Chablis &ndash; 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&rsquo;s a renowned wine, few knows what it really is. 

According to popular belief, Chablis is the name of a French grape variety. However, it is not. Chablis is actually a wine region part of Burgundy, in northern France. The climate here is very cool and lately very challenging with spring frost killing the vine buds, or hail crushing the grapes before mature in summer time. The grape grown is always Chardonnay giving sleek wines with a high acidity and aromas of green apple, lemon and chalk. Compared to a lot of other Chardonnay wines, Chablis does not have aromas from oak ageing. Some wines are aged in French oak, but if so, the barrels used will be too old to inflict any flavor. Instead, the body of the wine will get a little bit rounder. Comparing to some Chardonnay with an oily texture and flavor of butter and vanilla, this is far off. Due to this, many who claims not to like Chardonnay will drink Chablis on a regular basis.

Chablis has four quality levels depending on where in the region the grapes are grown; Petit Chablis, Chablis, Premier Cru and Grand Cru. Looking to volume, Chablis will be the dominant one. The vineyards are split into the different classifications depending on soil type, exposure to sun and other environmental factors. The Grand Cru vineyards will receive the most sun giving them a bit more ripe fruit aromas and higher concentration. Petit Chablis is not grown on the chalky soil typical to the region, making the style lighter and with less mineral notes.

The setbacks the region has faced in the last couple of years due to the northern climate have been dire. The late spring frost, summer hail and early autumn rain have all had a part in ruining the crop, giving the producers less grapes than what would be possible almost every year in the last eight years. This means that prices are on the rise, so if you like Chablis, now would be the time to invest!

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

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

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

Oceana

Michaela Quinlan

Music Intro:

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where&nbsp;we review a Wine List from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Michaela Quinlan, Certified Sommelier.

Hello Michaela,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

MQ: Hi Robert!

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.

RT:&nbsp;So, today we are talking about Oceana. If you are near Rockefeller Center and craving critically acclaimed seafood, Oceana is for you&hellip;not to mention their astounding wine list.

Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

MQ: I was sidetracked by their cocktail list, which should always receive attention.

RT: It&rsquo;s always nice to start the night with something, what&rsquo;s your beverage of choice?

MQ:&nbsp;

RT: For me I&rsquo;m old school so an old fashioned but we digress.

MQ: Alright, Now, back to wine! They feature several standouts from around the globe. I was also taken by their half-bottle list. This is a wonderful option when there may be different palates at the table.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, very unusual for a restaurant to have that many great &frac12; bottles. &nbsp;As you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

MQ: Let&rsquo;s begin in Spain with the Valtea Albarino from Rias Biaxis. Rias Baixas is located just north of the Portugal border in Galicia. Albarino is a perfect pairing for all things seafood, due to its acidity, fresh grapefruit, citrus, and salinity. Think of it as a&nbsp; fuller-bodied Sauvignon Blanc with a touch more melon.

RT: That&rsquo;s a. nice start for sure.

So Michaela, their list has some many great choices, it&rsquo;s hard to get my arms around it, it&rsquo;s 33 pages. was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

MQ: Of course. Let&rsquo;s stay in Spain, and head over to Ribeira Sacra, still in the Galicia province. I would try the Don Bernadino Mencia. Mencia is a medium-bodied red grape, with aromas of pomegranate and cherry, along with a hint of licorice and pepper on the finish. This is where any pairing of herbs and root vegetables would be a perfect fit.

RT: Love that call. So as I start thinking about my second course maybe some raw bars item, I think we&rsquo;re going to need a bottle, where would you guide us?

MQ: Yes, yes. Let&rsquo;s head to France. To Burgundy of course, to try the Christian Simone Petit Chablis 2017. Petit Chablis is the appellation located around the town of Chablis in Burgundy and is 100% Chardonnay. This Chardonnay also has high acidity, making it a perfect pairing for richer dishes such as chowders, raw fish, and sushi. Certainly a crowd-pleaser.

RT: That sounds yum, I love Chablis. &nbsp;Michaela, this wine list has something for everyone, any great value wine jump out at you?

MQ: I have spotted a few wonderful value wines to pair with the incredible Oceana menu. The first being Gadais Muscadet from the Loire Valley of France. Muscadet, a dry, light, crisp, white wine is perfect for all things raw bar! Oysters, you name it, and this is your selection. Muscadet is also a wonderful wine to sip on and enjoy as you peruse the menu.

Another favorite, and keeping it local, is the Blaufrankisch, from Red Tail Ridge in the Finger Lakes of NY. Blaufrankisch, not only is it fun to say, but it is a dark-skinned grape originating in Austria. Back to those bright tannins, blackberry, and black cherry, this is a wonderful pairing for smoked dishes.

RT: Sounds yum. NY sure has some great wineries.

MQ: Absolutely!

RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big team dinner or special occasion where we want to take it up a notch?

MQ: Of course. A personal favorite, and eternal California Cabernet Sauvignon classic, the Groth Vineyard Reserve 2015 from the Oakville district of Napa Valley will never disappoint. The smooth tannins, rich red berries, and a hint of vaNULLla from its time in oak barrels will win over any client or add to any celebration.

RT: Michaela, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Oceana&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 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.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

End

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&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

San Giorgio is a family-owned winery located in Puglia, Italy. It was founded in 1962 by Giovanni De Falco and has been producing high-quality wines ever since. The winery is known for its commitment to sustainable winemaking practices and for producing wines that reflect the unique terroir of Puglia.

American bites doled out in a laid-back cafe with an island vibe & occasional live music.

Per Se

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

404

This page could not be found.