Have you ever seen the term sur lie on a wine label? It&rsquo;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.

Sur lie translates from French to &ldquo;on the lees&rdquo;, lees being the left over yeast cells that fall to the bottom of the fermentation vessel after the alcoholic fermentation of the wine is finished. During fermentation the yeast helps turn the sugar in the grape must into alcohol, and when there is no more sugar for the yeast to convert it will die and fall to the bottom of the tank or barrel. When sur lie is written on a wine label that means the wine has been left to age together with the lees long after fermentation. This will start a reaction where the lees provide the wine with a bigger body and a creamier texture, as well as elegant aromas of bread. This reaction usually takes place after about six months, but the wine could age for longer if desired by the winemaker. Before bottling the wine, you filter it to separate the lees and get a beautiful, clear wine. This method is usually used for less aromatic grape varieties that might profit from the added complexity that the lees ageing provides.

The term sur lie is mostly associated with white wines from western Loire, France, mainly from the region Muscadet S&egrave;vre-et-Maine AOC. The grape, like the region, is called Muscadet and is a fresh but rather neutral grape variety on its own. However, the method is used in other parts of the world as well. In Spain it&rsquo;s called sobre l&iacute;as, and it&rsquo;s also a common method to use for high quality sparkling wines, even though you will not find the term written on the label in that case.

When buying and enjoying a sur lie bottle of wine you will get an elegant white wine with citrus and apple flavor, a medium body and a bread like finish. Perfect for elegant white fish courses, or raw oysters like the Loire locals prefers to pair it with.

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

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

Waypoint

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review an interesting selection of wines at Waypoint, Massachusetts

Wine List Review of Waypoint, Massachusetts

Michaela Quinlan

Waypoint:

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.

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Hello Michaela,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

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MQ: Hi Robert!

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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.

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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.

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RT:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

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RT: Today we are talking about Waypoint. Located in Cambridge, MA, Waypoint focuses on coastal-inspired fare. This menu certainly has something for everyone, from seafood and a raw bar to pizza, pasta, and steak, you simply can&rsquo;t go wrong.

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Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

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MQ: Much like their dinner menu, Waypoint&rsquo;s wine list consists of classics and unique selections from both the Old World and New World.

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RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

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MQ: the first wine that caught my eye was the 2020 Enderle &amp; Moll, Muller Thurgau from Germany. Muller Thurgau is light to medium-bodied with aromas and flavors of tropical fruit, grapefruit, pineapple, and orange blossom. This Muller Thurgau will certainly win over fans of Albarino and would make an excellent pairing seafood and spicy dishes.

RT: That is for sure unique. Did you find any others that caught your eye right away?

MQ: Another unique wine that caught my eye was the 2020 Thymiopoulus &ldquo;Young Vines&rdquo; Xinomavro from Greece. This classic, Greek, red wine may become the new favorite of Pinot Noir fans. This medium bodied red wine features aromas and flavors of cranberries, cherries, blueberries, with a bit of spice and earth on the finish. This red wine can certainly stand up to pasta and herbed dishes.

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;?

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MQ: If you have been reading about and noticing Orange wines, or skins contact wines, then you must try the 2020 Krasno Malvasia Blend from the western edge of Slovenia. This organic orange wine consists of white grapes Malvasia and Ribolla that allow the juice to remain in contact with the skins of the grapes from one to eight months. The result is a beautiful orange color with aromas and flavors of ripe apricot, with savory notes such as thyme and rosemary, all making this an excellent pairing for fried seafood and lighter dishes.

RT: These are some great calls.

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So, you know I&rsquo;m getting thirsty and will need to order a bottle with my dinner, where would you guide us?

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MQ: If you have already selected your fish or seafood menu items and are looking for a classic, crisp, dry white wine, then you must try the 2020 LA Vecchia Posta &lsquo;Saliceto&rsquo; Cortese from the Piedmont region of Italy. Cortese is the name of the white grape found in wines from Gavi. This cortese,&nbsp; grown in the Piedmont, is organic and features aromas and flavors grapefruit, lemon zest, apricot, with a touch of salinity on the finish. A wonderful consideration for any seafood or shellfish selections.

&nbsp;

RT: Ooh, Terrific.

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Michaela, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind.&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us to?&nbsp;

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MQ: Of course, I can&rsquo;t make it through an episode without mentioning something sparkling. An excellent value sparkler to consider is the Lucien Albrect &lsquo;Cremant D&rsquo;Alsace&rsquo; from Alsace, France. The term &lsquo;Cremant&rsquo; means a French, sparkling wine produced outside of the Champagne region, which brings excellent, Old-World quality, for a fraction of the price. This sparkler is light, dry, and floral. Notes of ripe peach, white flowers, and a touch of brioche on this finish make this a wonderful aperitif, or to pair with lightly sauced fish, or anything fried.

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RT: That sounds great. What is your other value selection?

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MQ: Let&rsquo;s return to Greece for another standout, quality/value red wine. The 2019 Halkia, Agiorgitiko, from Corinthia. Agiorgitiko is the most planted red, Greek grape. Anna Halkia began making wine organically in 2000. This red is rich, full-bodied with ripe blackberries, plumbs, earth, spice, and smooth, round tannins. Keep this wine in mind to pair with anything grilled.

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RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

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&nbsp;MQ: A stunning Old World meets New World wine is the 2018 Hedges Family Estate, la Haute Cuvee, Cabernet Sauvignon on Red Mountain in the Yakima Valley of Washington State. The Hedges family purchased 50 acres in 1989 and filled 40 of those acres with Bordeaux grape varietals. Gold medals quickly followed with their Cabernet Sauvignon and Merlot blends. The la Haute Cuvee is organic and biodynamic and showcases Cabernet Sauvignon with a splash of Petit Verdot with aromas and flavors of ripe blackberries, cases, black cherries, herbal notes, with leather and earth on the finish. The wine ages in both American and French oak and is modern day classic. A special wine to pair with richly sauced proteins and any special occasion.

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RT: Michaela, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Waypoint&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself. &nbsp;

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To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

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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.

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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;

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And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

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Thank you.

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End

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Alexis Percival is a New York City based CMS certified sommelier, consultant and event planner who puts the art in party.

Certified sommelier Alexis Percival

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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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