<a href="https://1803nyc.com/">1803</a>&nbsp;is a Cajun restaurant that brings a little of New Orleans&rsquo; eclectic culture to the streets of New York. It&rsquo;s a sexy, sultry space with a penchant for Deep South decadence and jazz. For a memorable culinary experience, this is the place to bring a date.

Cajun cuisine was developed by Acadians (who were originally French) when they were deported from Acadia (an area that stretched from Massachusetts to Gaspe, Canada) to Louisiana during the 18th century. The Acadians developed a unique cuisine that was a melting pot of &nbsp;West African, French and Spanish cooking techniques. This rustic fare was based on locally available ingredients, including crawfish, shrimp, pork and sausage and aromatic green bell peppers, onion, and celery. These vegetables are known as &quot;the trinity&quot; by Cajun chefs, to which they may add parsley, bay leaf, green onions, dried cayenne pepper, and dried black pepper, white pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika.

So, what style of wine pairs well with Cajun food?

Steer clear of full-bodied reds that are rich in tannins. These wines are too heavy for the spices and the tannins will taste metallic when combined with seafood or spice. If you have your mind set on a red wine, consider choosing a lighter pinot noir or gamay that are low in tannins and won&rsquo;t overpower the spice or clash with the aromatic flavors.

However, it may be wiser to stick with white when dining Cajun style. Thanks to the abundance of locally-sourced seafood, catfish and shellfish dominate Cajun recipes. A riesling or gewurztraminer are wines that pair well with any Cajun seafood dish, these light German wines are well-structured and can handle heavier dishes without contradicting or altering the flavor of the spices.

If the dish is heavy with tomatoes, a medium-bodied and acidic red wine works well to match the acidity in the tomatoes. If the wine is low in acidity, the high acidity in the tomatoes will make the wine taste flat and metallic. So, with tomato-based sauces choose a Rioja, zinfandel or pinot noir. &nbsp;You could also choose a &nbsp;full-bodied white such as chardonnay, sauvignon blanc, or Chenin blanc.

Of course, there are many more high acidity wines and low tannin wines to choose from, for expert advice, enlist the help of the sommelier, or pop over to the CorkRules <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/1803/episodes/15">podcast with certified sommelier Grace Hood </a>where she identifies a few bottles of bubbles and offers expert advice on wines to pair with Cajun food. &nbsp;

&nbsp;

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

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;

1803 is a Cajun restaurant that brings a little of New Orleans’ eclectic culture to the streets of New York. It’s a sexy, sultry space with a penchant for Deep South decadence and jazz. For a memorable culinary experience, this is the place to bring a date.

Pairing Wine with Cajun Food at 1803

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

Smitty's Grill

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit Smitty’s Grill in Pasadena, California

Wine List Review of Smitty's Grill, Pasadena

Grace Hood

Smitty&rsquo;s Grill

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! Happy to be here as always 

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 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. Today Grace and I will be reviewing a Pasadena staple, Smitty&rsquo;s Grill. Grace what are your initial thoughts on Smitty&rsquo;s Grill

GH: Well right off the bat, they herald themselves with &ldquo;American comfort food at its best&rdquo;. Say less Smittys Grill! I&rsquo;m here for it ;)

RT:&nbsp;Oh man who doesn&rsquo;t love comfort food? Mac and cheese. Roast chicken. Food for the soul. Always puts you in a good mood. How is their wine list looking?

GH: Looking great! Not too big so we&rsquo;re not overwhelmed with choices. Different varietals and styles and price points. Def something for everyone here at this Pasadena dining room away from home, as they say hahah

RT: I love it. Where would you like to start? Bubbles as always?

GH: Hey I don&rsquo;t make the rules. I just choose the wine hahah but fun fact &ndash; champagne is a great pairing for everything, but especially fatty rich decadent meals, aka comfort foods! So if you wanted to pair with champagne, they have some really beautiful choices. From the Mignon Gentile Grand Cru, to the Philipe Gravier Grand Cru. And if you wanted rose champagne, they have a Bollinger which is always a solid choice

RT: Champagne and comfort food. What a life we live! Are you seeing some good selections in the whites as well?

GH: Absolutely Robert! If you wanted to go with some classic California selections, I would do the 2020 Twomey Sauvignon Blanc from Sonoma, or the 2017 Newton Chardonnay from Napa. However, if you wanted to go with some more unique wines that you don&rsquo;t see a whole lot of production from in California, they have an albarino out of Monterey from the La Marea Vineyard, and then they have another old school varietal, Ribolla Gialla from the Massican vineyard out of Napa. 

RT: Awesome. Really giving folks lots of options in California. Love it! Do you have some nice old-world options for whites as well.

GH: Oh for sure! If you&rsquo;re feeling Spanish, they have a Verdejo from Nisia vineyard out of Rueda, or if you wanted French, they have a Burgundian Chardonnay from Pascal Clemente. And they also have a few nice riesling selections. I would pick the 2017 from Jean Baptiste out of Rheinhessen Germany.

RT: Great global grapes grace! Haha! Say that five times fast.

GH: Great global grapes grace, great global grapes grace hahah

RT: Now how are we looking for red wine? Interested to hear the Smittys grill selections

GH: Starting off light with pinot. I would do the 2019 Kosta Browne from the Russian River Valley, or the 2018 Shae Vineyard from Sonria Vineyards out of the Willamette. Or if you wanted French pinot, I would go with the 2016 Marchand Tawse from Burgundy &nbsp;&nbsp;

RT: Yum those all sound like great choices. What about some merlots or malbecs for those medium bodied drinkers? &nbsp;

GH: Say no more Robert! They have a 2013 Merlot from the Coho Vineyard out of Napa. And they also have a 2015 Valle de Maipo from Cousino Mocoul from Chile. 

RT: Delicious. Any good Italians? &nbsp;

GH: It&rsquo;s like you&rsquo;re reading my mind Robert! Haha! My picks for Italian would be this 2015 Barolo from Fontanafredda, or if you wanted something bigger and bolder, they have a 2016 Brunello di Montalcino from San Felice

RT: Bellisima! Now I assume they have some killer tannic cabs from California, being a Pasadena restaurant and all &nbsp;&nbsp;

GH: 100%! They have a 2017 Coho and a 2016 Heitz, both from Napa, as well as a 2017 Paradigm from Oakville.

RT: Oh yum. Those will all really stand up to the delicious comfort foods on the menu. Grace, thank you so much for helping us navigate the list at Smitty&rsquo;s Grill. 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

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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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