<a href="https://ko.momofuku.com/">Momofuku Ko</a>&nbsp;is an award-winning restaurant in NYC that offers an exceptional dining experience. &nbsp;It won two Michelin stars in 2009 and has maintained that status ever since. It was also awarded three stars by the New York Times in 2015, and in 2019, it was ranked No. 76 on the World&rsquo;s 50 Best Restaurants list. With credentials like this, you&rsquo;d expect a top-quality wine list and you would not be disappointed.

So, if dining Japanese, which wines pair well?

Japanese cuisine is quite varied and includes a wide range of seafood dishes, tempura, sushi and sashimi, pork, chicken, ramen&hellip;, the flavors and textures are diverse, which means we need a wine list with a variety of options.

With sushi and sashimi, you can go wrong with a crisp, clean white wine like a gr&uuml;ner veltliner. A white wine with high acidity and lemony, citrus notes works well with seafood. Sauvignon blanc also pairs well with sushi, and, of course, Champagne also works well.

If you opt for a bowl of ramen or miso soup, the strong umami calls for a bolder wine that won&rsquo;t be overpowered nor overpower. Consider choosing a fortified wine like an Assyrtiko from Greece or even a Manzanilla sherry. However, many ramen dishes use soy sauce, in this case, a light-bodied pinot noir will also work well.

Fried, battered and grilled dishes like tempura, katsu, karaage and agedashi tofu pair well with aromatic and full-bodied whites, such as chardonnay or pinot gris. However, light to medium reds can also work spectacularly well. Think pinot noir, gamay or grenache.

If you are thinking of dining at Momofuku Ko, &nbsp;check out the CorkRules<a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/momofuku-las-vegas/episodes/23">&nbsp;podcast </a>episode with certified sommelier Michaela Quinlan. She navigates the wine list at &nbsp;Momofuku Ko and offers a few stellar suggestions.

Cheers!

&nbsp;

About the CorkRules Podcast:&nbsp;Each week we pour a glass and share top restaurant wine list picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the wine list through sommelier recommendations, suggested food pairings and expert insights

About CorkRules:&nbsp;CorkRules, the first digital wine app experience, makes it easier for you to navigate the restaurant wine list, and provides you with personalized wine recommendations from your favorite restaurants. Through CorkRules you can find the perfect wine for every occasion based on your preferences. Connect with friends and wine experts to discover new wines to try and learn about wine. CorkRules makes it easier to discover and drink what you love. &nbsp;

Momofuku Ko is an award-winning restaurant in NYC that offers an exceptional dining experience.  It won two Michelin stars in 2009 and has maintained that status ever since. It was also awarded three stars by the New York Times in 2015, and in 2019, it was ranked No. 76 on the World’s 50 Best Restaurants list. With credentials like this, you’d expect a top-quality wine list and you would not be disappointed.

Pairing Wine with Japanese Food at Momofuku Ko

Wines from grapes grown in higher altitude areas with cooler climate has become quite the trend recently. This specific growing environment gives intense flavor but elegance and freshness to the final wines. To highlight and champion these conditions more and more winemakers are starting to use alto as a marketing and labelling term to show their grapes were grown in high altitude vineyards.

Decoding the wine label: Alto

Brut is a word often seen on labels for different kinds of sparkling wine. As you may have discovered when drinking these wines, it indicates that the wine is dry, meaning there is no perceived sweetness in the wine. But how about Extra Brut or Dry, what do they mean and are they the same as Brut?

Decoding the wine label: Brut

Semi-sweet Riesling, a type of wine falling out of style. It’s a shame, since these wines are perfect to pair with flavorful cuisines like Asian or Mexican, or simply drink as they come under the summer sun. The higher level of sugar left in the wine also means that the alcoholic fermentation was stopped before finishing, providing a wine with lower alcohol level and therefor easier grabbing a second glass of.

Decoding the wine label: Spätlese

Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers’ lips today, as it happens to be considered the grape variety with the highest quality in Greece, and one that is trending at the moment. The fact that Greece have been making wine for a long time comes as no surprise, but they have never exported an amount to make sure wine lovers around the globe tried it. With the growing wine tourism many have discovered these wines and are serving them in wine bars and restaurants in many countries today.

Decoding the wine label: Xinomavro

Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico… Why do all these Italian wine regions have the Classico addendum and what does it mean? What is the difference for wines labeled as Classico?

Classico is a wine term in Italy seen on a few wine labels and it indicates that the wine’s from the historic center of the region, the heart. Using Chianti and Chianti Classico and their Sangiovese-based red wines as an example, Chianti is a rather large wine district within the Tuscany region. Chianti Classico is located withing Chianti as the central part and the one that originally existed. Back then this smaller region was actually called Chianti, but as the region grew the quality of the wine plummeted and the well-known characteristics of these red wines were watered down. The reputation took a hit and sales diminished. Eventually this led to the creation of Chianti Classico, which would be drawn from the original Chianti borders to recover the typicity of these wines. Today the quality of both Chianti and Chianti Classico have risen a lot due to modern techniques and knowledge about pruning, planting and temperature control in the winery.

Decoding the wine label: Classico

In the rarefied world of fine wine, where bottles can command prices equivalent to luxury cars, authenticity is everything. Laurent Ponsot's gripping memoir "FBI: Fake Bottle Investigation" reads more like a high-stakes thriller than a traditional wine book, chronicling his relentless pursuit of one of the wine world's most infamous counterfeiters, Rudy Kurniawan.

From Burgundy's Vineyards to the FBI's Most Wanted: A Winemaker's Quest for Justice

Chablis – one of the more popular styles of wine today and a region known by many. Most are familiar with the word Chablis and the light, fresh white wine with a touch of minerality it brings. Even though it’s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is.

Decoding the wine label: Chablis

Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they’re grown in, even though they’re exactly the same. The most famous example would be Syrah in France where the same grape is named Shiraz in Australia. Another variety with two names is Pinot Grigio, or Pinot Gris.

Decoding the wine label: Pinot Grigio

Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It’s not a grape and not a wine region, but a winemaking method used to give certain styles of white wine a rounder texture and a more complex flavor profile.

Decoding the wine label: Sur lie

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Terra Eately, a unique restaurant inspired by earth and fire. 

Wine List Review of Terra Eately, Boston

Michaela Quinlan

Terra Eately

Terra Eately

RT: Hello and welcome back to CorkRules a podcast where in each episode we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&#39;m your host, Robert Tas. Along with Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier. Hello Michaela, it&#39;s great to be back together for another fabulous episode.

MQ: Hi, Robert.

RT: Before we jump in, let&#39;s talk CorkRules. We created CorkRules to demystify wine list because we know from experience that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well, it can be intimidating and even a little daunting. Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list. Find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top. So sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list. So today we&#39;re talking about Terra at eat ally. Eataly Tara is a wood burning Italian Grill located within the Eataly Boston, a high-end Italian marketplace here you can enjoy all your classic Italian favorites. Michaela, I have a feeling they have a fabulous Italian kind of wine list.

MQ: Absolutely. And I will admit, there are so many amazing Italian wines on this list. I could certainly recommend at least a half dozen for each of our categories today. I tried to limit myself to a handful of unique selections. So I hope you enjoy them.

RT: Amazing. Amazing. All right. So where are we going to start what jumped out at you first?

MQ: Well, a fresh white wine that caught my eye was the 2021 OTELO lugana from the Veneto of Italy. Now this grape is 100% Tobiano, which is a clone of Trebbiano de lugana. And it features aromas and flavors of ripe pear melon, tangerine and mango with some bright acidity and a mineral finish. Pair this wine with some lightly sauced pasta or herbs dishes.

RT: Maybe that&#39;s a fabulous start. Anything else catch your eye? Maybe something a little bolder.

MQ: Oh my goodness, of course. So many actually. But do consider the 2018 vignette quite Donno it&#39;s the Aglianico your Pina from the compania to pair with richly sauce passes and that woodfired pizza. This bold Aglianico from Southern Italy exudes ripe blackberries, blueberries, plums, some white pepper and herbs. Just another Italian classic red grape to explore.

RT: Fantastic fantastic. There&#39;s so many choices and in Italy I think they have over 350 different varietals anyways and always fun to try new things there. All right, so this guys obviously have a lot of range on their list. Anything that caught your eye is a must-try.

MQ: Yes, it&#39;s sort of one of my favorite regions. In Italy. It is a B 2020 Cold Of course it&#39;s it&#39;s the Verdicchio dei Castelli di Jesi&nbsp;Classico&nbsp;Superiore&nbsp;Vigneto di&nbsp;Tobia&nbsp;Col Di Corte 2019 I love they tell you everything about the wine in the name there is from the mark a region of Italy so the mark K region is located along the calf of the boot of Italy among the historic castles of Jesse. Now, this Verdicchio grape features aromas and flavors of ripe peach some parents tangerine, dried apricots with a little saline note on the finish. Thanks for being right there along the water. I definitely pair this beautiful white wine with olives should coterie and lightly sauce pasta.

RT: Awesome, great suggestion. All right, we want to order a bottle and I&#39;m excited to hear where you&#39;re gonna take us I&#39;m sure they have a pretty broad set of things for us to choose from.

MQ: Yes, absolutely. Well, a crowd-pleasing red wine for the table would be the 2013 Luppi and a bocce from the Piedmont of Italy. Now nor this northern Italian red wine consists of some Nebbiolo and some vegetable Lena. Now this Polina is indigenous to the Piedmont region and is a relative of the Nebbiolo grapes. This wine features classic notes of ripe red cherries, some rose petals, smoking leather, again, that gorgeous mineral finish all coming from this beautiful soil composition of the region is definitely your go-to if you are eyeing originally sauce, pasta and proteins, which I tend to do.

RT: That&#39;s a fabulous suggestion. Can&#39;t go wrong with Northern Italian red wine and never yellow grape is fabulous. excellent suggestion. All right. What about something for our budget-friendly listeners?

MQ: Sure, well, I send out quality value white wine that caught my eye definitely is the 2021 P of folic it&#39;s the area&#39;s pecorino from the Abruzzi region of Italy and not to be confused with cheese of the same name. They do pair well together though, so you can always keep that in mind. The pecorino grape is quite aromatic with notes of white flowers, lemon zest, ripe apricot and pear with a note of salinity on the finish care this wine was some soft cheese like fish and sugary, amazing. Amazing. What about something red? Sure, well, an excellent red blend to consider would be the, 2019 Lenotti Bardolino Classico this classic red blend of poor Vina and Rhonda nella showpieces ripe strawberries and red cherries.

With notice of leather smoke and clove is the firm tenants and save refinish. Make this one want to consider when pairing with herbs, lean proteins and pasta.

RT: Fantastic. All right. What do we want to do for a special occasion? We have an anniversary a birthday. How do we up our game?

MQ:&nbsp; Oh well the two classic to round out our recommendations would be the 2018 Bell Sina Colonia Grom Sela Zone A from Tuscany now this is a highly rated Kiante classico features the standout qualities of central VSA such as ripe black cherries, lavender and sage with notes of leather and smoke in the finish. The structure and round tannins will make this wine an excellent companion to all wood-grilled richly sauce dishes, and certainly will add to your special event.

RT: Thank you so much, Michaela. Amazing all your fabulous suggestions. We&#39;re grateful for your help to navigate Tara Italy&rsquo;s wine list. Can&#39;t wait to get up there and try all of your fabulous calls to our audience. Thank you all for joining us here on court rules. If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us an email to info at corkrules.com or visit our website where we have that 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 finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly. We look forward to being with you on another CorkRules. episode soon.

Cheers.

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

Priest Ranch is a family-owned and operated winery that is dedicated to producing high-quality wines that reflect the unique terroir of Napa Valley. Through a combination of traditional winemaking techniques and modern technology, Priest Ranch creates elegant and complex wines that are a true expression of their vineyards.

Varying seafood dishes are delivered along with cocktails in a polished but easygoing setting.

Marc Forgione

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

Columbus Fish Market - Worthington - Permanently Closed

Beringer Main & Vine

White Zinfandel 2020

Zinfandel

California, USA

The Prisoner

Red Blend 2021

Zinfandel

California, USA

Stags' Leap

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Ravenswood

Old Vine Zinfandel 2018

Zinfandel

California, USA

Ecco Domani

Pinot Grigio 2021

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy

Hayes Ranch

Cabernet Sauvignon 2020

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Sonoma-Cutrer

Sonoma Coast Chardonnay 2021

Chardonnay

Sonoma Coast, USA

Brancott Estate

Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

14 Hands

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington, USA

Fetzer

Sundial Chardonnay 2018

Chardonnay

California, USA

Columbia Crest

Grand Estates Merlot 2013

Merlot

Washington, USA

Wente Vineyards Central Coast Chardonnay 2020

California, USA

Martín Códax

Rias Baixas Albarino 2021

Albarino

Galicia, Spain

Wines from Hahn Estate

Pinot Noir 2021

Pinot Noir

Monterey County, USA

Penfolds

Koonunga Hill Shiraz - Cabernet 2020

Cabernet Sauvignon

South Australia, Australia