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

Pasquale Jones

Michaela Quinlan

Music Intro:

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast we will review a Wine List from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Michaela Quinlan, Certified Sommelier.

Hello Michaela,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

MQ: Hi 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 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.

RT: Today we are talking about Pasquale Jones. If you are looking for a posh, Neapolitan eatery, with wine galore, Pasquale Jones is the destination for you. Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their extensive wine list?

MQ: Your eyes certainly need to be as big as your appetite when scrolling through their wine list. I kept stopping on one amazing selection after another and am thrilled to share them with you.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

MQ: The first white wine that caught my eye was the Cantine Barbera, Grillo 2019 from Sicily. Grillo is one of the many unique white grapes from Italy. The citrus, herbal, and hint of salinity make this a perfect pairing for seafood, pastas, and roasted vegetables.

RT: That is for sure unique.

So Michaela, their list seems to have lots of range but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

MQ: A must-try for our red wine drinkers is the Molettieri Aglianico 2017 from Taurasi from Campania. Campania is located in the south, shin area of the boot of Italy. Aglianico is a full-bodied red wine with excellent tannin, white pepper, and black cherry. The savory notes of the Aglianico would pair well with smoked or cured meats.

RT: What does it compare to? These are some great calls. So you know I&rsquo;m getting thirsty and will need to order a bottle with my dinner, where would you guide us?

MQ: Pasquale Jones also features an orange wine section on their list. Many of you may be familiar with orange wines, or skin contact wines.

These wines are produced by allowing the white wine to ferment on the skins which creates a deep, orange hue. Be prepared, this is a bold, white wine with notes of honey and dried orange rind. The savory nature of this wine pairs well with roasted dishes that feature herbs such as rosemary and thyme.

RT: Is it sweet? Ooh, Terrific.

MQ: - not sweet

RT: Michaela, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind..&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us to?&nbsp;

MQ: Absolutely! The Jean Claude Lapalu Cote de Brouilly 2020 from Beaujolais. The red grape here is the Gamay grape from Beaujolais, a sub-region of Burgundy. Now, this is not your Beaujolais Nouveau, which takes the Gamay grape and expedites the fermentation process to produce that light, tutti-fruity flavor. This is the real deal, red Burgundy. It&rsquo;s medium-bodied with beautiful floral aromas, along with blackberry and black cherry. Not only is this an excellent value wine, but it is also food-friendly.

RT: Distinction btw Gamay and BV for me personally&hellip;

MQ: Absolutely!

RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

MQ: No matter how many notches you are looking to go with&nbsp;this menu features an astounding selection of high-end wines. I would recommend the Cascina Baricchi Reserva Barbaresco 2013. Barbaresco consists of the Nebbiolo grape which is full-bodied with some serious tannin yet aromas of roses and strawberries. This wine can certainly stand up to all things smoky, and in this case, wood-fired. Always an impressive selection.

RT: Michaela Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Pascale Jones&#39; wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself. &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: <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 quick 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.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

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

Yves Duport is a small, family-owned winery located in the Bugey region of France. Yves Duport himself has been making wine since 1960 and his passion for winemaking is evident in the quality of his wines.

The American Express Centurion Global Lounge Network

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

Lucco Cucina + Bar

Vicolo

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

Delle Venezie, Italy

Tommaso Gambino

Prosecco Extra Dry NV

Glera (Prosecco)

Prosecco, Italy

Unsorted

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Notorious Wines

Notorious Pink Grenache NV

Grenache

Vin de France, France

Oyster Bay

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Planeta

La Segreta Nero d'Avola NV

Nero d'Avola

Sicily, Italy

San Giovenale

Habemus Lazio Rosso (Etichetta Bianca) NV

Blend

Lazio, Italy

Nevio

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo NV

Montepulciano

Montepulciano d'Abruzzo, Italy

La Crema

Monterey Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Antinori, Villa Antinori Rosso, IGT NV

Tuscany, Italy

SIMI

Alexander Valley Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Alain Graillot

Crozes-Hermitage Blanc NV

Blend

Crozes-Hermitage, Rhone, France

Quilt

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA

Santa Margherita

Pinot Grigio Alto Adige NV

Pinot Grigio

Trentino-Alto Adige, Italy

Colene Clemens

Dopp Creek Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Oregon, USA