans towards high acid with subtle mineral undertones &ndash; refreshing without being overly sharp or austere. Medium-bodied at most, it pairs beautifully with seafood dishes.

Red Wines: 

<a href="https://www.plummarket.com/store/2021-tenuta-dell-ornellaia-le-volte-toscana-igt.html">1) Le Volte Dell&#39;ornellaia: </a>This Tuscan blend boasts rich dark fruit aromas underscored by notes of tobacco leaf &amp; spice box- truly seductive. The color is a deep ruby, indicative of its concentration and structure. On the palate, it offers high tannins balanced by good acidity &amp; alcohol levels &ndash; a medium to full-bodied wine with complexity and length.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Joseph-Phelps-Insignia-Napa-Valley-2019-w49786770k">2) Insignia: </a>A Napa Valley classic! This Cabernet Sauvignon-dominant blend exhibits rich cassis, blackberry jam aromas coupled with vanilla undertones from oak aging. Its color is an intense deep purple reflecting its power and depth. Taste-wise, it&#39;s dry with robust tannins that are well-integrated into the wine&#39;s full body &ndash; a hallmark of quality winemaking.

<a href="https://www.ungraftedsf.com/store/p/chappellet-cabernet-sauvignon-pritchard-hill-napa-valley-2019">3) Pritchard Hill Cabernet Sauvignon:</a> Another stellar offering from Napa Valley! With opulent dark fruit aromas laced with graphite notes - this wine captivates your senses right away. It sports a deep garnet color denoting its intensity and age-worthiness. On tasting, you&#39;ll find firm tannins supporting ripe fruit flavors along with high alcohol giving it great structure - undeniably full-bodied!

<a href="https://www.totalwine.com/wine/red-wine/cabernet-sauvignon/pine-ridge-cabernet-napa-valley/p/105424750?s=1501&amp;igrules=true">4) Pine Ridge Vineyards:</a> Known for their Cabernet Sauvignons; this particular one didn&#39;t disappoint either! Medium intensity blackcurrant &amp; cherry aromas intermingled with cedar hints make up the nose profile here while its medium-deep ruby hue reflects both varietal character &amp; vinification techniques used (like oak maturation). The taste reveals moderate tannin levels paired well against refreshing acidity- making it more approachable in comparison to others on this list yet still retaining good body.

Thank you to our community, these wine posts were terrific! Keep them coming! Wishing you all the best in 2024.

Cheers! #drinkwhatyoulove

As our community continues to grow, we were thrilled to discover some exceptional wines/producers posted by our CorkRules community. Check out these fabulous white and red wines:

CorkRules App Users Top Wine Posts of 2023

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

As the days grow longer and warmer, it's time to trade in your full-bodied reds and crisp whites for a glass of refreshing rosé. This versatile wine is not only perfect for spring but also pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods all year round.



Rosé originates from France, specifically Provence - the world’s leading rosé region. It has been produced there since 600 BC when Greeks brought vines to southern France. Unlike its red and white counterparts, rosés are made using an array of grape varietals including Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault among others.

Spring into Rosé: The Perfect Wine for Warmer Weather

We are interested in understanding your dining and wine consumption habits to gain valuable insights into the wine and restaurant industry.

State of Wine and Restaurant Survey 2024

Aligoté: Burgundy's Unsung Hero Steps Out of the Shadows

For Chardonnay lovers seeking a refreshing, value-driven alternative, Aligoté, Burgundy's "other" white grape, beckons with its crisp acidity, subtle minerality, and undeniable charm. Often overshadowed by its more illustrious neighbor, Aligoté is finally gaining recognition for its unique qualities and exceptional quality-to-price ratio.

Aligoté: Burgundy's Unsung Hero Steps Out of the Shadows

A Hungarian Legacy: Imagine yourself in Tokaj, Hungary, a region steeped in winemaking tradition. For centuries, Furmint has thrived in its volcanic soil, basking in the warm sunshine. These grapes, loved for their thick skin and high acidity, became the cornerstone of Hungary's most famous wine: Tokaji. These sweet, honeyed treasures were once enjoyed by royalty and popes!

Furmint: Hungary's Hidden Gem for Wine Lovers

Check out these four whites wines under $24, from some great producers across various terroirs – France, Italy, Spain. Spring is in the air.

Four must try white wines for under $24 from France, Spain, and Italy

Upland

Grace Hood

Upland

RT: 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 Grace Hood, wine educator and certified Sommelier. Hello Grace,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

GH: Great to be here as always Robert

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimating, 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.&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

So, Grace today we are chatting about the California-inspired New York City restaurant Upland. What are your initial thoughts?

GH: So, seeing as I am a born and raised New Yorker who has been living in California for over a decade, I was very excited to take a deep dive into Upland. They have a fairly diverse wine menu with lots of classic regions represented. However, they do have some really esoteric interesting selections as well. Starting us off with sparkling, they have a Pet&rsquo;Nat Trousseau from one of my favorite Santa Barbara vineyards, Stoplman. Pet nat is the abbreviation for &ldquo;p&eacute;tillant naturel&rdquo; which in French translates to &ldquo;naturally sparkling&rdquo; and essentially what that means is a wine that naturally ferments to a sparkling wine when it&rsquo;s in the bottle. In this case the trousseau, which is a lighter style French red grape, is harvested and fermented down to a certain level where it still has enough sugar to create a secondary sparkling fermentation when it is bottled and capped. This is going to be a really unique sparkling wine, and not one you&rsquo;re easily going to be able to experience other places, and at such an affordable price point, it&#39;s a no-brainer!

RT: Pet nats are really trendy these days it seems with the younger crowd! Glad we could demystify the process for our listeners. What about some whites Grace?

GH: So, when it comes to the California selections on the list, they have almost an entire page of arguably the most famous white grape from California, Chardonnay. I thought I would choose a favorite Chardonnay from each region represented and explain the differences within them. So, starting in Sonoma, I would go with the Red Car Chardonnay, which is a personal favorite of mine. Sonoma is a cooler wetter region in northern California so their wines end up being more subtle and delicate, rather than their Napa counterparts like Hudson Vineyards from Carneros, which ripen in a much more sunny hotter climate, given them a lusher richer mouth feel. And then when we move south to the Central Coast, I would go with the Sandhi Chardonnay from legendary sommelier turned wine maker Rajat Parr. This chardonnay is grown closer to the coast so gets all that marine layer goodness, as well as being planted in soil that&#39;s rich with fossil and limestone, giving the wine a more mineral-driven palate.

RT: Wow amazing - not all California Chardonnay is created equal. Thanks for that lesson, Grace. Now, what stuck out to you in the reds?

GH: In keeping with the California theme, if we&rsquo;re looking for light, I&rsquo;m choosing the Ceritas &lsquo;Cuvee Chloe&rsquo; pinot noir from Sonoma coast - aromatic and delicate. Or if we wanted a delicious red blend, I&rsquo;m heading a little bit south to Santa Cruz for the 2006 Ridge Montebello which is a classic Bordeaux blend of cabernet sauvignon, merlot, petit verdot and cab franc. Ridge has been a leader in central coast wine production and I will pretty much drink anything from them!

RT: Awesome. Loving this deep dive into California wines. What about some value wines from the Upland list?

GH: You got it - sticking with the Cali theme, for white I would do the Hahn Chardonnay from the Santa Lucia highlands in the central coast. And for red I&rsquo;m going with the 2016 Cultivar Cabernet from Napa.

RT: Great choices. And how about some special occasion wines?

&nbsp;

GH: On the whites, I would choose a classic Napa Chardonnay Aubert from Carneros, and then on the reds, it&rsquo;ll be a legendary Napa Cabernet producer, the 2005 T6 from Schrader Cellars.

RT: Amazing! Thank you so much Grace for helping us navigate the Upland wine list. 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.

End

&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

Starborough is a family-owned winery located in Marlborough, New Zealand. They are committed to producing premium wines that showcase the unique terroir of the region, while also using sustainable and environmentally friendly practices. They offer a range of white wines, including Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Gris, and Chardonnay.

Supper club with a swanky 1930s ambiance, live jazz & a dining room serving American-French cuisine.

Eddy V's Prime Seafood Restaurant

The View

Il Capriccio

Clarity

Bellissimo Restaurant

Bellissimo

Sandbar

Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern

Mirabelle at Three Village Inn

sommeliers

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.

BIX

Alois Lageder

Pinot Grigio 2019

Pinot Gris

Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Duckhorn

Napa Valley Sauvignon Blanc 2020

Sauvignon Blanc

Napa Valley, USA

Halleck Vineyard

Hillside Cuvee Pinot Noir 2018

Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast, USA

Isole e Olena Chianti Classico, Italy, Tuscany, Chianti, Chianti 2019

Sangiovese Blend

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Vetus

Flor de Vetus Verdejo 2019

Verdejo

Rueda, Spain

Bastianich

Friulano Vini Orsone, Italy, Friuli-Venezia Giulia 2017

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Domaine de Fontsainte

Reserve La Demoiselle Corbieres 2019

Chardonnay

France

Gruet Sauvage Blanc de Blancs Sparkling, New Mexico NV

New Mexico, USA

Catena Zapata

Malbec Argentino 2018

Malbec

Mendoza, Argentina

Dafnios Liatiko, Greece, Crete 2018

Liatiko

Crete, Greece

Colpaola

Verdicchio di Matelica 2019

Verdicchio

Italy

Domaine du Gour de Chaule

Cuvee Tradition Gigondas 2018

Grenache

Gigondas, Rhone, France

Velenosi

Marche Passerina NV

Passerina

Marche, Italy

Alberto Tiberio

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2019

Montepulciano

Abruzzo, Italy

Danzante

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy