Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers&rsquo; 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.

Xinomavro is an interesting grape. The name translates to &ldquo;sour black&rdquo;, and it&rsquo;s quite telling as the wine can have deep color and high acidity. It makes medium-bodied red wine with a marked astringency, red and black fruit aroma and can develop forest like notes, just like how the grape Nebbiolo would be described. In general, the Nebbiolo wines are less full-bodied though, as the climate where they&rsquo;re grown is slightly cooler. Nebbiolo is most famous from the Barolo region in northern Italy, and many are looking to find styles similar to it today, paving the way for grapes like Xinomavro.

Xinomavro is mainly planted in northern Greece with the region Naoussa making the best examples today. It can be planted elsewhere as well, and even some vineyards in other countries can be found nowadays. Some choose to blend the variety with softer grapes like Merlot, but the most prestigious ones are usually Xinomavro only and further aged in oak barrels. Many of these wines can age in the bottle for many years, just like Barolo, and usually shines the most when they do. Besides red wine, the grape is used for ros&eacute; and sparkling white wine as well, some of very good quality.

As the world of wine becomes more curious, and well-known wines like Barolo becomes more and more expensive, Greece and its wines is something everyone should keep an eye on.

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

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

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

Sorellina

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Sorellina in Boston. 

Wine List Review of Sorellina, Boston. 

Michaela Quinlan

Sorelina

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 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 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:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about Sorellina. If you are visiting Boston&rsquo;s Copley Square, then you must stop by Sorellina to experience classic Italian with a modern twist.

Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

MQ: Sorellina takes great pride in their wines by the glass, extensive Italian-focused wine list, Somm&rsquo;s Select glass pour options, and knowledgeable staff. We have a number of new favorites and classics to explore with you today.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked the list did you see anything jump out at you?

MQ: Let&rsquo;s begin in Campania. One of my many favorite Italian white grapes in Falanghina. Do consider the 2020 Cantina del Taburno Falanghina. This medium bodied white wine is perfect to pair with shellfish, tuna, and salmon. The bright acidity, minerality, along with aromas and flavors of lime zest, green apple, and pear make this wine an excellent selection to kick off your dining experience.

RT: That is for sure unique. Did you find any others that caught your eye right away?

MQ: We have to head over to the Piedmont for a classic Nebbiolo. The 2019 Luigi Giordano &lsquo;Cavanna&rsquo; Barbaresco is a standout with its bright acidity, tart red cherries, smoke, round tannins, and classic herbal notes on the finish. This Nebbiolo is your go to selection to pair with pasta and richly sauced proteins.

RT: So Michaela, their list seems to have lots of range but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

MQ: To shift away from classic Italian wines for a moment, I had to stop when I spotted a favorite. The 2018 Ken Wright Cellars &lsquo;Savoya Vineyard&rsquo; from the Willamette Valley of Oregon. Ken Wright Cellars has been producing single vineyard Pinot Noir for over 40 years from 13 different vineyard sites. This particular Pinot Noir is from the Savoya Vineyard and showcases ripe blackberries, black cherries, cranberries, with herbs, spice, and a slightly smoky finish. This Pinot Noir will pair will with herbed and smoked dishes.

RT: These are some great calls. So, you know I&rsquo;m getting thirsty and will need to order a bottle with my dinner, where would you guide us?

MQ: Another favorite, can&rsquo;t miss producer caught my eye. The 2019 Ridge &lsquo;Three Valleys&rsquo; Zinfandel from Sonoma County, CA. Since their start in 1988, Ridge has been producing knockout, highly rated wines. The &lsquo;Three Valleys&rsquo; represent the different vineyards where the grapes for this wine are grown, consisting of predominately Zinfandel, along with a bit of Petit Syrah, and Carignan. This medium to full bodied red features ripe red cherries, ripe raspberries, earth, spice, black pepper, soft tannins, and a long finish. Consider this Zinfandel blend to pair with richly sauced dishes and anything grilled.

RT: Ooh, Terrific. Michaela, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind. Any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us to?&nbsp;

MQ: Now back to Italy. How can we discuss Italian wines without mentioning Pinot Grigio? An excellent quality and value selection is the 2020 Cantina Terlan Pinot Grigio from Alto-Adige in Northern Italy. This medium-bodied white wine features ripe pear, lemon zest, melon, green apple, with bright minerality on the finish. This is an excellent aperitif, or to pair with shellfish, all at an excellent price.

RT: That sounds great. What is your other value selection?

MQ: Let&rsquo;s move from Northern Italy to Southern Italy, specifically Puglia for another standout value wine. Consider the 2017 Masseria Altemura, Negroamaro. If you are looking for spice, look no further. Negroamaro is a red grape that features aromas and flavors of ripe plumb and fig, along with a bit of licorice and cocoa. Nutmeg and clove also come through thanks to the aging in French oak. Pair this red with richly sauced and herbed dishes.

RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

MQ: I find that Barolo is always an excellent choice to add to any celebration. Do consider the 2013 Viberti &lsquo;Bricco delle Viole&rsquo; Reserva Barolo. The grape in Barolo wines is Nebbiolo, and the Reserva designation means that the grapes have aged a bit longer than others, resulting in aromas and flavors of dried fig, ripe strawberries, and plumb, with spice and classic licorice on the long finish. You may wish to decant this wine, as the tannins are still quite firm. A wonderful addition to any event.

RT: Michaela Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Sorellina&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.

End

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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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