<a href="https://balthazarny.com/">Balthazar </a>is an iconic French Brasserie in the heart of Soho, Manhattan, and indeed, it is so very French. The waiting staff, the decor, the clientele and the vibe is reminiscent of a typical French cafe. Elegantly casual, but let&rsquo;s move on to the wine list. The wine list is all French, and as such, most wines are made from French grape varietals, so let&rsquo;s take a look at the nuances and notes of a few varietals that are the foundation of the wine.

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From north to south, the various wine regions have distinct characteristics in climate and soil, and of course, each region grows the varietals that are best suited to thrive, but because the climate and terroir inform the texture, sweetness, age of vine and harvest time of the grape, the flavor of the same varietals differ depending on the location. &nbsp;

There are over 200 indigenous wine varietals, some are well-known and loved, chardonnay, merlot, and cabernet sauvignon. These are the friendly bottles you can call up on a Friday night to kick back with because you know what to expect; but there are others that are lesser-known varietals like persan, prunelard noir, and lival. You might order a bottle of these strangers if you&rsquo;re looking for a little adventure.

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At Balthazar, they offer wines from every region, but let&rsquo;s explore the wines of Bordeaux. Why? Because the popular merlot and cabernet sauvignon originated from Bordeaux and when you think Bordeaux, you automatically think red. In fact, ninety percent of Bordeaux wines are red wines made with merlot and cabernet sauvignon.

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Bordeaux wine country&nbsp;is divided into two main regions: the Left Bank and the Right Bank. The terroir of the Left Bank

Well, one of the biggest differences between the Left and Right banks is what&rsquo;s in the soil. The Left Bank is warmer and the soil has more gravel, cabernet sauvignon and cabernet franc thrive here. Cabernet Sauvignon needs more heat than merlot to ripen and release the sugars that deliver bold black fruit flavors, high levels of tannin and acid. Additionally, the gravel ensures good drainage and holds heat better than the clay soils of the Right Bank.

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The Right Bank terroir has more clay and limestone, and the climate is cooler and wetter. Merlot ripens in the slightly cooler temperature of this area, and the wetter, cooler clay soil helps nurture smooth tannins and a mix of red and black fruit flavours.

For more tips and recommendations, check out this CorkRules&rsquo; <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/balthazar/episodes/17">wine review podcast</a>&nbsp;episode where certified sommelier Maria Valetta reviews Balthazar&rsquo;s wine list.

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About the CorkRules Podcast:&nbsp;Each week we pour a glass and share top restaurant wine list picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the wine list through sommelier recommendations, suggested food pairings and expert insights

&nbsp;

About CorkRules:&nbsp;CorkRules, the first digital wine app experience, makes it easier for you to navigate the restaurant wine list, and provides you with personalized wine recommendations from your favorite restaurants. Through CorkRules you can find the perfect wine for every occasion based on your preferences. Connect with friends and wine experts to discover new wines to try and learn about wine. CorkRules makes it easier to discover and drink what you love. &nbsp;&nbsp;

Balthazar is an iconic French Brasserie in the heart of Soho, Manhattan, and indeed, it is so very French. The waiting staff, the decor, the clientele and the vibe is reminiscent of a typical French cafe. Elegantly casual, but let’s move on to the wine list. The wine list is all French, and as such, most wines are made from French grape varietals, so let’s take a look at the nuances and notes of a few varietals that are the foundation of the wine.

Bordeaux Wines at Balthazar

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

Buenos Aires Restaurant

Camila Alvarez

Buenos Aires

Buenos Aires

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Camila Alvarez, wine sommelier, and consultant. Bonjour Camila,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join our CorkRules Family from Paris!

CA: 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 intimidating, 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:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today, we are talking about Buenos Aires restaurant, a traditional Argentinian place with a great for classic southern American fare and a cool wine list to match.

Camila, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their extensive wine list?

CA: The wine list shows the spirit of the restaurant&#39;s South American style with the Argentinian style. You can choose between Argentinian, Chilean, Spanish, and French wine in general.

RT: That&rsquo;s great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

CA: Well, I can&rsquo;t stop seeing the Yacochuya Malbec 2011, from Bodegas Michel Rolland, a wine that is difficult to find outside of Argentina, Michel Rolland is a French producer who developed several wineries in Argentina and France. When we think about malbec, first thought is Mendoza, but Salta, the most north wine region in Argentina, is producing amazing malbec, jammy blackberry, blackcurrant and some toast, smoke aromas. Also, the altitude of the vineyard makes it special for these kinds of malbecs. Full body and concentrated flavors in this incredible wine.

RT: Ooohh those sound great. So, Camila, their list seems to have lots of ways we could go but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

CA: As the wine list is mostly Argentinian, I suggest trying another malbec but from a different region and very different style, this one is Bramare Malbec Valle del Uco 2016 from Vina Cobos. This winery is from Paul Hobbs, one of the best wine producers who make the most elegant malbecs; This wine is produced in micro-plots, which means that there is not a high production, elegant aromas of violet and rose flowers, as well as raspberries. In addition, it has some toasted aromas due to the 18 months of barrel aging.

So, this list has so many great choices, what other wines would you suggest for our second or third course?

CA: For the white wines I suggest a Torrontes 2018 from Colom&eacute; winery in the Valle Calchaqui in Salta, one of the highest points in the north of Argentina. This wine is incredibly aromatic, with a lot of aromas of tropical fruits, good fresh acidity and a little bit of minerality; torrontes is a grape variety that disappeared in Spain and that is successfully produced in Argentina, mostly in the hot regions.

Any others for us to consider?

CA: For the second a red wine from Chile, Montes Alpha Carmenere 2018. Iconic winery in Chile, they started to produce premium wines from Valle de Colchagua, carmenere is a grape variety with an amazing bouquet of red fruits, chocolate and some jammy aromas due to the oak maturation for 12 months

RT: Ooh, Terrific. Camila, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind.&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us too?&nbsp;

CA: One great value wine is Gran Enemigo Cabernet Franc 2014, from the best winemaker and one of the historical families in Argentina. Very aromatic cabernet franc with ripe aromas of red fruits and black fruits like cassis, there are some herbal aromas like the eucalyptus and black pepper; Argentinian cabernet franc is completely different than those from France, here you can find a round wine with high tannins. Great value for this wine, good pairing with barbecue and empanadas.

RT: Now Camila, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

CA: Have you tasted a malbec from one of the southernmost regions of the world? A good dinner deserves something special and different, that is Bodega Noemia Malbec 2011, a biodynamic wine from Patagonia Argentina, full malbec with round and elegant aromas of red fruits, complex and high in tannins, the wine is perfectly balanced.

Good pairing with lamb or sauteed sliced Argentinean steak with mixed vegetables

RT: Malbec in all their expression is always something good and this blend and vintage rocks!

CA: I 100 percent agree

RT: Camila Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp; List. I can&rsquo;t wait to go back and 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: <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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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

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