Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 <a href="https://www.jamesbeard.org/awards">James Beard Awards!</a> These talented individuals and establishments have demonstrated exceptional skills and contributed to the culinary world in remarkable ways. Here&#39;s a praise for each winner:

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Outstanding Chef: Rob Rubba of Oyster Oyster in Washington, D.C., showcases a mastery of flavors and a commitment to sustainable and plant-based cuisine.

Outstanding Restaurant: Friday Saturday Sunday in Philadelphia, PA, captivates diners with its impeccable service, innovative dishes, and an inviting atmosphere.

Best New Restaurant: Kann in Portland, OR, brings a fresh and exciting culinary experience to the city, pushing boundaries and delighting taste buds.

Outstanding Restaurateur: Ellen Yin, the driving force behind High Street Hospitality Group, including Fork, a.kitchen + bar, and High Street Philly in Philadelphia, PA, has created a dining empire known for its exceptional quality and diverse offerings.

Outstanding Hospitality: The Quarry in Monson, ME, stands out for its warm and welcoming atmosphere, ensuring that guests feel truly cared for.

Emerging Chef: Damarr Brown of Virtue in Chicago, IL, has emerged as a rising star, showcasing culinary creativity and a deep passion for his craft.

Outstanding Pastry Chef or Baker: Margarita Manzke of R&eacute;publique in Los Angeles, CA, creates stunning desserts that are as visually captivating as they are delicious.

Outstanding Bakery: Yoli Tortilleria in Kansas City, MO, crafts artisanal tortillas that elevate any meal with their authentic taste and texture.

Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Ototo in Los Angeles, CA, offers an impeccable selection of wines and other beverages that enhance the dining experience with every sip.

Outstanding Bar: Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, HI, is a haven for cocktail enthusiasts, delivering exceptional libations with skill and flair.

Best Chef: Midwest: Itaru Nagano and Andrew Kroeger of Fairchild in Madison, WI, create a culinary symphony, fusing local ingredients with inventive techniques.

Best Chef: Mountain: Kris Komori of KIN in Boise, ID, showcases the diverse flavors of the region, combining culinary traditions with contemporary flair.

Best Chef: South: Natalia Vallejo of Cocina al Fondo in San Juan, PR, celebrates the vibrant flavors of Puerto Rican cuisine with a modern twist.

Best Chef: Northeast: Sherry Pocknett of Sly Fox Den Too in Charlestown, RI, captivates diners with her creative dishes rooted in indigenous ingredients and traditions.

Best Chef: Southwest: Andrew Black of Grey Sweater in Oklahoma City, OK, dazzles diners with his innovative approach to regional ingredients and bold flavors.

Best Chef: Southeast: Terry Koval of The Deer and the Dove in Decatur, GA, showcases a deep understanding of Southern cuisine, blending tradition with contemporary techniques.

Best Chef: Mid-Atlantic: Chutatip &ldquo;Nok&rdquo; Suntaranon of Kalaya in Philadelphia, PA, takes diners on a culinary journey through the flavors of Thailand, beautifully balancing authenticity and innovation.

Best Chef: New York State: Junghyun Park of Atomix in New York, NY, crafts refined and intricate dishes that pay homage to Korean cuisine with a contemporary twist.

Best Chef: California: Justin Pichetrungsi of Anajak Thai in Sherman Oaks, CA, showcases the rich and complex flavors of Thai cuisine, creating a memorable dining experience.

Best Chef: Northwest and Pacific: Vince Nguyen of Berlu in Portland, OR, presents a menu that celebrates the bounty of the Pacific Northwest, highlighting local and sustainable ingredients.

Best Chef: Texas: Benchawan Jabthong Painter of Street to Kitchen in Houston, TX, brings the vibrant and diverse flavors of Thai street food to the heart of Texas, creating an unforgettable culinary experience.

Best Chef: Great Lakes: Tim Flores and Genie Kwon of Kasama in Chicago, IL, craft innovative Filipino-inspired dishes that celebrate the flavors and traditions of their heritage.

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Special mentions for the wine-related categories:

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Outstanding Wine and Other Beverages Program: Ototo in Los Angeles, CA, impresses with its curated wine selection, showcasing a diverse range of varietals and regions.

Outstanding Bar: Bar Leather Apron in Honolulu, HI, offers an exceptional selection of wines, spirits, and cocktails, ensuring a memorable drinking experience for all.

&quot;At CorkRules we&rsquo;d like to congratulate&nbsp;the winners of the 2023 James Beard Awards! You inspire us with your passion and innovation. The restaurant industry continues to reimagine itself and these winners are leading the inspiration&rdquo;, Robert Tas, CEO/Founder of CorkRules.

Cheers to all the winners.&nbsp;

Congratulations to the winners of the 2023 James Beard Awards! These talented individuals and establishments have demonstrated exceptional skills and contributed to the culinary world in remarkable ways. Here's a praise for each winner

2023 James Beard Award Winners Spotlight

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

Bin 26 Enoteca

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas explore the wine list at Bin 26 Enoteca, a restaurant that proudly states they serve great food with their wine.

Wine List Review of Bin 26 Enoteca, Boston

Michaela Quinlan

Bin 26 Enoteca

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier.

Hello Michaela, great to have you back for another great wine list.

MQ: 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 intimating, 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: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

Bin 26 Enoteca is in the Beacon Hill neighborhood of Boston and is versatile in the experiences they provide. They encourage you to come enjoy small dishes while savoring wine, or join them for a full food and wine pairing experience.

Bin 26 has an extensive by-the-glass list, along with over 200 bottles to choose from. Wine is definitely at the heart of the design here, so this list has some favorites along with some surprises too.

Standouts

Bin 26 has a pretty extensive riesling section, which at first might seem confusing with their Italian-inspired dishes. But if you haven&rsquo;t had riesling with Italian food, today is the day. Riesling actually compliments so many different cuisines and can go alongside foods with spice, acidity, and herbs. So don&rsquo;t be put off, it&rsquo;s actually super fun to play with! Now the options here really range, most notably in the sweet factor. Although, sometimes the designation of the type of riesling, like the Spatlese for instance, includes wines that can also be made in dry or sweet styles. Out of these many choices, the 2020 Neuenberg Riesling Grand Cru from Peter Lauer caught my eye. Weingut Peter Lauer is a well known German wine producer in Mosel who specialize in dry and off-dry rieslings. They take the tradition and history of the winemaking to heart, and really pride themselves on caring for their land. They farm organically and don&rsquo;t intervene on the winemaking process with unnecessary additives or manipulation of the wine. The grapes grew with sunny, cool mornings and warmer afternoons, and often with fog. This is a hugely mineral-driven wine with deep fruit flavors because of all that sunshine they get, but still a dry wine. Try this with the Pappardelle with Ground Sausage, Walnuts, and Truffle Cream.

Value

Now let&rsquo;s say you&rsquo;re looking for a wine to have with a few dishes that is going to be a little more affordable, and not very common. I&rsquo;d love to start with the 2020 Weingut Beurer Schwabischer LandweinTrocken. This is a German Rose that&rsquo;s made by a former BMX champion now promoting natural wine and a hardcore advocate for his land and beyond. Beurer&rsquo;s wines come from Swabia, a region in southern Germany that isn&rsquo;t part of the old-school winemaking crew. Beurer is committed to making natural and biodynamic wines, honoring the land and the final product. He prides himself on these natural wines and encourages you to taste the &ldquo;anti-authoritarian viticulture.&rdquo; This Rose is bursting with jammy notes of raspberry, tart cranberry and subtle orange zest. It&rsquo;s going to be delicious to sip on, maybe have it with the Saffron and fontina Arancini to start the night off right.

Another great option if you&rsquo;re looking for something red would be the 2020 Bernard Baudry Les Granges. This is a Cabernet Franc from Chinon in the Loire region of France. This is going to be a lighter bodied, super easy drinking wine that still plays nice with food. It&rsquo;s going to be zippy with red fruit flavors and juicy berry tones. The tannins are going to be nice and soft so it&rsquo;s not going to clobber your palate. Those of you who maybe don&rsquo;t usually love a Cab Franc&rsquo;s distinctive earthy or peppery tones might be intrigued by this particular bottle. Try it with the Chicken Saltimbocca made with Goat Cheese and Prosciutto.

Celebratory 

Now, if you need a bottle that&rsquo;s going to join you in your celebration, try the 2003 Chateau Montrose, St. Estephe. Chateau Montrose is a highly regarded wine estate in Bordeaux&rsquo;s northern Medoc region. Chateau Montrose is classified as Second Growth on the 1855 Classification of Bordeaux wines, which is a classification of the 60 highest rated Bordeaux wines. They are known to be one of the best estates at the Second Growth level.&nbsp; This Bordeaux is going to be luscious and ripe. It&rsquo;s got a medium body with lots of blackberry and blueberry. It also has these big tannins that have been rounded out by the aging. It&rsquo;s also got these earthy, woody, tobacco notes to it as well. There&rsquo;s a lot to unpack and experience as this wine unfolds. It would be wonderful with the herb marinated hanger steak or enjoy it alongside a meat and cheese plate to start or end the evening.

Michaela, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Bin 26&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go 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: Info@CorkRules.Com 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.

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Thank you.

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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

Hugel is one of the oldest and most respected wine producers in Alsace, with a history dating back to the 17th century. The family has been making wine for over 12 generations and is known for its exceptional Riesling, Gewurztraminer, and Pinot Gris.

Frenchette

Le Bernardin

Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels

Charlie Bird

Becco

Buddha-Bar Restaurant New York

Buddha Bar

Franks Wine Bar

Frank's

Maison

Maison Premiere

Pastis

Aldo Sohm Wine Bar

Aldo Sohm

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

Hy's Steakhouse & Cocktail Bar

Pascal Jolivet

Sauvignon Blanc Attitude NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Touraine, France

Castle Rock

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Mendocino County, USA

Stoller, Pinot Noir Rose, Dundee Hills NV

Oregon, USA

Pieropan

Calvarino Soave Classico NV

Garganega

Soave, Veneto, Italy

Danzante

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy

Mount Eden Vineyards

Edna Valley Chardonnay (Wolff Vineyard) NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Querciabella

Chianti Classico NV

Sangiovese

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Torre Zambra

Riserva Colle Maggio Montepulciano d'Abruzzo 2000

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy

Chteau Malescasse, France, Bordeaux, Mdoc, Haut-Mdoc NV

Red Bordeaux Blend

Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Blue Mountain Pinot Noir, Canada, British Columbia, Okanagan NV

Pinot Noir

British Columbia, Canada

Blue Mountain

Pinot Noir Estate Cuve, Canada, British Columbia NV

Pinot Noir

British Columbia, Canada

R. Lopez de Heredia

Vina Tondonia Reserva NV

Rioja, Spain

Wolf's Head

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Ciacci Piccolomini d'Aragona

Brunello di Montalcino Pianrosso NV

Sangiovese

Brunello di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Cakebread

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA