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

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

Whitney Grant

NYC Prime Rib

NYC Prime Rib

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

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,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join our CorkRules family.

WG: 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, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about NYC Prime a supper club in the West Village. This late-night dining den winks back to a lost era.

Whitney I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their extensive wine list?

WG: You&rsquo;ve gotta go with some classic wines at a place like this!

I always love to start my night with a glass of bubbles, and they&rsquo;ve got a great list of sparkling wine by the glass. I would recommend the Victorine de Chastenay. Light with refreshing acidity makes for a great aperitif.

RT: Ohh terrific. What about a white to get us going?

WG: Chardonnay from the Santa Rita Hills in California would pair nicely with the shellfish appetizers. This wine will have notes of lemon, great minerality with a bright saline finish.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked at the bottle list did you see anything jump out at you?

WG: The 2013 Bergstr&ouml;m, Silice, from the Willamette Valley in Oregon. This wine comes from the Chehalem Mountain AVA. This Pinot Noir is super fragrant, darker, and richer than many other vintages. It is developing those wonderful tertiary characters with age big yet still a lovely delicate Oregon Pinot Noir.

RT: Wow, sounds delicious. What about something to impress my guests?

WG: Now if you are looking to impress your guests, I would recommend the 2000 Chateau Margaux. A flawless vintage and a timeless Bordeaux classic. The 2000 vintage is noted for its remarkable concentration of flavors with elegance and softness on the palate. If you have the opportunity to enjoy this wine, you&rsquo;ll be reminiscing about the experience for years to come.

RT: So Whitney, is there anything you would recommend for someone with a more conservative budget?

WG: If you&rsquo;re looking for a hearty wine that will pair nicely with the menu without breaking the bank, I would recommend the 2017 Cabernet Sauvignon from the White Rock Vineyard in Napa Valley. With this wine, you&rsquo;re going to get an elegantly layered Cab with rich dark fruit, spice, and leather. Cab Sauv is a classic pairing with a menu like this. The richness will pair perfectly with a full-bodied Napa Cab.

RT: Great suggestions, anything from the old-world wines to consider?

GW: Another great option if you are still looking to enjoy an old-world wine would be the 2018 Domaine Fran&ccedil;ois Villard from Crozes-Hermitage of the Northern Rh&ocirc;ne Valley in France. This is a great value wine that is predominantly Syrah. You can expect bright fruit flavors that are best drunk while young.

RT: Whitney, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate NYC Prime&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.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for all our other available episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp; We are adding new episodes each week.

See you on an another CorkRules episode soon.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Cheers.

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End

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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

Orin Swift Cellars is a California-based winery that was founded in 1998 by winemaker Dave Phinney. The winery produces a range of high-end wines that are known for their bold, complex flavors and unique blends of varietals and vineyards.

Frenchette

Le Bernardin

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

Charlie Bird

Becco

Buddha-Bar Restaurant New York

Buddha Bar

Franks Wine Bar

Frank's

Maison

Maison Premiere

Pastis

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Aldo Sohm

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

Donatelli's Bistro

Available Wines
Total Wines - 5

Gran Sasso

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo NV

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy

Requiem

Red Blend NV

Columbia Valley, USA

Spring Seed

Wine Company Cabernet Sauvignon Cockscomb, Australia NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Fleurieu, South Australia, Australia

Wines from Hahn Estate

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Monterey County, USA

Hahn Pinot Noir SLH, USA, California, Central Coast, Santa Lucia NV

Pinot Noir

Central Coast, California, USA