Chianti Classico, Valpolicella Classico, Soave Classico&hellip; 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&rsquo;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.

This development has not been historically exclusive to Chianti, leading to the creation of more than one Classico district. In general, the Classico wines tend to be slightly better as these regions are smaller and have stricter rules regarding plantings and winemaking. If not better, at least more traditional and typical of the region.

The most well-known Classico regions, apart from Chianti, would be Valpolicella Classico making red wine from Corvina, Rondinella and Molinara, also known as the grapes for Amarone. Valpolicella Classico is located within Valpolicella in the region Veneto, also home to two lesser known Classico regions: Bardolino Classico and Soave Classico. Bardolino Classico is located to the west of Valpolicella and produced from the same grapes, while Soave Classico, in contrast to the rest, makes white wine from the local Garganega. All great wines and certainly part of the Italian wine history.

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

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

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

Whitney Grant

The Butcher's Table

The Butcher&rsquo;s Table

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where, in each episode, we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Whitney Grant, wine educator and certified sommelier,

Hello Whitney, it&rsquo;s great to have you back on with CorkRules.

WG: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me! I&rsquo;m excited to share these wine selections with you and the CorkRules listeners.

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 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: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about The Butcher&rsquo;s Table. Nominated for Seattle&rsquo;s Best Steakhouse by Thrillist. This sleek steakhouse and takeaway butcher counter offers classic preparations, prime wagyu cuts and has a stellar wine list. Whitney I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine offerings, where should we start with this list?

WG: How about we start with a few wines by the glass?&nbsp; &nbsp;

RT: Take it away, Whitney

WG: Let&rsquo;s start with the Tablas Creek Vineyards white blend from Paso Robles in California. This is a blend of 5 Rhone varietals. Grenache blanc, roussanne, viognier, marsanne, and clairette blanche. Crisp acids, with a rich mouthfeel, floral and tropical aromatics, structure, spice, freshness and minerality. Don&rsquo;t sleep on Paso! This hidden gem in California has amazing wineries producing excellent wines at better prices than wines in Napa or Sonoma.

WG: Next I would recommend the 2019 Flowers Chardonnay from the Sonoma Coast in California. This with has bright citrus notes, white flowers, white peach and hints of flint. Nice acidity balanced with flavor of orchard fruits, with a long bright finish. Flowers vineyard pioneered pinot noir and chardonnay. Focused on farming responsibly, harvesting by hand and using 100% native fermentation making wine with minimal intervention. Flowers is an iconic Sonoma producer.

&nbsp;RT: What wine by the glass would you recommend for red wine drinkers?

WG: The Jean-Luc Colombo &ldquo;Les Abeilles&rdquo; Red Blend is a 2018 C&ocirc;te-du-Rh&ocirc;ne blend. Cotes-du-Rhone accounts for more than half of the production of appellation wines in the Southern Rhone Valley of France. This blend is 60% grenache, 30% syrah, 10% mourvedre. Expect intense purple color with a nose of violets, plum, and casis. Silky dark red fruit with a hint of spice on the palate. Great food friendly wine!

 
RT:___

Finally the Melville Estate 2018 Syrah from the Santa Rita Hills in California. This is a plum colored wine with notes of fig, eucalyptus and pepper corns. Dark lingering fruit, black olive, delicate tannins with fresh acidity and a powerful finish. Melville estates was established in 1996&nbsp; in the heart of the Santa Rita Hills in California.

RT: The wine list at Butcher&rsquo;s Table is organized by Old World and New World. Could you tell us about that differentiation?

WG: Old World wines are wines made in the traditional wine-growing regions of Europe whereas New World is basically everywhere else.

There are also some stylistic differences between the old world vs. the new world. Old world wines are typically lighter bodied, with lower alcohol, higher acidity, less fruit and more minerality. New world tends to have fuller-bodied wines with higher alcohol, lower acidity, and more fruit flavors.

We can take a closer look at the stylistic difference for a particular varietal chardonnay.

RT: Let&rsquo;s do it!

WG: Chardonnay is grown in the Burgundy region of France in the old world, let&rsquo;s take a look at both Chablis and Puligny Montrachet.

Chablis is a village appellation within Burgundy. These wines typically have high mouthwatering acidity with flavors of green apple, citrus, lemon and wet stone. These wines are almost always unoaked.

Puligny Montrachet is a village within Burgundy located further south than Chablis. These wines tend to have flavors of lemon, golden apple, pear, quince, and yellow plum. These wines will typically be made in French oak giving flavors of cinnamon, almond, and bread from lees contact.

There is a range of styles for New World Chardonnay from cool climate unoaked Willamette Valley Chardonnays or Warmer oaked California Chardonnay. Looking at this list there is one I would definitely recommend giving a try. The 2018 Chateau Montelenda. Expect cinnamon, ripe peach, aromas of melon, fig and pear. Subtle notes of honeysuckle, vanilla and clove with a bright finish, and full texture. Chateau Montelena is one of the most important and significant wineries that put Napa Valley on the map internationally when their 1973 Chardonnay won the Judgement of Paris.&nbsp;

RT: So Whitney, is there anything you would recommend that would really impress a guest?

WG: The Vega Sicilia &ldquo;Unico&rdquo; 1962 Ribera del Duero. Coming from a world-renowned iconic producer. The Vega Sicilia vineyard offers the best of the best from vineyard aspect, to soil, to the wood chosen at different stages of the 10-year barrel aging process. These wines are known for consistently having elegance, style, and strength and are in a category of some of the best of the best classic wines of not just Spain but the world.

Now a wine this old is not something you could find at your average wine store, if you want to get your hands on a 1962 you are going to have to look into specialized auctions, so if you are looking to impress a guest, this wine will certainly do so!

RT: Wow! Enjoying that wine would be quite the experience. While we all wish we could crack open a bottle like that not everyone has the budget for a 4 figure wine, is there anything on the list that you would recommend that won&rsquo;t break the bank?

WG: Yes! There are a lot more affordable options on the menu. I love Argentinian wine and the&nbsp; Bodega Colom&eacute; Estate 2019 Malbec is a great choice. Malbec is Argentina&rsquo;s flagship variety these wines are typically deep colored and full bodied, and generally you can get them at reasonable prices.&nbsp; This wine comes from Salta region close to the border of Bolivia, with some of the highest vineyards of the world with some over 3,000 meters in elevation. This climate produces wine with great purity and concentration.

This wine has that beautiful bright &amp; intense signature malbec color. With aromas of blackberries, red fruit, and exotic floral notes. It&#39;s full and lush with spiced oak notes and hints of pepper. Fresh acidity balances the big bold tannins, it&#39;s wonderful, it&#39;s complex, and the price is right!

RT: Whitney, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate The Butcher&#39;s Table wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself.

WG: Thanks for having me, Robert, I always enjoy chatting with you about great wines at great restaurants!

RT: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 an email to: Info@CorkRules.com 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

&nbsp;

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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

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