Champagne, the obvious choice for celebrations or holidays in any form for many wine drinkers. Since it&rsquo;s a fantastic, artisan beverage, why change the tradition? With the holidays coming up, choose to pour something extra special this year &ndash; the mill&eacute;sime style champagne.

So, what is mill&eacute;sime and what does it mean? It&rsquo;s actually not as complicated as it might seem, mill&eacute;sime is simply the French word for vintage and often used on the label for a champagne coming from one single year. Champagne is of course made in the region with the same name, located in northern France. In contrast with most other wine regions around the world, champagne is often a wine blended from many different vintages. This is an old tradition based on the conditions prevalent many years ago when the climate here was very cool. The cold and wet weather made the harvest risky and many years a part of the crop was lost to frost or rot. Depending on the amount of summer sun, grapes would also taste very different year to year.

This made a big impact on the wine, so the winemakers came up with a solution. They started keeping a reserve of wine in the cellar by saving a small part of the wine from each year. That meant they could use the reserve wine to get a bigger volume in tough years, but also provide a consistent flavor in their wine year from year by mixing cool and less cool vintages together. This style of wine with different vintages is called non-vintage and is the most common one on the market today.

The climate is still quite cool in the area today. However, some years are better than others giving the winemakers a chance to produce a style of wine that will highlight the characteristics of that specific vintage. This is when the mill&eacute;sime style is rightfully made, and many producers actually choose not to make their vintage label every year, only in the best ones. Besides the single vintage, a mill&eacute;sime wine also has to age in the cellar for longer, giving it more complexity. For a non-vintage wine, the minimum is 15 months, but for a vintage it&rsquo;s 36 months. A few vintages are universally accepted as outstanding, like the 1996 and 2002 vintage, both rather difficult to find today. However, 2008 and 2012 are both considered great as well and a lot easier to acquire for the upcoming celebrations. Don&rsquo;t miss the chance to cheers in style this year.

Check these great choices from <a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/">Grape The Wine Company</a>:

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/A-Bergere-Champagne-Millesime-Extra-Brut-2012-w0589236tt">A Bergere - Champagne Millesime Extra Brut 2012- $74.99</a>

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Louis-Roederer-Brut-Millesime-2015-w6722859p1">Louis Roederer - Brut Millesime 2015 - $99.99</a>

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Stephane-Coquillette-Brut-Millesime-2018-w598611249">Stephane Coquillette - Brut Millesime 2018 - $74.99</a>

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Champagne, the obvious choice for celebrations or holidays in any form for many wine drinkers. Since it’s a fantastic, artisan beverage, why change the tradition? With the holidays coming up, choose to pour something extra special this year – the millésime style champagne.

Decoding the wine label: Millésime

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

Sam Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Dear Annie, a community-focused neighborhood restaurant that focuses on brand values of sustainable foodways, unique and natural wines and friendly vibes.

Wine List Review of Dear Annie in  Cambridge, Massachusetts

Sam Hohl

Dear Annie

Dear Annie

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where, in each episode, we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Sam,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

SH: Hi Robert! Great to be back.

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. Today Sam and I are reviewing

Overview

Dear Annie is a wine bar located in Cambridge, Massachusetts and features a selection of unique and natural wines and serves them up alongside house-made small plates with a focus on fresh seafood and shellfish.

Where to start

The 2020 Honeymoon by Martha Stouman would be a great white to start with. Martha Stouman is a winemaker out of Sebastopol California and focuses on producing delicious wines with lots of complexity, and crafting wines with the intention of always honoring the grapes. Their process starts with acquiring healthy grapes that have been farmed without use of unnecessary pesticides or chemicals. They&rsquo;re also able to grow 25% of their grapes from vineyards that are dry-farmed meaning there is no added irrigation. They also utilize only native yeasts from the grapes for the fermentation process and embrace the fact that not all grapes are going to taste the same year to year. This is a blend of Colombard and Roussanne which are fermented in neutral oak, so there will be none of the flavors that new oak barrels impart, like vanilla and spices. It&rsquo;s going to have flavors of lemon, stone, honeycomb, and floral qualities too. Great acid and a lovely richness, it would be great with the olive oil poached cod.

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If you&rsquo;re feeling more like red, I&rsquo;d go for the 2018 Collecapretta La Selezione delle Cese. If you&rsquo;re a Tempranillo lover, this could be fun to try. This 100% Sangiovese is from natural winemaker Collecapretta. They get their name from the hill they farm on, meaning &ldquo;Hill of the goats.&rdquo; Owned by the Mattioli family and located in Spoleto, Umbria, they also grow ancient grain varieties and olives along with grape varietals indigenous to Italy. They produce only 8000 or so bottles a year so getting a chance at this bottle is fantastic. They never use chemicals in their farming or winemaking, utilize natural fermentation, and don&rsquo;t use any sulphur in the winemaking process. It&rsquo;s aged in barrels for 18 months giving those tannins a nice silky feel on the palate, with notes of cherry, earth and leather. Try with the grilled cheese with roasted corn and pickled poblano!

Value

If you&rsquo;re looking for something that&rsquo;s budget-friendly, a little different, and ultimately delicious, try the 2019 Patrimonio Rouge &lsquo;Cru Des Agriate&rsquo;. Domaine Giacometti is located on the island of Corsica in France on a truly remote part of the island. The area is exposed to a year-round hot wind that comes down off the Italian coast. The Giacometti family moved to the area in 1987 and labored to keep the vines healthy amidst the clay-granite soil and the wind. The land is also covered in maquis, which is a fragrant dense shrub that adds to the terroir in their wines. This bottle is made from mostly Niellucciu with a little bit of Grenache. Flavors of red cherry, blackberry, delicate citrus unfold, with fine tannins. Try with their marinated white beans with roasted peppers.

Celebratory

Something special and a little uncommon that caught my eye was the 2019 Love Joy. This bottle of organic sparkling Chardonnay comes from Chateau de Beru in the Chablis region of France. Chateau de Beru has been owned by the Beru family for 400 years. When phylloxera hit the vineyards in the early 20th century the vines were removed. Ath&eacute;na&iuml;s and her mother Laurence own and operate the vineyards now, after their revival in 1987. Ath&eacute;na&iuml;s was dedicated to implementing organic and biodynamic practices to the vineyards and using minimal intervention in the winemaking process. This sparkling wine is made using M&eacute;thode Ancestrale, which means the fermenting juice is bottled to finish fermentation- this method dates back to the 1500s which is wild. This bottle is so alive, with flavors of freshly sliced lemon, hints of apple, fresh herbs and pastry notes. It&rsquo;s got lots of character and it&#39;s sure to uplift your evening! Pair it with some oysters with the lemon marmalade sauce to set off the lemon and mineral notes in both.

RT: Sam, thank you so much for helping us navigate the wine list at Dear Annie.&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.&nbsp; 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.

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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. Follow us on social media @CorkRules

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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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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

Treveri Cellars is a family-owned sparkling wine house that produces some of the finest handcrafted sparkling wines in the Pacific Northwest. They specialize in traditional method sparkling wines, using only the finest grapes from the Columbia Valley. Treveri is known for its high-quality sparkling wines, which showcase the unique character of the region.

Hip setting for an eclectic & far-flung menu, including New England clam chowder & sushi rolls.

28-50 Wine Workshop & Kitchen

28-50

Bleu Provence

KOCHINYC

Kochi

Wally's

Hav & Mar

Bern's Steakhouse

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

Stout Street Social

Angeline

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Jordan Alexander Valley NV

Alexander Valley, USA

Saved

California NV

California, USA

Rare, Champagne NV

Champagne, France

Chloe Sonoma County NV

Sonoma County, USA

Chehalem Pinot Gris Chehalem Mountains, USA, Oregon, Willamette NV

Pinot Gris

Oregon, USA

Cuvaison, Sauvignon Blanc, Los Carneros NV

California, USA

Lange

Reserve Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Willamette Valley, USA

Frog's Leap

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Weyand

St.Aldegunder Himmelreich Riesling Hochgewachs Trocken NV

Riesling

Mosel-Saar-Ruwer, Germany

Folonari

Pinot Grigio delle Venezie NV

Pinot Gris

Delle Venezie, Italy

River

Cep Russian, Valley Rose NV

California, USA

Kendall-Jackson

Jackson Estate Petaluma Gap Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Petaluma Gap, USA

DAOU

Pessimist Red Blend NV

Shiraz/Syrah

Paso Robles, USA

Montecillo

Rioja Crianza NV

Tempranillo

Rioja, Spain