We recently got a request from one of our community members asking about second wines, so we pulled together an article to explain second wines and share some great bottles. These are all great wines and are significantly more in reach price wise.

Second wines, also known as &quot;second labels,&quot; have become increasingly popular among wineries over the past few decades. These wines are made by wineries to offer a more affordable and approachable option to their consumers, while still maintaining the high quality and standards of their flagship or first wines. In this article, we will explore the concept of second wines, why wineries do it, and highlight some of the best examples from top wineries.

Why do wineries make second wines?

The primary reason for wineries creating second wines is to maintain the consistency and excellence of their first wines. For a wine to be considered a first wine, it must meet specific criteria set by the winery. This includes using only the best grapes from the estate, adhering to strict winemaking techniques, and aging the wine in the finest barrels. However, not every grape from a vineyard will achieve the same level of quality, and therefore, some grapes may not make the cut for the first wine. Instead of discarding these grapes, wineries can use them to create a second or even third wine, which still reflects the quality and style of the winery&#39;s top wine at a more affordable price point.

Additionally, some wineries also produce second wines to introduce new consumers to their brand. The cost of a first wine can often be out of reach for many wine enthusiasts, but a second wine offers a more accessible option to experience the winery&#39;s style and expertise. These wines provide an excellent entry point for consumers to discover a winery&#39;s portfolio and potentially become loyal customers.

What are the differences between first wines and second wines?

There are several key differences between first and second wines. Firstly, the grapes used for the first wine are often from the winery&#39;s best and oldest vines, whereas the grapes for the second wine may come from younger vines or different parts of the vineyard. This can result in a difference in flavor and complexity between the two wines.

Secondly, wineries tend to use different aging techniques for their first and second wines. First wines are typically aged in new oak barrels, which can impart more intense flavors and tannins to the wine. Second wines, on the other hand, may be aged in older barrels or for a shorter period, resulting in a softer and more approachable wine.

Finally, there is often a difference in price between the two wines. First wines are usually priced higher due to their superior quality and limited production, while second wines offer a more affordable option for consumers.

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Examples of the Fantastic Second Wines

1. Alter Ego de Palmer, Margaux, Bordeaux, France

Alter Ego de Palmer is the second wine of the prestigious Ch&acirc;teau Palmer in the Margaux appellation of Bordeaux. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Petit Verdot, this wine offers a glimpse of the quality and style of its first wine, Ch&acirc;teau Palmer. The 2016 vintage, with its elegant tannins and notes of black fruit, cedar, and tobacco, received a 94+ rating from wine critic Robert Parker and can be found for around $80 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Alter-Ego-Alter-Ego-de-Chateau-Palmer-Margaux-2020-w5970382gc">Alter Ego 2020</a>- $79.99

2. Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Le Petit Mouton is the second wine of one of Bordeaux&#39;s most iconic and legendary wineries, Ch&acirc;teau Mouton Rothschild. This wine is only produced in exceptional years, and the quality is a testament to the winery&#39;s excellence and attention to detail. The 2015 vintage, with its concentrated flavors of blackcurrant, plum, and spices, received a score of 92 from Wine Spectator and can be purchased for around $335 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Le-Petit-Mouton-de-Mouton-Rothschild-Pauillac-2020-w8840018d3">Le Petit Mouton de Mouton Rothschild &nbsp;2020</a> - $335

3. Echo de Lynch-Bages, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Another Pauillac gem, Echo de Lynch-Bages, is the second wine of Ch&acirc;teau Lynch-Bages. This rich and complex wine is made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, and has been praised for its refined tannins and flavors of blackberry, cassis, and cedar. The 2014 vintage, with its 91-point score from Wine Enthusiast, can be found for around $65 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Chateau-Lynch-Bages-Echo-de-Lynch-Bages-Pauillac-2019-w6428939kd">Echo de Lynch-Bages 2019</a> - $58.99

4. Les Hauts de Smith Blanc, Pessac-L&eacute;ognan, Bordeaux, France

Les Hauts de Smith Blanc is the second white wine of Ch&acirc;teau Smith Haut Lafitte, a top estate in the Pessac-L&eacute;ognan appellation of Bordeaux. This wine is a blend of Sauvignon Blanc and S&eacute;millon, creating a refreshing and vibrant wine with notes of lemon, white peach, and a hint of minerality. The 2017 vintage received a score of 91 from Wine Enthusiast and can be purchased for around $40 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.plummarket.com/store/2019-chateau-smith-haut-lafitte-les-hauts-de-smith-blanc-pessac-leognan.html">Les Hauts de Smith Blanc 2019</a> - $38.99

5. La Dame de Montrose, Saint-Est&egrave;phe, Bordeaux, France

La Dame de Montrose is the second wine of Ch&acirc;teau Montrose, a historic and renowned producer in the Saint-Est&egrave;phe appellation of Bordeaux. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc, this wine offers a balance of power and finesse, with flavors of blackcurrant, plum, and savory spices. The 2015 vintage, with its 93-point rating from James Suckling, can be found for around $60 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/La-Dame-de-Montrose-St-Estephe-2019-w24071707e">La Dame de Montrose 2019</a> - $52.99

6. Les Forts de Latour, Pauillac, Bordeaux, France

Les Forts de Latour is the second wine of the iconic Ch&acirc;teau Latour, one of Bordeaux&#39;s five First Growth estates. This wine is only produced in exceptional years, and it delivers the same level of quality and complexity as its first wine at a fraction of the price. The 2010 vintage, with its opulent flavors of blackberry, tobacco, and graphite, received a perfect 100-point score from Wine Enthusiast and can be purchased for around $500 per bottle.

7. Le Serre Nuove dell&#39;Ornellaia, Bolgheri, Tuscany, Italy

Le Serre Nuove dell&#39;Ornellaia is the second wine of Tenuta dell&#39;Ornellaia, one of Italy&#39;s most esteemed wineries in the Bolgheri region of Tuscany. Made from a blend of Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Cabernet Franc, and Petit Verdot, this wine offers a glimpse into the excellence and elegance of the estate&#39;s flagship wine, Ornellaia. The 2016 vintage, with its intense flavors of black cherry, plum, and spices, received a score of 94 from wine critic James Suckling and can be found for around $80 per bottle.

<a href="https://www.wine.com/product/ornellaia-le-serre-nuove-2020/1050279">Le Serre Nuove dell&#39;Ornellaia 2020</a> - $69.99

8. La Pignan, Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape, Rh&ocirc;ne, France

La Pignan is the second wine of Domaine de Marcoux, one of the top producers in the renowned Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape appellation of the Rh&ocirc;ne Valley. Made from a blend of Grenache, Mourv&egrave;dre, Syrah, and Cinsault, this wine offers a velvety texture and complex flavors of blackberry, cherry, and garrigue herbs. The 2016 vintage, with its impressive score of 96 from Wine Spectator. Very hard to find but a gem if you can.

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Second wines offer an excellent alternative for wine lovers to experience the quality and style of top wineries without breaking the bank. As your local wine shops or restaurant sommeliers to help guide you. These wines showcase the versatility and expertise of winemakers in producing high-quality wines at various price points. Whether you are a seasoned wine connoisseur or a curious beginner, trying a second wine can be a great way to explore new styles and regions while still enjoying exceptional quality.

We recently got a request from one of our community members asking about second wines, so we pulled together an article to explain second wines and share some great bottles. These are all great wines and are significantly more in reach price wise.

Second Wines Primer and Bottle Guide for affordable options

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

La Lanterna di Vittorio

Maria Valetta, certified sommelier and wine educator, and Robert Tas hit the popular Italian date-night spot La Lanterna

Wine Review of La Lanterna, NYC

Maria Valetta

La Lanterna

La Lanterna,

RT: Hello and welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists!

I&rsquo;m, Robert Tas along with Maria Valetta certified sommelier and wine educator also known as Maria the Wine Blonde

Hello Maria

MV: Buongiorno Roberto! We have a lovely Italian date-night spot to review in NYC

RT: That&rsquo;s right Maria&hellip;Today we are talking about La Lanterna di Vittorio on MacDougal Street in the Greenwich Village neighborhood. Famous for being one of the most ROMANTIC Italian caf&eacute;s in the city thanks to its 4 fireplaces set inside a charming 200-year-old townhome. It&rsquo;s a locals delight and even more delightful are the desserts&hellip; so grab your special someone and cozy up together with a special bottle of vino in the picturesque garden that is open year-round. Maria their wine list is far bigger than I expected, what do you think, do you like this list?

MV: So I&rsquo;m going to be honest because that&rsquo;s me&hellip; I do wish the font was a little less foo-foo so It&rsquo;s easier for customers to read.. or maybe some spacing would help for the by-the-bottle section however I am only seeing it online but I DO love all the descriptors of the wines.. sometimes that can be REALLY helpful for people wanting a specific flavor profile.

RT: Yes I see the descriptors for flavor and Style &ndash; I also think that&rsquo;s helpful.

MV: It certainly is.. and I am pleasantly surprised by the extensive beverage options, as sometimes the cafes have sparser selections&hellip;La Lanterna offers everything from seasonal cocktails to 25 different types of martinis, over 20 different COFFEE cocktails and then a thoughtfully curated selection of wines by the glass, half bottles and full-sized bottles,<s> </s>plus some good finds for after-dinner drinks.

RT: so, we will have to remember to save room for dessert, however, to begin, how about a white and red by the glass, what do you recommend Maria

MV:&nbsp; I&rsquo;d start with the Frisco Scarpetta 2020 Rosato di Sangiovese a fresh, crisp very dry ros&eacute; from the Sangiovese grape with a splash of Canaiolo, and Ciliegiolo all native Italian grapes

*** I don&rsquo;t see enough Tuscan Ros&eacute; on wine menus so when I do I order it because the tart cherry, fresh strawberry flavor and hint of dried oregano draws me in every time. a perfect pairing with Bruscetta or Carpaccio both of which La Lanterna has tasty variations of. &nbsp;

NOW, for my RED wine lovers if they are still offering it.(because they do update their selections monthly) try the Montes &ldquo;Ltd. Selection&rdquo;2019 &nbsp;Carmenere/Cab Sauv blend<s>,</s> from Chile, described accurately on the menu as supple with flavors of cassis and spice&hellip;but honestly they have a ton of reasonably priced wines by the bottle that you could jump right in there and have more options for you and your date when it comes to red.

RT: Yes, I can&rsquo;t believe how reasonable the selections are. especially for NY!

MV: it&#39;s refreshing to see, I wish more restaurants offered pricing like this for wines

RT: So speaking of price.. with so many great value options what&rsquo;s going to be a favorite?

MV: Well I just got back from Puglia Italy (the heel of the boot where you have the most beautiful beaches)&nbsp; and I&rsquo;m still on the Puglian wine-kick&hellip;and <s>La</s> Lanterna has a few from this under the radar region, so I&rsquo;m excited to recommend these 2 Puglian wines AND they are UNDER $50!

RT: That&rsquo;s a big plus!

MV: it sure is.. for white, The Coppi Guiscardo, (Gwee Cardo) Falanghina 2018 , This is an ancient Italian varietal. Falanghina is a crisp refreshing white, with melon and peach flavors great for salads and fresh fish.

And the&nbsp; Vespa dei Bruno, Primitivo, 2015<s>, </s> 
this is big dark fruit in a glass that will draw you IN with its supple tannins and jammy finish great by itself or with heartier meaty dishes.

This luscious grape should remind you of California&rsquo;s zinfandel red because Zinfandel is Primitivo&#39;s twin. While Its origins are in Croatia, the clones made their way to Puglia and then on to America where the name changed and the vine adapted to its new home of California becoming America&rsquo;s beloved Heritage grape known as Zinfandel so the flavor profile may be familiar to you

RT: that is so fascinating how grapes vines have traveled so much in the past with people as they have settled new territories.

MV: The history is really fun to follow.

RT: So let&rsquo;s move on to something standout&nbsp; ..I know we have some excellent pricing here, but Maria, I&rsquo;m sure you can find us a wine we should order if it&rsquo;s a very special anniversary celebration.

MV: In that case definitely select the Ornellaia, &ldquo;Bolgheri Superiore&rdquo; *2010, from Tuscany, Italy, this famous Super Tuscan is definitely a splurge-worthy option as 2010 was their 25th-anniversary bottling. The Orneliaia is true to the Bordeaux style with the Cuvee being a blend of Cab Sauv, Merlot, Cab franc and petit Verdot.&nbsp; Lots of tobacco and floral notes wrapped around exotic spices. 
***RT: Maria, I think we should also mention that La Lanterna is known for their Lasagna flights&hellip;

MV: Yes they sure are..imagine having four different bites of lasagne to pair with that Ornellaia? Now that&rsquo;s what I call a perfect match on date night.

RT: But wait&hellip;save room for that dessert wine

MV: OH YESSSS Dessert wines are so romantic. I&rsquo;d love to share that half bottle of the Cantina Pr&agrave;, &lsquo;13 Passito Bianco from Veneto, Italy, with someone special. Made with the Garganega grape this wine gets its sweetness and golden hue from a special process in which only the most sun-ripened grapes are harvested and then they are slowly dried for a whole month before being pressed, this concentrates the sweetness, you can expect candied apricots, Floral honey and a rich, round texture

The rule when ordering dessert WINE with your dessert is that the wine should ALWAYS be sweeter than the dessert you order. The Passito would surely bring out the best in the Caramel Custard since this wine will ALSO have sweet notes of caramelization.

RT: That&rsquo;s a great tip for our listeners, Maria, as we wrap up today&rsquo;s episode. Maria, thank you for ALL of your helpful wine information and suggestions from La Lanterna di Vittorio&rsquo;s wine list. You can find Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde.

Thank you EVERYONE for joining us on CorkRules, Remember the only rule in wine is &ldquo;drink what you LOVE&rdquo;.

MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here, Send us your requests at <a href="mailto:info@corkrules.com">info@CorkRules.com</a> and be sure to Check out all of our episodes on CorkRules.com; Please drink responsibly.

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Isola Augusta

Sauvignon NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Italy

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Chianti Classico Riserva 2014

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

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Italy