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.

Alto means high, referring to altitude when talking about wine, in both Spanish and Italian. Recently higher altitude locations have been planted more and more. A few decades ago, these areas were not seen as suitable for growing quality grapes as the climate back then was too cool. Today, with many producers witnessing a rising temperature, and a lot of new techniques in the vineyard, these areas are finally becoming viable. The higher you plant the cooler the temperature will be, but you will also receive more sun which in turn helps ripen the grapes. The temperature will be quite warm during the day, but very cool at night. This leads to ripe fruit aromas developing during the day, followed by a cool nighttime keeping the fresh acidity in the grapes, the best of both worlds for the grapes.

In Italy this development has been very prominent in northern Piemonte in the last decade. There is now talk about an area called Alto Piemonte, comprised of a few different wine regions. They are all located higher up in the mountains, and like the most famous wines from Piemonte many are based on the Nebbiolo grape. The most well-known wine regions would be Ghemme, Gattinara, and Boca.

But Alto Piemonte is not the only area where the term is used. In quite a few cases, in both Italy, Spain, Argentina and Chile the term can be seen used as part of a producer name or even as the name of a specific wine, sometimes to convey the wine is from a high planted vineyard. It is not uncommon however for winemakers to use the term to show it&rsquo;s their highest quality wine, not a wine from high altitude.

More wine growers have shown interest in high altitude vineyards lately, and the record of the highest planted one is something a few are trying to beat. It&rsquo;s safe to say the positive effects the altitude has on the growing grapes mean these vineyards are here to stay, and terms as alto may be used in more languages soon.

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

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head to Vermont to review the wine list at Michael’s on the Hill.

Wine List Review of Michael's on the Hill, Vermont. 

Sam Hohl

Michael's on the Hill

Michael&#39;s on the Hill

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 Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier.

Hello Sam,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

MQ: Hi Robert!

&nbsp;

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules, which is now available in the Apple App store 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.

Cork Rules

Michael&rsquo;s On The Hill 

Overview

Michael&rsquo;s On The Hill is located in Waterbury Center, Vermont and offers farm-to-table dishes by an award winning chef. Here you&rsquo;re invited to enjoy European inspired fare along with cocktails or wine while taking in the Green Mountain views.

Stand outs

This list features lots of French selections but has a great range for other New and Old world bottles at various price points so there&rsquo;s sure to be something to please every taste. For a white let&rsquo;s start with the 2019 Ch&acirc;teau Yvonne Chenin Blanc. This bottle comes from the Parnay commune in Saumur-Champigny. Chateau Yvonne dates back to the middle-ages and is now known as one of the top producers in Saumur. They only produce about 2000 cases a year so this is a treat. This bottle will be super crisp, nice bright acid and notes of pear, lime and wet stones. You could try it with the green salad with apple and buttermilk dressing to start. This high acid white is going to pair nicely with a variety of vegetable dishes, fattier fish, or chicken.

If you&rsquo;re looking to start a red you could try the 2017 Ch&acirc;teau de Saint Cosme. This is another bottle that comes from a lot of history and the estate located in the Gigondas appellation in Southern Rhone has been in the family since 1490. This is a blend of primarily Grenache, along with Syrah, Mourv&egrave;dre and Cinsault. It&rsquo;s going to be packed with strawberry flavors, along with peppery notes, violets and smoke. This rich, fuller bodied red can handle meat dishes such as the beef tenderloin or venison on the menu, but would also be so good with the Roasted Mushroom Tartine.

Another one I wanted to mention was the 2020 Union Sacr&eacute; &lsquo;Belle de Nuit.&rsquo; Union Sacr&eacute; is located in Paso Robles, California but they take their inspiration from the wines of Alsace. This is a Gew&uuml;rztraminer full of beautiful aromatics with notes of peach, orange and lychee. The cold evenings in this climate help with providing great acidity too. It&rsquo;s such a playful flavor profile, and a lot of fun with food! It pairs nicely with a variety of meats, fish, and even spicy foods! It would be so good with the Maple Glazed pork to bring out some of the sweeter notes in each.

Value

There&rsquo;s some great value bottles on this list, and the first one I wanted to&nbsp; mention is the 2018 Trimbach Pinot Blanc. Trimbach is located in Alsace and is operated by their 13th generation of winemakers. Trimbach produces just incredible value wines, and is definitely a go-to bottle for me. This Pinot Blanc is really well balanced with fruity notes of green apple, citrus and minerality. It&rsquo;s delightful to sip on and will work well with shellfish, cream based or fried dishes like the Maine Crab cakes.

The 2019 Broc Cellars &lsquo;Vine Starr&rsquo; Zinfandel is a wonderful choice for a value red. I&rsquo;m such a Broc Cellars fan so whenever I see their bottles on the menu, I&rsquo;m drawn in. Broc Cellars creates low-intervention wines that truly showcase their grapes and terroir, and this Zinfandel is just a beautiful example of what they do. The grapes are sourced from two vineyards that have volcanic soil, and the flavors are alive with blackberry and black cherry notes, some floral qualities and subtle spice. It&rsquo;s got a medium body and very balanced on the palate so it&rsquo;s super tasty for sipping on. It&rsquo;s also delicious with meat dishes, poultry and pork.

Celebratory 

A stand-out bottle for a special night or celebration would be the 2016 Ch&acirc;teau Giscours Grand Cru. Located in the Margaux appellation, the history of Ch&acirc;teau Giscours vineyards have been documented back to the 1500s. They&rsquo;re known for their incredible vineyard and produce delicious Bordeaux wines.This Cabernet and Merlot blend offers all the gorgeous complexity this terroir has to offer. It&rsquo;s got aromas of violets, lots of ripe fruit notes, black currant, tobacco, and cassis. It&rsquo;s bold and balanced with a long finish- it&rsquo;s sure to make your evening memorable.&nbsp;

RT: Sam Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Michael&rsquo;s on The Hill&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 Sam 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.

Also please download the CorkRules app where we have all your favorite restaurants, and you can get personalized recommendations and connect with your friends.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. Please check out our the app or website for all our latest episodes of your favorite restaurant wine lists.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

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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

di Montalcino is a historic winery in the heart of Tuscany, known for producing some of the finest Sangiovese-based wines in the world. The winery is dedicated to capturing the unique character of the Montalcino region in every bottle.

St Giles London Hotel's bright, modern dining room serving a mixed menu of Italian and Asian dishes.

Marc Forgione

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

Sage & Chilli

Cosmic Cloud

The Impressionist Shiraz NV

Shiraz/Syrah

Western Cape, South Africa

Vallon

Estate De Wetshof, Bon, Chardonnay, Robertson NV

Breede River Valley, South Africa

Wairau River

Longbend Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Borgo del Col Alto

Prosecco NV

Glera

Prosecco, Italy

Il Barco

Pinot Grigio Ramato NV

Pinot Grigio

Veneto, Italy

Alain Gautheron

Chablis NV

Chardonnay

Chablis, Burgundy, France

Chteau de la Coste, France, Bordeaux, Mdoc, Margaux NV

Red Bordeaux Blend

Medoc, Bordeaux, France

The Paddock

Shiraz NV

Shiraz/Syrah

South Eastern Australia, Australia

Dom Perignon NV

Champagne, France

Frontera

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Central Valley, Chile

Ozwell

Chardonnay, Australia NV

Chardonnay

Australia

Château La Serre

Saint-Emilion Grand Cru (Grand Cru Classe) NV

Blend

Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Henri Dubois

Brut Champagne NV

Chardonnay

Champagne, France