Many grape varieties around the world of wine have names local to the region or country they&rsquo;re grown in, even though they&rsquo;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.

This white grape variety is called Pinot Gris in its home country, France. Gris means gray in French and it refers to the unusual color of the grape skins. The color can differ from grey, slightly purple or even orange or pink. For white grape varieties these colors are quite uncommon. Due to this it is sometimes used for blush wine, light ros&eacute; styled wine that is. The name is similar to the black grape Pinot Noir, and Pinot Gris is actually naturally mutated from this variety hundreds of years ago.

The same grape is also grown in Italy under the name Pinot Grigio. They grape may have originated in France, but it&rsquo;s here in Italy where the most acres are planted to the grape. Even though it&rsquo;s the same variety, the styles made are worlds apart. The French style, made in the wine region Alsace, can be full-bodied with intense aromas of peach and honey even though the wines are not sweet. The colored grape skin can also give these wines a deeper golden color. The Italian style finds its home in the Alps in the northern part of the country. The cool climate here provides fresh and light styles of wine, with aromas of green apple and lime often meant for early consumption.

Today the grape can be found in other countries like the USA and New Zealand where the chosen name of the grape stated on the label tends to link back to the style made either in France or Italy. Both styles can be great and it depends on the occasion which one that should be opened. The richer style made in Alsace is perfect to flavorful food where the elegant Pinot Grigio is best as is or to raw fish or seafood. Which is your favorite?

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

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

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

Vanderpump a Paris

Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria the Wine Blonde, and Robert Tas head to Vegas where they review the wine list at Vanderpump a Paris, 

Wine List Review of Vanderpump a Paris in Las Vegas

Maria Valetta

Vanderpump a Paris at Paris Hotel and Casino 

RT): Hi Everyone,&nbsp; welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists.

I&rsquo;m Robert Tas, along with Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hello Robert! Today we are checking out a restaurant from a well-known name in the reality TV world

RT:&nbsp; Yes I have heard this is a new Vegas hotspot ., but before we get started, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. CorkRules was created to help you navigate the wine list so you will always love the wine you drink. With CorkRules in hand, you can easily and confidently make selections from the wine lists based on your wine preferences of flavor, style, region, and even price point. Plus, you can check out the wines your friends tried and order them yourself. So, checkout our podcasts as our top Sommeliers help you find those hidden gems, value wines, and those special celebration-worthy bottles.

RT: Today we are discovering the wine list at Vanderpump &aacute; Paris located in the Paris hotel and casino in Las Vegas. Part of the Vanderpump collection of restaurants belonging to reality&nbsp; TV star Lisa Vanderpump and her husband Todd, this new hot spot is known for its highly decorative cocktails and decked-out Parisian d&eacute;cor but don&rsquo;t stop there, this restaurant has a flavorful, French-influenced dining menu and a short but sophisticated wine list.. Maria what are your thoughts on the wine selection? &nbsp;

MV: I agree it&rsquo;s a precise but sophisticated one-pager that gives you just enough options to pair with the food. Whites and Reds are separated into old-world and new-world categories with the old world being dominated by France and the new world being dominated by California they also have sections for sparkling wine which is definitely the place to start at this restaurant after you try one of the fancy cocktails of course.

RT: Do they have any sparkling options by the glass?

MV: &nbsp;They do actually, they had the Veuve Clicquot , but if you&#39;re going to spend the money on a glass of champagne then go all out for the Ruinart &ldquo;Ros&eacute;,&rdquo; Reims, FR&nbsp;

Actually, just order the whole bottle! I mean Who wants to stop at one glass of bubbly when it&rsquo;s this good?&nbsp; especially if you&rsquo;re ordering the caviar bites.

RT: You had me at Caviar Bites.. &nbsp;Any reds or whites by the glass that are of quality?

MV: Well apparently the Vanderpump&#39;s have their own wine label of which they produce a ros&eacute;, a Chardonnay, and a Cabernet Sauvignon and so they offer them by the glass but they also offer them by the wine flight so you can try all three for a set price. Now I&#39;ve never tried them so I can&#39;t vouch for them so if any of our listeners go there and try them and you like them, then send me a DM on Instagram @ Maria the wine blonde and let me know what you think.

MV: I know I would definitely order the Saget la Perri&egrave;re Sancerre, Loire Valley, FR (2020) 22 Sancerre is always a safe bet wine.. remember that&rsquo;s Sauvignon Blanc from the Loire valley in France, and for red the&nbsp; Belle Glos Pinot Noir &ldquo;Clark &amp; Telephone,&rdquo; 
Central Coast, CA (2020) 21 is a fairly big Pinot noir that&rsquo;s just calling for the mushroom Galette /tarte.

RT: Oh yeah, Pinot and Mushrooms&hellip; we know how well those work together. Moving on to bottles, any values here?

MV: well&hellip; while the food menu items are really reasonable it is a little harder to find wines that are super wallet-friendly.. for white it&rsquo;s a lot easier..

Try the Trimbach Riesling, Alsace, FR (2019) super food-friendly wine, this is not going to be a cloying sweet Riesling.. instead it&rsquo;s going to be dry and bright and would be lovely with the trio of tartar or the crab croquettes. I also like the Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc, Marlborough, NZ 2020 $85 a favorite every time.. iconic New Zealand producer.. and then if you are wanting a rich chardonnay and are willing to pay the EXTRA for it definitely go with the Far Niente 2019&nbsp; $150. Far Niente makes one of the top chardonnays in Napa&hellip;, plus the label is really beautiful the amandine butter-sauced sea bass with this one for sure! Buttery wine with a buttery sauce. All the way!

RT: Now you&rsquo;re talking! And reds.. what do you think?

MV: while the Belle Glos is a great option, another pinot noir I like is the Flowers Pinot Noir, Sonoma Coast, CA (2019) 120, this is well-priced and a truly lovely Pinot in an elegant style, have this with the Coq au Vin Pot Pie! Delish!

RT: do they have bigger reds &hellip; you know me!

MV: yes Robert! Hold on.. haha.. for you they have the section called PREMIER CRU &ldquo;FIRST GROWTH&rdquo; COLLECTION and they have all 5 Bordeaux superstars.. , Latour, Lafite, Haut Brion, Chateau Margaux, and Chat Mouton Rothschild.. boom! What do you think of that? You in?

RT: only if I win a couple million at the craps table! Lol! Come on.. wow.. okay so that is pretty special they offer all of those collectible bottles..&nbsp; but that&rsquo;s a little more than I was looking to spend&hellip;

RT: Okay in all seriousness.. this one you&rsquo;ll love - still Bordeaux, but attainable.. the Ch&acirc;teau Montrose, &ldquo;La Dame de Montrose,&rdquo; FR(2012) $190 this is Montrose&rsquo;s second wine.. and still very very impressive.. ripe and structured, and nice that it has a little age on it.. The wines from this St. Estephe second growth estate in Bordeaux can really age well, this 2012 is finally ready now .

&nbsp;And then sticking with France but next level up...&nbsp;&nbsp; the Beaucastel Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rh&ocirc;ne Valley, FR (2016) 420. One of my fav producers in CdP A CLASSIC! 30% Mourv&egrave;dre, 30% grenache, 10% Syrah 10% Counoise plus all the other 9 permitted varietals. This is still going to be one intense wine. Go for the Cast Iron filet with this big boy!

RT: well thank you Maria for finding us some diamonds on the wine list at Vanderpump a Paris in Las Vegas. Thank you everyone for joining us today you can find more wine tips from Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde. Remember the only rule in wine is &ldquo;drink what you LOVE&rdquo;.

MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here. Send us your requests at <a href="mailto:info@corkrules.com">info@CorkRules.com</a> You can find previous episodes on your favorite podcast platform and on

The CorkRules website. Be sure to follow @CorkRules on Instagram for episode and app updates. Prices and selections subject to change, please drink responsibly.

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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

Grgich Hills Estate is a family-owned winery located in the Napa Valley of California. Founded in 1977 by Croatian-born winemaker Mike Grgich, the winery is known for producing premium wines using sustainable and organic farming practices.

Outpost of the upscale steakhouse chain offers classic American fare & a clubby, refined setting.

Viva Garcia

Brera Osteria

Buddy V's

Yardbird

CHICA Las Vegas

Chica

Bar Zazu

Hell's Kitchen, Las Vegas

Brera

Jasmine

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

The Capital Grille

Available Wines
Total Wines - 6

Dom Perignon 2006

Champagne, France

Perrier-Jouët

Belle Epoque Brut Champagne 2007

Blend

Champagne, France

Lapostolle

Casa, Clos Apalta, Colchagua Valley NV

Central Valley, Chile

Joseph Phelps

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Castello del Poggio

Moscato d'Asti NV

Moscato

Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy

Etude

Estate Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Los Carneros, USA