In episode three of the CorkRules podcast, certified sommelier Grace Hood shares her expertise on how sommeliers create and organize a great wine list and provides a brief overview of how to pair wines. She also reviews the wine list of <a href="https://www.qualitymeatsnyc.com/">Quality Meat Steakhouse</a>, a restaurant renowned for serving the finest steaks and cuts of meat in NYC.

If you are looking for a robust cabernet sauvignon to pair well with the Bone-In Dry-Aged Prime Sirloin, consider the reasonably-priced Post &amp; Beam by Far Niente, 2020 Cabernet Sauvignon from the Napa Valley. It is the heavy presence of tannins in cabernet sauvignon that make it such an excellent match with a rare cut. The effect of tannins is in the texture, not the taste. Just as a strong cup of tea heavy with tannins makes the mouth feel dry, a heavy tannin wine is best to cut through fat.

At Quality Meat Steakhouse, the 15-page wine list provides a wide variety of types, styles, and vintages of wine with a vast array of tasting notes and subtle differences.

With so many choices, how do you make a wise, and informed choice of wine to pair with your food. It can take years to understand which wines pair well with what foods. Luckily, that&rsquo;s where a certified sommelier can help you. This is their area of expertise and experience, so why not take advantage of it and ask for their advice? For instance, if choosing the Fresh Cracked Lobster the Caposaldo, Pinot Grigio, Veneto, 2020 would be a wise choice. Dry white wines generally work better with shellfish because the shellfish is slightly sweet and mild, a crisp dry white helps accentuate the flavors without adding to the sweetness, much like a twist of lemon adds just a nice amount of acidity to help balance the fats and sugars.

If you don&rsquo;t have a sommelier by your side, these simple rules on pairing wine with food will help you decide what to choose.

<ul>
	<li>When it comes to acidity, the wine should be more acidic than the food.</li>
	<li>Likewise, the wine should be sweeter than the food.</li>
	<li>Choose wine and food that are comparable in flavor.</li>
	<li>Bold, tannin-heavy red wines pair best with heavier, red meats</li>
	<li>Crisp, dry white wines pair best with light-intensity meats</li>
	<li>Bitter wines, tannin-rich wines are best balanced with fat.</li>
	<li>When eating sauce-rich foods, pair the wine to the sauce, not the meat</li>
</ul>

If you want to hear more about the wine list at Quality Meat Steakhouse, check out the CorkRules <a href="https://corkrules.com/episodes">wine review podcast </a>where Grace identifies the notable wines from Bordeaux, points out the best-value wines on the list, and shares a little knowledge on the wine and moonshine history in the States.

Cheers.

In episode three of the CorkRules podcast, certified sommelier Grace Hood shares her expertise on how sommeliers create and organize a great wine list and provides a brief overview of how to pair wines.

Quick Tips on Pairing Wine at Quality Meat Steakhouse

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

Tony's Di Napoli

Grant Wood

Tony's Donapoli

Tony&rsquo;s Donapoli

&nbsp;

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 Grant Wood, certified sommelier and wine educator.

Hello Grant,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you back for another episode.

GW: Hey Robert, great to be back here with you!

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 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&rsquo;re talking about Tony&rsquo;s, which is an Italian-focused menu with a one-pager wine list. A one-page list can be refreshing for the guest that helps them spend less time pouring over a long selection and more time with your dining partners.

Grant, where would you guide us?

GW: A one-page list really needs to be focused and well thought out for it to really be a success. In the case of Tony&rsquo;s, there are a few gems, although for me, there are a few misses when it comes to certain selections. Every restaurant&rsquo;s economics are different and so is every wine buyer&rsquo;s intention. I don&rsquo;t pretend to question one&rsquo;s personal vision. It&rsquo;s my job, however, to help make you find the gems that will make your meal that much more enjoyable.

RT: So where should we start?

GW: Let&rsquo;s start with the sparkling whites that caught my eye. Though there is a few classic Champagnes, I feel that for the theme of the restaurant and for the price, you cannot go wrong with the 2016 Contratto &lsquo;Millesimato&rsquo; from Piemonte in north-western Italy. This wine will invite a good balance of toasty, brioche aromatics with orchard fruits and citrus on the palate.

RT: You can never go wrong with bubbles but what&rsquo;s next?

GW: Moving on to whites, I would reach for the clean and refreshing 2017 Fiano &lsquo;Cometa&rsquo; from Planeta in Sicily. If you want to drink locally then I must shout out New York&rsquo;s 2018 Riesling from Hermann J. Weimer, who makes fabulous wines from the Finger Lakes up state. They are truly a classic and produce wonderful, dry, and aromatic whites from an unassuming domestic region.&nbsp;Both wines will provide wonderful value and great drinking pleasure.

RT: Man, I keep hearing about the Finger Lake wines. What about red?

GW: For the reds on this list, if you&rsquo;re looking to splurge then I would go for the 2012 Rocca Della Macie &ldquo;Zingarelli&rdquo; Gran Selezione from the Tuscan classic, Chianti. This is a truly great expression of one of Italy&rsquo;s most famous growing regions. A great value wine would be the 2016 Mocali, Rosso di Montalcino which is also from Tuscany and based on Sangiovese but is a much easier drinking red that would pair with a variety of dishes. One more fun gem to point out is the 2011 Vinosia, Rajamagra Taurasi Riserva from Compania in southern Italy. Taurasi is a region that produces amazingly long-lived reds from the Aglianico variety.

RT: Can&rsquo;t go wrong with any of these suggestions.

GW: Beyond what I&rsquo;ve mentioned here, there are a few other very appropriate wines from classic regions that fit the theme of this restaurant but there are a few forgettable selections- particularly the domestics. My best advice, stick to the theme of the restaurant and ask your server not what is most popular, but rather, what excites them the most with the dishes that you are ordering. Be curious, be adventurous, and I&rsquo;m sure you&rsquo;ll find yourself the perfect match for your appetite.

RT: Grant Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Tony&rsquo;s wine list.

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.

&nbsp;

End

&nbsp;

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

Grgich Hills Estate is a family-owned winery located in the Napa Valley of California. Founded in 1977 by Croatian-born winemaker Mike Grgich, the winery is known for producing premium wines using sustainable and organic farming practices.

Buzzy indoor/outdoor locale serving wood-fired American fare & cocktails amid camping decor.

Mandolin Aegean Bistro

The Surf Club

Itamae

Itamae Miami

Veranda

Boia De

Huertas

Kesté Pizza & Vino

Keste Pizzeria

Taverna di Bacco

Tavern on the Green

Leyland Brooklyn

Junoon

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

Campfire

Field Recordings

Skins 2021

Zinfandel

Central Coast, USA

Idlewild The Flower Flora & Fauna Rose, North Coast 2021

North Coast, USA

Chateau Deluxe Edelzwicker, Yamhill-Carlton District 2020

Yamhill-Carlton District, USA

Empire Estate

NV, Blanc de Blancs, USA, New York, Finger Lakes NV

Riesling

New York, USA

Benevolent Neglect Vermentino, USA, California, Central Valley 2021

Vermentino

Central Valley, California, USA

Marshall Davis Pinot Noir, USA, Oregon, Willamette Valley 2019

Pinot Noir

Oregon, USA

Pence

Vineyards Pence Ranch Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills 2019

Sta. Rita Hills, USA

Cellars

Broc, Love Sparkling Chenin Blanc, Paso Robles 2021

Paso Robles, USA

J.Brix

Kick On Ranch Vineyard Sunrise Over Skin-Contact Riesling 2021

Riesling

Santa Barbara County, USA

Thee and Thou

Devoilee 2020

Blend

USA

Coquelicot Estate Sauvignon Blanc, Los Olivos District NV

USA

Los Angeles River

Marian Farms Raisin City 2020

Palomino

USA

Seabold Cellars - Bold Wine Co

Rodnick Farm Mourvedre 2019

Mourvedre

Chalone, USA

Scar Of The Sea

Bassi Vineyard Chardonnay 2020

Chardonnay

San Luis Obispo County, USA

Hope Well

Chenin Blanc 2020

Chenin Blanc

Eola-Amity Hills, USA