As the days grow longer and warmer, it&#39;s time to trade in your full-bodied reds and crisp whites for a glass of refreshing ros&eacute;. This versatile wine is not only perfect for spring but also pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods all year round.

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Ros&eacute; originates from France, specifically Provence - the world&rsquo;s leading ros&eacute; region. It has been produced there since 600 BC when Greeks brought vines to southern France. Unlike its red and white counterparts, ros&eacute;s are made using an array of grape varietals including Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault among others.

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The process used to make ros&eacute; differs significantly from that used to produce red wines. While both types involve fermenting grape juice with skins on (which gives wine its color), in making rosé the skins are removed after just a few hours or up to two-three days as opposed to weeks or months in case of red wines &ndash; hence their pink hue!

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Now let&#39;s talk about food pairings! With its bright acidity and often subtle fruit flavors like strawberry or melon, ros&egrave; makes an excellent companion for salads, seafood dishes such as grilled shrimp or salmon tartare; even heartier fare like barbecue chicken can be enhanced by this adaptable vino.

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Let us now delve into reviews of three exceptional bottles you should consider trying this season:

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<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Domaine-LaFage-Rose-Miraflors-2022-w2115833ea">1) Domaine LaFage - Rose Miraflors 2022</a>&nbsp;- $18.99

Domaine Lafage hails from Roussillon area in Southern France where Jean-Marc Lafage serves as winemaker at his family estate established over six centuries ago! Their Rose Miraflors uses predominantly Mourv&egrave;dre grapes along with some Grenache Gris resulting in a vibrant yet elegant wine offering notes of ripe strawberries balanced by zesty citrus undertones.

Pair it with light pasta dishes or fresh goat cheese salad. Critics rave about its delicate balance and refreshing finish, earning it scores of 90+ consistently.

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<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Domaine-Ott-By-Ott-Rose-Cotes-de-Provence-2022-w88558000k">2) Domaine Ott - By Ott Rose Cotes de Provence 2022</a>&nbsp;- $26.99

Domaine Ott is a historic winery founded in 1896 by Marcel Ott, an agricultural engineer from Alsace who dreamed of establishing a great wine estate near the Mediterranean. Today, cousins Christian and Jean-Fran&ccedil;ois run the property producing some of the most iconic ros&eacute;s.

Their By Ott Ros&eacute; blends Grenache, Cinsault and Syrah grapes to create a sophisticated palate with hints of peach, apricot and subtle floral notes.

Pair this elegant ros&eacute; with grilled fish or even spicy Asian cuisine for an interesting contrast. This vintage has been praised for its complexity receiving high scores across various critics&#39; reviews.

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<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Domaine-Tempier-Bandol-Rose-2022-w33149027b">3) Domaine Tempier - Bandol Rose 2022</a>&nbsp;- $53.99

The family-run Domaine Tempier has been operating since 1834 in Bandol region known for its unique terroir that gives wines their distinctive character. Led by winemaker Daniel Ravier, they produce one of the world&#39;s best roses using Mourv&egrave;dre as primary grape along with Grenache &amp; Cinsault.

This full-bodied rose exhibits flavors like cherry blossom, raspberry coupled with earthy undertones making it ideal pairing choice for dishes like roasted lamb or duck confit. It enjoys stellar reviews scoring well into mid-90s on several occasions.

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Don&#39;t let spring pass you by without enjoying at least one glass (or bottle!) of these fabulous French ros&eacute;s!

As the days grow longer and warmer, it's time to trade in your full-bodied reds and crisp whites for a glass of refreshing rosé. This versatile wine is not only perfect for spring but also pairs beautifully with a wide variety of foods all year round.



Rosé originates from France, specifically Provence - the world’s leading rosé region. It has been produced there since 600 BC when Greeks brought vines to southern France. Unlike its red and white counterparts, rosés are made using an array of grape varietals including Grenache, Syrah, Cinsault among others.

Spring into Rosé: The Perfect Wine for Warmer Weather

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

Casa Lever

Grant Wood

Casa Lever

RT: Hello and Welcome back to another episode with CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where&nbsp;we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Grant Wood, Wine Educator and Certified Sommelier. Hello Grant,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join our CorkRules family!

GW: Hey Robert, I&rsquo;m so happy to be here with you and talk about my first list review for this pod.

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.

So Grant - Today we are talking about the wine list at Casa Lever on Park Ave in NYC. This Italian restaurant offers a multitude of dishes both land and sea with a wine list to match its culinary adventures.

Grant, I&rsquo;m excited to hear what you think of their list?

GW: At Casa Lever, if you&rsquo;re looking to kick things off with a cocktail or glass of wine, I must say that the &ldquo;Winter Garden&rdquo; cocktail featuring Boodles Gin and Italicus Bergamot Liquor would be a refreshing start to break the ice and get settled into your dining experience. Otherwise, I&rsquo;d reach for a glass of the 2019 Roero Arneis by Bruno Giacosa that&rsquo;s offered by the glass and be an ideal companion for the Crudo on their menu.

If you&rsquo;re anything like me and love to celebrate the start of your evening with bubbles, there is much to choose from if you&rsquo;re looking to celebrate a special occasion or even just toast to loved ones on a Tuesday evening.

RT: I like your starting point, now what if I&rsquo;m on a budget and looking to find some value wines?

GW: If you&rsquo;re looking for a bottle that is easy on the budget but over-delivers on sublime enjoyment, then I would encourage you to order the Prosecco di Valdobbiadene &ldquo;Cartizze&rdquo; by Villa Sandi in the Italian region of the Veneto near Venice. These are the best sparkling wines coming from the increasingly popular region of Prosecco made from the Glera grape variety. This region offers fresh, easy-going, sparkling wines that celebrate life with verve that I wish to instill in my own life.

RT&rdquo; Grant is Processo Champagne?

GW: explain sparkling, prosecco, cava, etc.

RT: Thanks for the primer. Very helpful. Let&rsquo;s pivot back to our list, Casa Lever is a pretty special place. What if I have a special celebration and I want to go up a notch where would you take us?

GW: For those that wish to mark a special milestone or toast to something grander in life, I wouldn&rsquo;t hesitate to consider Krug&rsquo;s brut &ldquo;Grande Reserve&rdquo; multi-vintage Champagne which admittedly is a true favorite of mine. I&rsquo;ve marked many milestones in my own life with this wine and it always delivers.

RT: What about white?

GW: Shifting gears to whites on their list that would marry well with a lot of Casa Lever&rsquo;s starting dishes. My eyes were immediately drawn to 2017 Pinot Bianco &ldquo;Volberg&rdquo; by Terlano, one of my favorite producers from northeastern Italy. Their fresh yet textural whites really engage the palate and match up well with a variety of dishes. Truly, not to be missed.

RT: Sweet what about reds?

GW: Moving on to reds&hellip;being an Italian-focused menu, you must consider the great wines of Italy. If you are looking to splurge, then I must point out the 2000 Barolo by Roberto Voerzio from the sub-region of Brunate in northwestern Italy. This Nebbiolo with 20+ years of age is sure to provide tension and power to match up with fatty and savory dishes on their list. This is a classic example of the powerful wines that will elevate any dining experience.

RT: Nebbiolo grapes are terrific. But not super well known, what could I compare it to?

GW: &hellip;&hellip;.

RT: Thanks. Super helpful. What else caught your eye?

If you are looking for an alternative table red from the &ldquo;new world&rdquo; that is sure to tick a lot of boxes regarding pairing then you must consider the 2017 Lytton Springs, Zinfandel, Syrah, and Carignane field blend by Ridge in Sonoma&rsquo;s Dry Creek AVA. Ridge is a pivotal institution that has been at the vanguard of California&rsquo;s historic vineyard preservation in the early years of the revitalization of my home state&#39;s wine industry post-prohibition. These wines exhibit fresh and savory components that merry well with the Mediterranean culinary fare that parts of both Italy and California share. So why shouldn&rsquo;t the wines equally merit such unity?

RT: Any final thoughts on the list?

GW: Lastly, I can&rsquo;t finish a special meal without an after-dinner elixir to settle one&rsquo;s appetite and bring the evening to a close. Thankfully, Casa Lever has shared this ideal and has several dessert wines and spirits to evoke one&rsquo;s appetite for the last word. For me, I cannot resist the medicinal comfort of a small glass of Montenegro, an herbal elixir of satiating delight that brings joy to any evening regardless of the occasion.

RT: Now that&rsquo;s a fabulous way to end a spectacular meal.

Grant, great job today!&nbsp; Thank you for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Casa Lever&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go and try your suggestions myself.

To our audience, Thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.&nbsp; 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

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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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