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

Geronimo

Josh Ardizzoni

La Mercerie

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where&nbsp;we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Josh Ardizzoni, Certified Sommelier, wine consultant,

Hello Josh,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you back.

JA: Hey Robert! Happy to be here :)

RT Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists because we know from experience, that those lists can sometimes be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list with confidence, 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 heading down to Soho, to the handsome contemporary French all-day caf&eacute; La Mercerie. I just love the idea of this restaurant &ndash; tucked inside the Roman and Williams Guild, home to an acclaimed design firm. The restaurant is every bit at stylish and comfortable as their hosts. Josh, I know you are an all-out lover of all things French to dissect the chic wine list they offer.

JA: Thanks, Robert. Can&rsquo;t wait to share some thoughts on the all-French list at La Mercerie. There&rsquo;s something so ambitious yet so sure about going all-in on France. There&rsquo;s enough variety and quality to go around, of course, but it&rsquo;s about how you make it work thematically. La Mercerie nails the idea perfectly.

RT: Great. Tell me a little bit more about what you mean.

JA: Sure. Let me start with an example &ndash; picture yourself at a restaurant in the early afternoon, having a leisurely lunch with the sun pouring in the windows. I&rsquo;m calling for oysters on the half shell and a bottle of Batard-Langelier &ldquo;Didascalie&rsquo; Muscadet. This is from a standout producer in Muscadet in the western Loire, near the Atlantic, and it&rsquo;s made from Melon grapes which are somehow neutral and fresh but able to be transformed into very mineral expressions that sommeliers love. It&rsquo;s a slam dunk pairing and conveys the whole aesthetic that I think this concept goes for&hellip; the transportive type of experience that takes you somewhere else for a bit.

RT: Sounds nice&hellip; we can all use a bit of an escape when we go out to dine. And Muscadet doesn&rsquo;t cost an arm and a leg, right?

JA: Exactly. Muscadet is always one of the best values in white wine. In fact, the whole Loire Valley delivers so much for the dollar, especially in white wine in my opinion.

RT: I&rsquo;m all for learning about those types of key regions and village names to look for. They can give you an anchor when you&rsquo;re looking at a wine list that&rsquo;s all from foreign countries who might not even say the name of the grape on the page.

JA: Yes! And if you can, I&rsquo;d say the real key is producers &ndash; who is making the wine. The producers on this list are truly top-class. White Burgundy from Bernard Moreau, one of the most compelling domaines operating in Chassagne-Montrachet. Racy Sancerre from Francois Cotat, a name that makes hearts skip a beat for those in the know. Truly Emotional Syrahs from Franck Balthazar in some of Cornas&rsquo; oldest and best vineyards. These are all great investments if you&rsquo;re looking for a standout bottle.

RT: Tell me about some of the most exciting under-the-radar wines you see on this list.

JA: A few things pop out at me: First, Savenni&egrave;res from Thibaud Boudignon. Here we are in the Loire again! He&rsquo;s a young rising star producer in Anjou and his Chenin Blanc is full of energy, clarity, and precision. Amazing wines. Contrast that with the Bandol Rouge from Domaine Tempier. Famous for what might be the world&rsquo;s greatest ros&eacute; wine, Tempier also makes stunning reds primarily from Mourv&egrave;dre grapes, which have this crazy tension of density and verve to them. Somewhat savory, somewhat bold, but so complex. I&rsquo;d highly recommend trying it in an experience like this.

RT: Sounds like the wine list here is really in step with the restaurant concept and makes a lot of sense.

JA: It&rsquo;s not the biggest list but it&rsquo;s really well-chosen and specific. In my experience, great wines generally perform their best when they&rsquo;re in the right homes. La Mercerie deserves the chance to show your new favorite French wine.

RT: Josh, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate La Mercerie&rsquo;s wine list.

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.

&nbsp;

Thank you.

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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

Luigi Baudana is a family-owned winery located in the Langhe region of Piedmont, Italy. The winery has been producing high-quality wines since the 1700s and is known for its respect for the environment and the grape variety, and minimal intervention in the cellar. The winery is small and family-owned, producing limited quantities of exceptional wines.

Eddy V's Prime Seafood Restaurant

The View

Il Capriccio

Clarity

Bellissimo Restaurant

Bellissimo

Sandbar

Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern

Mirabelle at Three Village Inn

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

George Inn

Available Wines
Total Wines - 8

Josh Cellars

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Central Coast, California, USA

Josh Cellars

Joseph Carr, Pinot Grigio NV

California, USA

Santa Margherita

Pinot Grigio Alto Adige NV

Pinot Grigio

Italy

Robert Mondavi Winery

Zinfandel NV

Zinfandel

California, USA

Stags' Leap

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Stags' Leap

The Investor Red NV

Blend

Napa Valley, USA

Freemark Abbey

Merlot, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Axr

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA