<a href="https://www.viacarota.com/">Via Carota</a>&nbsp;is a trattoria located at 51 Grove Street in the West Village. Via Carota is all about honoring its Italian roots and this is clearly represented in the ambience, the food, the decor, and, of course, the wine. If you are dining at Via Carota, listen to the CorkRules&rsquo; <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/via-carota/episodes/20">podcast on the wine list </a>to pick up a few suggestions from a certified sommelier.

In an earlier article, we identified the Italian wine regions, but in this article, we&rsquo;re going to focus on Italian wine labels to help you understand more about the bottle you are ordering.

A few key terms you should understand about Italian wine labels&nbsp;are the official designations: DOCG, DOC, and IGT. Just like the French counterpart, appellations, the designations identify the rules of wine cultivation and production that are in place for the locations that receive the designations.

So, let&rsquo;s take a look at what they mean and how that affects the wine you buy.

DOCG is the abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata e Garantita ((Denomination of Controlled and Guaranteed Origin). This is the top classification and the most strict. It governs all aspects of production, including which varieties can be grown, where they can be grown, and how the wines are aged. Quite simply, the stricter the rules the higher the quality of wine. There are only 74 DOCGs in Italy, with the majority of them located in &nbsp;Piedmont, Veneto, and Tuscany. This is why these regions are considered to be the best wine-producing regions.

DOC is the abbreviation for Denominazione di Origine Controllata (Denomination of Controlled Region) The rules of this designation govern production and style, the less stringent rules allow more wine producers to jump achieve certification. Currently, there are 334 DOCs in Italy.

And finally, the least regulated classification is IGT, an abbreviation for Indicazione Geografica Tipica (Typical Geographical Indication) this was first introduced in 1992, &nbsp;and is basically a classification that only refers to location but allows wine producers to use grapes and production styles that are not allowed under DOC and DOCG regulations. Despite the ease of production regulations, currently, there are only 118 IGTs in Italy. Most wine producers want to focus on quality and earn recognition for producing quality wine.

In addition to the official classifications, there are a few other terms you should become familiar with:

Classico: This refers to a zone within a region that is considered the original area of production.

Azienda Agricola: This indicates the farm or estate that produces the grapes and produces wine.

Annata or Vendemmia: This refers to a specific harvest or vintage and is hugely informative if you understand the particular &lsquo;good&rsquo; or &lsquo;bad&rsquo; years in grape cultivation, most specifically, the influence of the weather.

Produttore: Is the producer - a producer could be anyone who makes the wine. So, it&rsquo;s generally best to choose a producer that is also the estate and vineyard.

Tenuta: Refers to the Estate

Vigneto: Quite simple, the vineyard

So, now that you can read the label, all that remains is to taste the wine and, the most difficult part, remember which wines you love, because in this industry, regardless of locations, producers, and grape, the most important point is to drink the wine you love.

Cheers!

&nbsp;

About the CorkRules Podcast:&nbsp;Each week we pour a glass and share top restaurant wine lists picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the wine list through sommelier recommendations, suggested food pairings and expert insights

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;

Via Carota is a trattoria located at 51 Grove Street in the West Village. Via Carota is all about honoring its Italian roots and this is clearly represented in the ambience, the food, the decor, and, of course, the wine. If you are dining at Via Carota, listen to the CorkRules’ podcast on the wine list to pick up a few suggestions from a certified sommelier.

Italian Wine Labels Explained at Via Carota

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

Rachel Peacock

French Louie

French Louie

&nbsp;

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where, in each episode, we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Rachel Peacock, Sommelier, WSET 3 candidate, and cellar worker helping create some of your favorite wines from Washington state. Hey Rachel, so nice to have you.

RP: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me, this is a great topic. I love dissecting wine lists and getting inside the thought process of the wine directors creating stunning pairings that really elevate the cuisine. For this episode, we are reviewing French Louie&rsquo;s list, and there are some standout choices to bring your meal to the next level. As a somm, I see this time and again, where a customer&rsquo;s wine selection can really make or break the entire meal.

RT: Great, that&rsquo;s exactly what we&rsquo;re looking for! CorkRules is an effort to demystify the wine list for the average consumer because we know not everyone who enjoys wine is an expert, nor do they need to be! Wine should be for everyone.

Our goal is to give you some general education on food and wine pairings, specific to a different restaurant each show. We are going to hack this list for you, so to speak, with a variety of routes to choose from. Today is a classic because this list is all about French wine.

RP: Right, and French Louie has a really thoughtfully curated list, which basically does half my job for me!

RT: So just a few notes about the restaurant, French Louie is a French-American bistro near downtown Brooklyn, in a really warm and beautifully designed space. Owners Doug Crowell and Chef Ryan Angulo are industry veterans serving up beautifully executed classics in the lexicon of Parisian bistro cuisine.

So, Rachel, what&rsquo;s your overall impression of the list?

&nbsp;

RP: This is a list that is after my own heart. I love the simplicity. They are bringing you a nice array of what they know is going to pair well with this food: Champagne, Burgundy, and Bordeaux and to a lesser extent some options from Alsace, the Loire and Rhone Valley. They also offer some American counterparts of these varietals and styles, which is great too.

RT: That&rsquo;s sort of a &lsquo;greatest hits&rsquo; list of French wine regions. What really stood out to you?

RP: Well, they seem to love their Pinot Noir, and I love what they&rsquo;re selling. They&rsquo;ve found some great selections at reasonable price points! Namely, I&rsquo;m looking at the 2015 Gevrey- Chambertin from Georges Lignier et Fils. This is a great producer from one of the most coveted communes of Burgundy. It&rsquo;s going to be light bodied enough to pair with their steelhead trout offering but it still maintains enough acid and structure that it would be completely delicious with the Duck au Poivre as well. You can expect black currant and cherry notes from this wine along with violets and the rusticity that Red Burgundy is known for. Game and leather notes and licorice undertones should be starting to show themselves as well. This is a great introduction if you want to familiarize yourself with more Burgundy.

RT: I&rsquo;m salivating over Duck and Pinot now, but what else caught your eye?

RP: Well, I really feel like Americans don&rsquo;t drink enough Bordeaux Blanc, and this would totally be the place to do so!

&nbsp;

RT: Tell me more about that&hellip;

&nbsp;

RP: Everyone is so focused on the reds of Bordeaux, but the whites really have so much to offer. Most typically they appear as some sort of combination of Sauvignon Blanc, Semillon and Muscadelle, the former two varietals most often. While white Bordeaux can present itself as a light, grassy, citrus-driven white, the most coveted Bordeaux Blancs are rich and complex with baked apple notes that emanate a unique umami flavor.

The offering from French Louie really typifies the lighter style from Jean Marc Barthez. It&rsquo;s so refreshing and delicious and I could see a way to pair a whole meal around this bottle. This is a serious value bottle too.

RT: So, what would be your ideal meal with this bottle and their dinner menu?

RP: Naturally I would start with some oysters. This bottle is Sauvignon Blanc driven and aged in stainless steel so it&rsquo;s going to help facilitate the minerality we want with that pairing. Next, I&rsquo;d move on to the chilled sweet pea soup. Again, those grassy notes with the spring peas will be amazing. For my main course, the gnocchi Parisienne would be a stand-out with the broccoli walnut pesto. The fat of this dish and the acid of the wine will really balance one another. This would be a light but fulfilling meal and it&rsquo;s always so satisfying to pick out a wine that complements every course.

RT: Wow, that meal has me wanting to celebrate Spring and all things green. Sounds incredible. Finally, if there&rsquo;s one bottle to really impress a client or a date, what would you go for on this list?

RP: That&rsquo;s easy. This is a value list to begin with, so there really isn&rsquo;t anything inordinately expensive and the higher-end bottles they do carry are quite fairly priced. So naturally, my eye gravitates toward the Champagne, which really can be paired with most courses beautifully.

RT: I am always looking to add more Champagne in my life.

RP: Me too, I really am a sucker for a good bottle. In this case, go for the vintage! They offer a 2002 &ldquo;Cuvee Nicolas Francois&rdquo; from Billecart Salmon, a legendary producer. This is a solid vintage and highly rated, with notes of apricot and brioche while maintaining austerity and great acidity. I&rsquo;m absolutely loving this option, and it&rsquo;s a screaming deal at this price point if you ask me.;)

RT: Wow, what a great rundown on some French classics! Rachel, thank you so much for guiding us through some of these staples at French Louie. I fully plan on heading there for oysters and Champagne soon. To our audience, thank you all for joining us and we hope you take away some ideas for pairing.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us an email to:

Info@corkrules.Com 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 look 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

&nbsp;

END

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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

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.

Relaxed destination with a warm ambiance offering creative Korean snacks, plus beer & cocktails.

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

Barn Joo Nomad

Cellars

Jam, Toast Brut, California NV

California, USA

San Martino

Prosecco Rose Brut NV

Glera (Prosecco)

Prosecco, Italy

Casillero del Diablo

Cabernet Sauvignon (Reserva) NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Central Valley, Chile

Domaine de la Sangliere

Cotes de Provence Juliette Rose NV

France

Ledson Zinfandel Ancient Vine Sonoma Valley, USA, California NV

Zinfandel

California, USA

Trivento

Reserve Malbec NV

Malbec

Mendoza, Argentina

Giulia

Luca Paretti Prosecco, Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia NV

Glera

Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

Cellars

Cline, Pinot Noir Seven Ranchlands, USA, California, Sonoma NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Craggy Range

Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

South Island, New Zealand

Vallepicciola

Chianti Classico Riserva NV

Sangiovese

Chianti Classico, Italy

Sonoma-Cutrer

Chardonnay Cutrer, Russian River Valley NV

California, USA

Frank Family Vineyards

Chardonnay, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Château Beychevelle

Aspirant de Beychevelle Saint-Julien NV

Blend

Bordeaux, France

Frank Family Vineyards

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Moet & Chandon

Brut Imperial, Champagne NV

Champagne, France