Grapes are one of the most finicky fruit to grow. They need just the right soil, amount of water and sunlight, and ideal temperatures; if any of these factors are off the grapes become flabby or tart, and the magic attained when opening a perfect bottle is lost. This is why climate change is fast becoming such a monumental issue within the world of wine.

The Beginning of the End?

But don&rsquo;t worry, it isn&rsquo;t all fire and brimstone. Cooler regions are actually thriving. In the past, wine production could occur only within the latitudes of 30 and 50 degrees. Southern England lies around 52 degrees, north of that traditional latitude window and once thought too cold for grapes to fully ripen. As temperatures rise, however, English wine production has been increasing with the introduction of first class sparklers from producers like Nyetimber and Chapel Down. And why not? There is an abundance of white, chalky soil in certain parts of southern England, the same soil so coveted in Champagne. The English use the same three grape varieties (Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, Pinot Muenier) as their French counterparts to the south, as well as the same traditional method for wine production. English sparklers tend to have a little more orchard fruit and rustic qualities, but the top producers can spar with the best of them.

Champagne, on the other hand, once considered very cold and continental, only declared vintages in the best years when their grapes received ample sunshine to fully ripen. Global warming has brought an abundance of vintage worthy years, but there is now danger that the pendulum will swing too far in the other direction. If it continues to warm in this region, there is danger that the grapes will become flabby, losing the crisp, brioche-like minerality that Champagne is so known for. The solution is still up in the air, but a lot of producers have started setting up shop in new regions; the classic Taittinger in England and Roederer in Anderson Valley, California. Other previously too cold regions, like Norway and Denmark, are also getting into the wine game, which could result in exciting new varieties and styles.

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Wine Production is Looking Up

For those who can&rsquo;t expand north or south, production is starting to look up&hellip; literally. In Argentina, producers are pushing to new heights with vineyards in Salta planted at up to 11,000 feet. These grapes still receive sun and heat during the day, but benefit from a greater diurnal shift, the difference of temperature between day and night. Higher altitudes mean cooler temperatures at night which give the grapes time to rest, ripen more slowly, and keep that fresh acidity that is so important to great winemaking.

Washington producers are also starting to push upward with regions like Walla Walla Valley experimenting with heights of 3,000 feet. The wines are refined, with silky tannins and lush fruit. The alcohol per glass in Washington wines hovers closer to 14 percent, a welcome quality when so many Napa wines are sitting at up to 15.5 percent! This is because the hotter it gets the more the grapes ripen and the more sugar they contain. When the yeast eats the sugar it produces alcohol, hence more sugar equals higher alcohol after fermentation. One solution is to pick the grapes earlier in September instead of October when they aren&rsquo;t as ripe, but without that extra hang time there is a risk of picking a less complete, complex grape.

The New Grapes on the Block

What if a producer can&rsquo;t move north or upwards? One solution: introduce new grape varieties that can stand up to warmer weather. Bordeaux has a long history and reputation for Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, and Cabernet Franc (Malbec, Carmenere, and Petit Verdot are also allowed in red wine). These have been the go-to grapes that made this region infamous. The French also take pride in tradition, so it&rsquo;s an indication that things must really be warming up for them to consider change. For the first time in hundreds of years, new red grape varieties are allowed in small proportions to help producers adapt to climate change.

The new red grape varieties are Arinarnoa, Castets, Marselan, and Touriga Nacional. Arinarnoa is a cross (when two grapes of different pedigree cross pollinate) between Tannat and Cabernet Sauvignon created in France in 1956. Castets is a rare grape variety originating in southern France. Marselan was developed in 1961 from crossing the grapes Cabernet Sauvignon and Grenache. Touriga Nacional is from the Douro region of Portugal and often used for port. All these grapes have something in common, they are late ripening, often smaller berried and thicker skinned; perfect for warmer temperatures and retaining structure and acidity. French law states that these new grapes can make up no more than ten percent of the wine blend, and the results will be reevaluated after ten years. Stay tuned for its progress.

Looking to the Future

The good news is that wine is an ancient tradition that isn&rsquo;t going away any time soon. Scientists and agriculturalists continue to study both climate and fruit to develop solutions. More and more farmers are developing sustainable and biodynamic practices to rejuvenate the land. And we, as consumers, have more opportunities to buy local to reduce our carbon footprint. So whether you&rsquo;re looking up, to the north, or trying something new, keep enjoying a great bottle of wine. I believe that&rsquo;s one thing that will always good for the planet&hellip; and the soul.

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Grapes are one of the most finicky fruit to grow. They need just the right soil, amount of water and sunlight, and ideal temperatures; if any of these factors are off the grapes become flabby or tart, and the magic attained when opening a perfect bottle is lost. This is why climate change is fast becoming such a monumental issue within the world of wine.

Climate Change and the Future of Wine

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

Robert Tas and special guest, Bradley Knebel, General Manager of Tatiana, talk about Bradley’s career in wine, inclusivity and diversity in wine production, and, of course, the wines on the list at Tatiana.

Wine List Review of Tatiana, New York City

Robert Tas

Tatiana

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where, in each episode,&nbsp;we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with my special guest Bradley Knebel, General Manager of Tatiana by Kuwamee Onwuatchi.

Hello Bradley,&nbsp;I&rsquo;m so excited to have you join our CorkRules podcast.

BK: Hi Robert, it&#39;s great to be here.

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list 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: Today we are talking about one of the hottest restaurants in NY. Tatiana by Kwame Onwuachi,&nbsp; located in the Lincoln center.

Bradley, I&rsquo;m super excited to talk about your journey to opening the restaurants, the food and of course it&rsquo;s wine program. But first tell us about you.

BK: Give introduction to yourself. Background, experience, path to GM and wine.

RT: Wow amazing journey. So now let&rsquo;s talk about the restaurant and the journey.

BK: Talk about your involvement from the beginning, path to opening. Talk about the food. How it&rsquo;s going.

RT: Amazing. Ok, let&rsquo;s pivot to your wine program.

BK: Give an overview of the program. How it&rsquo;s organized.

RT: Before we jump into your list, what is a boozy jelly? Sounds yum.

BK: &hellip;

RT: Wow super cool. Alright, let&rsquo;s start with your wine by glass selections.

BK: &hellip;be specific

RT: As I look at your list, it&rsquo;s really well curated. What are some unique wines that you all offer?

BK: &hellip;be specific

RT: I also love how your list offers many great bottles under $100 any great one that you&rsquo;d recommend?

BK: &hellip;

RT: And then of course I love the reserve section, if I&rsquo;m gonna celebrate something special, how do elevate my experience?

BK: &hellip;

RT: Bradley this has been amazing.&nbsp; Thank you so much for joining here on CorkRules and for all your great suggestions. Congratulations on all your success.

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.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please check out our website for all our latest episodes and to download the CorkRules app for Apple ios. It provides personalized wine recommendations at over 40K restaurants, allows you to order wine with confidence with price transparency and of course, connect with your friends.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you. We look forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon.

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

Penfolds is one of Australia's most iconic wineries, known for producing high-quality wines that showcase the best of Australian terroir.

Cafe Champagne

The Metropolitan Grill

Ray’s Boathouse

Ray's Boathouse

Purple Café and Wine Bar

Purple Cafe & Wine Bar

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Seastar

The Butcher's Table

Sofreh

Have & Meyer

Don Angie

Ruffian

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

Latitude 34 Restaurant & Bar

Available Wines
Total Wines - 10

Robert Mondavi Winery

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Marca

Prosecco NV

Prosecco, Italy

The Fableist

Cabernet Sauvignon (373 / 206) NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Paso Robles, USA

Caymus

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA

Antinori

Villa Antinori Toscana Bianco NV

Trebbiano

Toscana, Italy

Rombauer Vineyards

Chardonnay 2018

Chardonnay

Los Carneros, USA

Valley

Groth, Reserve Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa 2020

California, USA

Nia Pinot Noir, California NV

California, USA

Veuve Clicquot, Ponsardin

Brut NV

Champagne, France

Chalk Hill

Russian River Valley Chardonnay 2019

Chardonnay

Russian River Valley, USA