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Calling all curious wine drinkers! Let&#39;s raise a glass to Furmint, a captivating white grape from Hungary with a fascinating history and an impressive range of styles. Buckle up, as we delve into the world of this intriguing grape variety.

A Hungarian Legacy: Imagine yourself in Tokaj, Hungary, a region steeped in winemaking tradition. For centuries, Furmint has thrived in its volcanic soil, basking in the warm sunshine. These grapes, loved for their thick skin and high acidity, became the cornerstone of Hungary&#39;s most famous wine: Tokaji. These sweet, honeyed treasures were once enjoyed by royalty and popes!

Furmint&#39;s Versatility: But Furmint is no one-trick pony. Besides the world-renowned dessert wines, it can also be vinified in a variety of dry styles, ranging from light and refreshing to full-bodied and complex. Think of it as a chameleon, adapting to different winemaking techniques to offer a spectrum of flavors &ndash; from citrusy and mineral to floral and even slightly smoky.

Comparing Furmint: If you&#39;re familiar with Sauvignon Blanc, you might find some similarities in Furmint&#39;s crisp acidity and zesty citrus notes. However, Furmint often boasts a richer texture and can develop intriguing honeyed or almond-like aromas with age. Compared to Chardonnay, Furmint tends to be lighter-bodied and less oaky, making it a great choice for those who prefer a more refreshing white wine.

Food Pairings: Furmint&#39;s versatility extends to food pairings. Lighter styles go beautifully with seafood dishes, while richer Furmints complement creamy pastas or grilled chicken. For the adventurous foodie, try pairing a dry Furmint with spicy Thai cuisine or Hungarian goulash &ndash; the acidity cuts through the richness, creating a harmonious symphony of flavors.

Ready to Explore? Now that you&#39;ve peeked into the world of Furmint, here are 4 renowned producers to get you started:

<ul>
	<li><a href="https://bevmo.com/products/34547">Royal Tokaji:&nbsp;</a>Experience the legacy of Tokaji with their classic dessert wines.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.winemadeeasy.com/wine/white-wine/disznoko-tokaji-dry-furmint-2021-750-ml-60182.html">Diszn&oacute;kő Tokaj:</a>&nbsp;Discover their range of dry Furmints, showcasing the grape&#39;s versatility.</li>
	<li><a href="https://www.plummarket.com/store/2019-vega-sicilia-oremus-tokaji-furmint-dry-mandolas.html">Oremus:&nbsp;</a>Explore their award-winning dry and sweet Furmints, produced with meticulous care.</li>
	<li><a href="https://con-nois-seur.ca/products/furmint-2021">Patricius Winery:</a>&nbsp;Delve into their single-vineyard Furmints, each reflecting the unique terroir.</li>
</ul>

So, the next time you&#39;re at the wine shop or restaurant, don&#39;t be shy &ndash; ask for Furmint! This Hungarian gem is waiting to introduce you to its captivating world of flavors and history, one sip at a time.

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A Hungarian Legacy: Imagine yourself in Tokaj, Hungary, a region steeped in winemaking tradition. For centuries, Furmint has thrived in its volcanic soil, basking in the warm sunshine. These grapes, loved for their thick skin and high acidity, became the cornerstone of Hungary's most famous wine: Tokaji. These sweet, honeyed treasures were once enjoyed by royalty and popes!

Furmint: Hungary's Hidden Gem for Wine Lovers

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

Lyla Lila

Sam Hohl, certified sommelier, joins Robert Tas to explore Lyla Lila’s wine list. 

Wine List Review of Lyla Lila, Georgia

Sam Hohl

Lyla Lila

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 Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier.

Hello Sam,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

SH: Hi Robert!

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine lists 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.

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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 Lyla Lila.

&nbsp;

Cork Rules

Lyla Lila

Overview

Lyla Lila is located in Midtown, Atlanta Georgia. They are a Southern European-inspired spot with an Italian focus and feature locally sourced ingredients to create dishes ranging from seafood to pasta.&nbsp;

Sam, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what you think of their wine list.

Where to start

This list has been crafted with primarily Italian producers, but it also offers wines from around the world to transport you wherever you want to go. There are plenty of options to complement their Italian and Southern European-inspired menu, and the focus here is selections from winemakers and grape growers who farm responsibly and create their wines using as little intervention as possible.

Starting off the evening I&rsquo;d go with something refreshing while still having some solid flavor, such as the 2014 Ca&rsquo; del Vent Anima. This is an Italian sparkling rose wine made from pinot noir from the Lombardy region. Antonio Torninkas is the naturalist behind Ca&rsquo; del Vent wines and is committed to farming his vineyards using biodynamic practices and applies minimal intervention in his winemaking. In 2015 Ca del Vent&rsquo;s wines were rejected from having DOCG status due to being &ldquo;too complex and rich.&rdquo; DOCG status means a wine is typical to an area, it guarantees quality and it means controlled winemaking methods. Antonio strives to provide an honest expression of his vineyards through his wines, and has actually embraced the fact that the wines are truly unique. This bottle is going to bring fleshy dark fruit flavors, notes of toasted biscuit, and gripping acidity. Super delicious to sip on and would be a true beauty with the crispy artichokes with lemon-mint aioli.

Another really fun way to start the evening would be with the 2019 &lsquo;Egg Fermented&rsquo; by producers Dirty and Rowdy. Now, you might be thinking what is up with that name? Don&rsquo;t be put off, it&rsquo;s in reference to how they ferment the white grape juice, using large egg-shaped cement containers

that are roughly 5-6 feet tall. It&rsquo;s a practice that is used in old and new-world winemaking. This is 100% Semillon from Napa Valley also ferments on the skins for 24 days, giving it structure. It&rsquo;s got tropical notes bursting with lime along with mineral and dried herbs. It would be wonderful alongside your pasta course and would really compliment the creaminess of the burrata cappelletti ravioli.

Value

The beauty of an Italian-inspired wine list is the wide range of prices. There&rsquo;s plenty of affordable bottles on this list for whatever your preference may be. I think the 2017 Guastaferro, &lsquo;Memini&rsquo; would be a great option. It comes from the Campania region and is made from 100% Aglianico grapes, which are known to produce full-bodied reds. The Guastaferro vineyards are family run and they have vines up to 200 years old. They&rsquo;ve trained their 10-foot vines to grow upwards like trees, so it almost gives off the feeling of a grove with those vines growing overhead, which is so cool. This bottle will have bright red cherry, pepper spice and smoke, with a silky mouthfeel. Pair it with the lamb rack with merk&eacute;n and black-eyed peas to complement the meat and play with the smoky flavors from the spices on the lamb.

Celebratory 

If you&rsquo;re out to celebrate an occasion or just looking to take your night to another level, I&rsquo;d try the 2018 Comando G Tumba del Rey Moro. This is a 100% Garnacha from the Sierra de Gredos mountain range in Spain and is grown from 60-70 year old vines. Winemakers Daniel Landi and Fernando Garcia took interest in exploring the inaccessible vineyard plots scattered through the mountain ranges they had heard about. Through this exploration they located and revived the high-altitude Tumba del Rey Moro plot a few years ago, which had been previously inaccessible and what they refer to as an &ldquo;ancient landslide&rdquo; that had been overgrown with brush. 2018 was a particularly good year for this wine, the weather was nice and cool, and the grapes were very healthy and able to fully ripen. The result is super mineral and stone flavors complimented by delicate floral and herbaceous notes. It&rsquo;s got juicy notes of strawberry and red fruit. This would be incredible alongside their pappardelle with morel &amp; oyster mushroom ragu.

RT: Sam Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Lyla Lila&rsquo;s 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 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.&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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