Unless you are born into a vineyard, grow up in wine country,&nbsp;a career in wine is not&nbsp;a go-to profession for most graduates. But for some people, their love of wine and career path are intertwined. This is how it was for <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-lopes-b67743a8/">Jane Lopes</a>, sommelier, co-founder of Legend Imports, and author of&nbsp; <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Vignette-Stories-Life-Wine-Bottles/dp/1743795327">Vignette: Stories of Life and Wine in 100 Bottles. </a>

Jane graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in English Language and Literature/Letters. Post-graduation, she worked in the hospitality industry, as so many students do before they find their path in life. It was as a server/bartender that Jane&rsquo;s formal education in the wine industry began. &nbsp;She worked at renowned restaurants including Eleven Madison Park in New York, The Violet Hour in Chicago, and The Catbird Seat in Nashville; her education at these establishments was intensive and hands-on, and by immersing herself in the world of wine, she fast-tracked her way towards accreditation as one of the world&rsquo;s few Master Sommeliers.

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In 2018, Jane was a candidate for the Master Sommelier, the most prestigious of accreditations in wine. To give you an idea of how difficult it is to achieve this standard, there are only 262 Master Sommeliers in the world, and candidates must pass four exams offered through the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMSA).

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Although Jane passed the exam, one of only 34 women to pass it; unfortunately, for all candidates sitting the 2018 exam, their results were nullified due to a previous candidate sharing information about the wines selected for the tasting exam. It seems rather unfair; however, it didn&rsquo;t stop Jane from pursuing her career in wine and proving her vast knowledge on the subject by publishing her book.

Vignette is a book for people who love wine without the pretension that often surrounds the wine industry. It is thoughtfully arranged and offers clarity on varietals, tasting notes, and a list of 100 bottles that represent wine regions from around the globe, and most importantly for the majority of wine lovers, Jane has added an appendix of affordable wines for the wine lover who wants a delicious bottle that meets the budget.

Jane&rsquo;s book is both informative and highly entertaining read as it documents her life&rsquo;s journey in wine, beginning with the earliest introduction to wine: a cheap, Californian chardonnay her parent&rsquo;s drank.

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Jane has recently completed a second book, How to Drink Australian, which will be published in September 2023. This book is inspired by the company she runs with her husband, <a href="https://legendaustralia.com/jane-jon/">Legend Australian Wine Imports</a>, a socially-focused wine importer. Jane and her husband founded this company with the goal of bringing the best of Australian wines to the U.S.

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Listen to Jane&rsquo;s story on <a href="https://corkrules.com/vignette:-stories-of-life-and-wine-in-100-bottles/episodes/384">Episode 268 of CorkRules</a> where she offers suggestions on wine and shares a little of her life&rsquo;s journey in the industry.

Unless you are born into a vineyard, grow up in wine country, a career in wine is not a go-to profession for most graduates. But for some people, their love of wine and career path are intertwined. This is how it was for Jane Lopes, sommelier, co-founder of Legend Imports, and author of Vignette: Stories of Life and Wine in 100 Bottles.

Stories of Wine & Life with Jane Lopes, Sommelier, Author and Co-Founder of Legend Imports

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

The Chanticleer

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit The Chanticleer in Nantucket. 

Wine Review of The Chanticleer, Nantucket

Michaela Quinlan

The Chanticleer:

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 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 lists because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that&nbsp; 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 Chanticleer. Deemed one of the most romantic restaurants on Nantucket, this restaurant features an extensive wine list, local seafood, and room to host any special occasion.

Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

MQ: Chanticleer features an incredible, French dominant wine list featuring a number of small producers. We have several standouts for you today to enjoy in their luxurious dining room or fragrant rose garden.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

MQ: If you are celebrating in the Rose Garden, a wonderful way to begin your experience at Chanticleer would be with the Naveran, Brut Rose, Cava from Catalonia, Spain. This dry, sparkling rose is a blend of organic pinot noir and Parellada featuring aromas and flavors of citrus, strawberry, a hint of watermelon, and bright acidity. A wonderful companion to cheeses, and shellfish.

RT: That is for sure unique. Did you find any others that caught your eye right away?

MQ:A beautiful white Burgundy to consider to pair with salmon and lobster would be the 2018 Paul Garaudet Bourgogne Blanc. Paul Garaudet is a 4th generation winemaker where he produces spectacular pinot noir and chardonnay in the heart of Cote de Beaune. This elegant chardonnay showcases citrus, green apple, minerality, and a touch of vanilla on the finish.

RT: 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 would be the 2019 Serge Laporte Cuvee MAGES Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire Valley. This isn&rsquo;t just any Sancerre, this is Laporte&rsquo;s limited, top cuvee which can age up to 9 years. MAGES is an acronym for the members of the family (Marylise, Alexandre, Guillaume, Elizabeth, and Serge). This Sauvignon Blanc features aromas and flavors of white flowers, lime zest, grapefruit, and fresh acidity. This would make a wonderful companion to fish and cream sauces.

RT: 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: Of course! Another stand out to consider for the table would be the 2017 Domaine Serene &ldquo;Evanstad Reserve&rdquo; Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley. I have had the pleasure of visiting Domaine Serene, and it is aptly named! Spectacular views of the vineyard and the most breathtaking sunsets. Their &ldquo;Evanstad Reserve&rdquo; is their flagship pinot noir which showcases aromas and flavors of ripe, red cherries, blackberries, spice, and earth. This pinot noir would pair beautifully with a number of seafood dishes and sauced proteins.

RT: Ooh, Terrific.

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: The first consideration would be the 2018 Jena-Pierre Large, Beaujolais Cru from Burgundy. The red grape in this rich Beaujolais is the Gamay grape and is quite robust compared to other Beaujolais wines. It features aromas and flavors of plumb, ripe, red cherries, blackberries, spice, and a touch of vanilla on the finish, all at an excellent price.

RT: That sounds great. Any other values on the list?

MQ: another favorite, quality and value wine would be the 2018 Couly Dutheil Chanteaux from the Loire Valley. Couly Dutheil is one of the most famous producers in Loire, and this limited production Chenin Blanc is truly a can&rsquo;t miss. This Chenin Blanc features aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, pineapple, melon, and bright acidity. This wine would pair well with cheeses, tuna, salmon, and lighter proteins.

RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

MQ: Of course. You will notice Chanticleer features an extensive list of wines from producer Henri Boillot. He is a 5th generation winemaker who is truly unparalleled in both his winemaking skills and his superior vineyard locations in Burgundy. One to consider to add to your celebration or special occasion would be the 2020 Henri Boillot Puligny Montrachet. This white Burgundy has earned 95 points from Decanter Magazine and features aromas and flavors of citrus, green apple, peach, almond, minerality, and a touch of smoke. A legendary wine from a legendary producer to accompany any event.

RT: Michaela Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Chanticleer&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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Sycamore Lane is a popular wine brand that offers a range of varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and others. The wines are known for their consistent quality and affordability.

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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

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