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.

Alto means high, referring to altitude when talking about wine, in both Spanish and Italian. Recently higher altitude locations have been planted more and more. A few decades ago, these areas were not seen as suitable for growing quality grapes as the climate back then was too cool. Today, with many producers witnessing a rising temperature, and a lot of new techniques in the vineyard, these areas are finally becoming viable. The higher you plant the cooler the temperature will be, but you will also receive more sun which in turn helps ripen the grapes. The temperature will be quite warm during the day, but very cool at night. This leads to ripe fruit aromas developing during the day, followed by a cool nighttime keeping the fresh acidity in the grapes, the best of both worlds for the grapes.

In Italy this development has been very prominent in northern Piemonte in the last decade. There is now talk about an area called Alto Piemonte, comprised of a few different wine regions. They are all located higher up in the mountains, and like the most famous wines from Piemonte many are based on the Nebbiolo grape. The most well-known wine regions would be Ghemme, Gattinara, and Boca.

But Alto Piemonte is not the only area where the term is used. In quite a few cases, in both Italy, Spain, Argentina and Chile the term can be seen used as part of a producer name or even as the name of a specific wine, sometimes to convey the wine is from a high planted vineyard. It is not uncommon however for winemakers to use the term to show it&rsquo;s their highest quality wine, not a wine from high altitude.

More wine growers have shown interest in high altitude vineyards lately, and the record of the highest planted one is something a few are trying to beat. It&rsquo;s safe to say the positive effects the altitude has on the growing grapes mean these vineyards are here to stay, and terms as alto may be used in more languages soon.

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

Buenos Aires Restaurant

Camila Alvarez

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Camila Alvarez, wine sommelier, and consultant. Bonjour Camila,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join our CorkRules Family from Paris!

CA: Hello 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 wine lists 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.

RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today, we are talking about Buenos Aires restaurant, a traditional Argentinian place with a great for classic southern American fare and a cool wine list to match.

Camila, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their extensive wine list?

CA: The wine list shows the spirit of the restaurant&#39;s South American style with the Argentinian style. You can choose between Argentinian, Chilean, Spanish, and French wine in general.

RT: That&rsquo;s great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

CA: Well, I can&rsquo;t stop seeing the Yacochuya Malbec 2011, from Bodegas Michel Rolland, a wine that is difficult to find outside of Argentina, Michel Rolland is a French producer who developed several wineries in Argentina and France. When we think about malbec, first thought is Mendoza, but Salta, the most north wine region in Argentina, is producing amazing malbec, jammy blackberry, blackcurrant and some toast, smoke aromas. Also, the altitude of the vineyard makes it special for these kinds of malbecs. Full body and concentrated flavors in this incredible wine.

RT: Ooohh those sound great. So, Camila, their list seems to have lots of ways we could go but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

CA: As the wine list is mostly Argentinian, I suggest trying another malbec but from a different region and very different style, this one is Bramare Malbec Valle del Uco 2016 from Vina Cobos. This winery is from Paul Hobbs, one of the best wine producers who make the most elegant malbecs; This wine is produced in micro-plots, which means that there is not a high production, elegant aromas of violet and rose flowers, as well as raspberries. In addition, it has some toasted aromas due to the 18 months of barrel aging.

So, this list has so many great choices, what other wines would you suggest for our second or third course?

CA: For the white wines I suggest a Torrontes 2018 from Colom&eacute; winery in the Valle Calchaqui in Salta, one of the highest points in the north of Argentina. This wine is incredibly aromatic, with a lot of aromas of tropical fruits, good fresh acidity and a little bit of minerality; torrontes is a grape variety that disappeared in Spain and that is successfully produced in Argentina, mostly in the hot regions.

Any others for us to consider?

CA: For the second a red wine from Chile, Montes Alpha Carmenere 2018. Iconic winery in Chile, they started to produce premium wines from Valle de Colchagua, carmenere is a grape variety with an amazing bouquet of red fruits, chocolate and some jammy aromas due to the oak maturation for 12 months

RT: Ooh, Terrific. Camila, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind.&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us too?&nbsp;

CA: One great value wine is Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2014, from the best winemaker and one of the historical families in Argentina. Very aromatic cabernet franc with ripe aromas of red fruits and black fruits like cassis, there are some herbal aromas like the eucalyptus and black pepper; Argentinian cabernet franc is completely different than those from France, here you can find a round wine with high tannins. Great value for this wine, good pairing with barbecue and empanadas.

RT: Now Camila, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

CA: Have you tasted a malbec from one of the southernmost regions of the world? A good dinner deserves something special and different, that is Bodega Noemia Malbec 2011, a biodynamic wine from Patagonia Argentina, full malbec with round and elegant aromas of red fruits, complex and high in tannins, the wine is perfectly balanced.

Good pairing with lamb or sauteed sliced Argentinean steak with mixed vegetables

RT: Malbec in all their expression is always something good and this blend and vintage rocks!

CA: I 100 percent agree

RT: Camila Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; List. I can&rsquo;t wait to go back and try your great suggestions.&nbsp;&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;

&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

Frescobaldi is a historic and respected wine producer in Tuscany, with a legacy of winemaking dating back to the 1300s. Today, the family owns and manages over 1,000 hectares of vineyards across Tuscany, producing a range of high-quality wines that showcase the region's terroir and grape varieties.

New American eatery at La Quinta Resort & Club with hacienda-style decor plus a courtyard.

Krasi

Sazon

La Boca

Coppa

Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro

Helm Oyster Bar and Bistro

Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Ledger

Row 34

The Ordinary

The Fig

Harvest

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

Morgan’s in the Desert

Available Wines
Total Wines - 9

Dominio de Pingus

PSI NV

Tempranillo

Castilla y Leon, Spain

Rombauer Vineyards

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Hartford Court Russian River NV

Sonoma County, USA

Grgich Hills

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

Napa Valley, USA

Orin Swift

Eight Years In The Desert NV

Zinfandel

California, USA

Silver Oak

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Alexander Valley, USA

Rick Stein

White Burgundy NV

Chardonnay

Bourgogne, France

Château de Pibarnon

Bandol NV

Mourvedre

Provence, France

Caymus

Zinfandel NV

Zinfandel

California, USA