Certified sommelier Maria Valetta explores the <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/smith-&amp;-wollensky/episodes/6">wine list of Smith and Wollensky</a>&nbsp;on the upper east side of New York City. Top wine varietals under the spotlight include a 2020 Louis Jadot Macon Village, the PAX 2019 Gamay, the 2018 Aperture Cabernet from Sonoma showcased on their Captain&rsquo;s Pocket List Page or the 2018 Hourglass Blueline Estate Cabernet from Napa.

When it comes to defining wine, you can categorize them by region, varietal, or style, but to really get to grips with understanding the world of wine, it makes sense to go to the source. The grape.

The type of grape is known as the varietal, and whereas once upon a time the varietals were specific to a region, in contemporary vineyards, varietals are planted, crossbred, and potentially, genetically modified. Additionally, the flavors, skins, and chemical compounds of each varietal will change depending on the terroir, temperature, and weather.

There are over a thousand different varietals of wine grapes but the following eight are the most commonly known grape household names. chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, &nbsp;pinot gris, and riesling, cabernet sauvignon, syrah, zinfandel, and pinot noir.

However, beyond these eight common varietals there exists a large and adventurous world of wine varietals to explore, each with its own unique characteristics based on environment, age, and production method.

At <a href="https://www.smithandwollenskynyc.com/">Smith &amp; Wollensky</a>, prime, dry-aged steaks are the cornerstone of their menu, but if fish, lobster or oysters are on your mind, you won&rsquo;t be disappointed with the Cold Water Lobster Tails or the Scottish Salmon Waldorf. Pair the salmon with the Benton Lane Pinot Noir from the

Willamette Valley to experience how a light tannin red works well with the meaty fish. Pinot noir is a lighter-bodied wine with notes of cherry, cranberry, and rose. It&rsquo;s drier and has a higher acidity with smooth tannins. The higher acidity and tannins pairs well with oily, meaty fish dishes. The tannins help bring out flavor that is carried in the fat, and in symbiosis, the fat tempers the tannins&rsquo; astringency, which allows the other characteristics in the wine to rise on the palate.

And with the Lobster, &nbsp;try a bottle of the Louis Jadot, Macon-Villages Chardonnay

Burgundy, and see how the chardonnay&rsquo;s notes of yellow citrus, pear, green apple pairs well with the rich seafood. Chardonnay is a full-bodied white that won&rsquo;t be overpowered by the richness of the lobster. When pairing wine with food, just like every good match, it&rsquo;s all about bringing out the best in each other.

On CorkRules podcast episode five, Maria identifies a few value wines on the list that should not be missed, she points out a few outliers that are well worth trying, and she shines a light on the meaning of verticals to help demystify the world of wine.

Cheers.

At Smith & Wollensky, prime, dry-aged steaks are the cornerstone of their menu, but if fish, lobster or oysters are on your mind, you won’t be disappointed with the Cold Water Lobster Tails or the Scottish Salmon Waldorf. Pair the salmon with the Benton Lane Pinot Noir from the

Top Wine Varietals at Smith & Wollensky

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

Frasca Food and Wine

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas tune in to Frasca in Boulder, Colorado where they explore wine for all occasions including hanging in the mountains or after skiing down the slopes.

Wine List Review of Frasca Food and Wine, Boulder Colorado

Grace Hood

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 Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Grace,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

GH: Hey hey 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.

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. Alright, Grace &ndash; what fabulous spot are we chatting about today?

GH: Well, we are diving into a wine list that came as a request from one of our listeners. Today we&rsquo;ll be chatting about the selections at Frasca in Boulder Colorado.

RT: Sounds great. Now I know you spent some time working in the wine scene of Colorado, correct?

GH: That is correct Robert! I was a sommelier in Vail for the 2018 ski season. And I&rsquo;ve spent time in lots of other parts of Colorado &ndash; Fort Collins, Boulder, Denver Aspen, Steamboat etc. they might not be able to grow grapes, but Colorado people definitely love to drink good wine.

RT: Love the sound of that. Sancerre in the snow. Merlot in the mountains.

GH: Amen to that Robert!

RT: Hahah alright should we jump into the Frasca list?

GH: Let&rsquo;s do it! They have a lovely international mix of wines, but they specialize in the &aacute;rea of Fruili in Italy. So, we&rsquo;ll def be seeing some unique Italian wines on the list.

RT: Bellisima &nbsp;

GH: Prego Roberto haha starting off with bubbles. If you&rsquo;re feeling a classic champagne, you could go with the Chartogne Tallier Brut Rose or the 2016 Bereche et File Beaux Regards. And if you wanted an Italian sparkling, they have the Scarpetta Brut Rose from the owner of Frasca himself, Bobby Stuckey&nbsp;

RT: Oh yeah Bobby is famous in Boulder, correct?

GH: &nbsp;Indeed Robert! He kind of put Boulder on the map as a foodie town. And has since added winemaker onto his resume.

RT: He sounds like you Grace &ndash; having your hand in every part of the wine industry.

GH: Totally! Knowledge is power as they say.

RT: Alright moving on from sparkling. What are you thinking for some light white selections?

GH: Well we definitely have to highlight from Fiuili wines. My picks would be the 2019 Borgo de Tiglio Fruiliano. As well as the 2018 Kante Malvasia.

RT: Mmm I can taste the acid and the citrus from all the way here in Connecticut. Wine really does transport you all over the world, doesn&rsquo;t it?

GH: It certainly does Robert. It&rsquo;s so simple yet so complex.

RT: What else is looking tasty in the whites section?

GH: Well, it&rsquo;s not an Italian list without some pinot grigio. I&rsquo;m digging the look of 2020 Foradori from Alto Adige. Also interested in this 2020 Vintage Tunia from the classic Italian producer Jermann.

RT: Yum both of those sound great. Now how about some Italian chardonnay?

GH: Reading my mind Robert! I would go with either the 2019 from Borgo de Tigli, or the 2020 from Ronc Platat

RT: Great choices Grace. Thanks for that. Alright, have we come to the main event? Italian reds?

GH: Ain&rsquo;t nothing to it but to do it! Starting off with some light pinot nero, I would go with the 2017 from Fruili Colli Oreientalli. And then if you wanted something with a bit more weight on it, they have a 1999 le Macchiole Syrah from Bolgeri.

RT: Oh, wow we don&rsquo;t drink nearly enough Italian syrah. Move over France haha

GH: I know right? I&rsquo;m super curious about that one. And speaking of curious, I wouldn&rsquo;t turn down this 2001 Emidio Pepe Montepulciano d&rsquo;Abruzzo, or this 2006 Isole e Olena Chianti Classico Gran Selectzione.

RT: Oh, wow neither would I. Those both sound killer. Thanks for pointing those out, Grace. Alright what are you thinking for our listeners who like something big bold and tannic?

GH: Oh man they have a 1994 San Leonardo from Gonzaga, or a 2004 Brunello di Montelcino from Cerbaiona.

RT: Grazi Mille! Grace - thank you so much for helping us navigate the Italian wine list at Frasca. &nbsp;To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.&nbsp; 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. Follow us on social media @CorkRules and @wineswithgrace

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

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End

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

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Remelluri is a family-owned winery that believes in the importance of sustainable farming practices to produce high-quality wines. They focus on the terroir of the Rioja region and use biodynamic farming methods to preserve the natural balance of the land.

Farm-to-table New American fare, craft beers & cocktails served in a casual space with a patio.

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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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