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

Miller Union

Sam Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head down to Georgia to review the wine list at Miller Union.

Wine Review of Miller Union, Atlanta

Sam Hohl

Millers Union

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier

&nbsp;Hello Sam, great to have you back for another great wine list.

&nbsp;SH: Hello Robert!

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 wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

&nbsp;

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, value wines or that special bottle that will take your dining experience over the top.

RT: So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

So today, we have a CorkRules listener request from my friend Matt.

We are excited to talk about Miller Union&rsquo;s wine list.

Overview

Miller Union is located in Atlanta, Georgia, and offers Southern-style dishes with a commitment to sourcing ingredients from local farms. Their plates are thoughtfully crafted with in-season vegetables, herbs, and even edible garnishes. Their wine list is curated with small producers and highlights wines that are farmed organically and biodynamically.

Where to start

Alright, to start off I think we need to make a stop in Portugal. The 2019 Luis Seabra &lsquo;Xisto Cru&rsquo; Douro is a really awesome choice if you are a fan of white Burgundy wines. Luis Seabra is a well-respected winemaker in the Duoro region, who sustainably farms his old vines, some almost 100 years in age. This bottle is coming at us with some tropical notes, bursting with lime-driven acidity, and rounded out with some salinity. It&rsquo;s a medium-bodied white, so it&rsquo;s going to be able to match a variety of plates. I&rsquo;d pair it with the gulf grouper cake with roasted corn salsa.

If you&rsquo;re a red lover let&rsquo;s talk about this 2017 Domaine Grand&rsquo; Cour Gamay from Geneva, Switzerland. We&rsquo;re starting to see more Swiss wines pop up on menus and it&rsquo;s a blast to explore these wines if you haven&rsquo;t had one yet. So if you&rsquo;re a Pinot Noir lover then this would be a fun choice. It&rsquo;s going to have more dark fruit than usual Gamay, but will also have those signature raspberry and cherry flavors. It&rsquo;s lighter-bodied with some great acidity. You could definitely do this with the homemade charcuterie plate, or the roasted half chicken, with fig and cornbread salad an entree.

Value

An affordable and fun option would be the 2019 &lsquo;The Gadabout&rsquo; by Donkey and Goat, a California producer dedicated to natural winemaking. &ldquo;The Gadabout&rdquo; means &ldquo;Perpetual pleasure seeker&rdquo; and this wine is what that&rsquo;s all about. A white blend of Chardonnay, Picpoul, Marsanne, and Vermentino. It&rsquo;s going to be bright, fresh and have notes of citrus, stone, and green apple. Pair with the saut&eacute;ed quail, with apple, kale, and herb pesto it&rsquo;s going to really dance with those flavors.

Celebratory 

So there are plenty of bottles on this list that are going to make the night memorable. Personally, I&rsquo;d go for the 2013 Vilmart &amp; Cie &lsquo;Coeur de Cuv&eacute;e&rsquo; Premier Cru Brut. I feel like honoring a meal that is such a celebration of seasonal and locally grown products, it just makes sense to end that with some bubbles. And, these aren&rsquo;t just &ldquo;some bubbles.&rdquo; This bottle comes from Champagne Vilmart which was established in 1890 and has been family owned ever since. They produce their champagne with only estate-grown grapes in a little village called ​​Rilly la Montagne and tend to their plots using organic and sustainable practices. This is the classic blend of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir. It&rsquo;s going to have a fuller body, with these super bright notes of orange and green apple, some bready aromas, all surrounding solid mineral core. It&rsquo;s going to be a really lively and layered bottle. You could pair this with the confit duck leg with mushroom and walnut granola but whatever you decide on it&rsquo;s going to make an impression.

Sam, thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Miller Union&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try your great suggestions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: Info@CorkRules.Com 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

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&nbsp;

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

Catena is a renowned family-owned winery in Mendoza, Argentina that has been producing exceptional wines for over a century. Their expertise in high altitude winemaking has allowed them to craft some of the most sought-after wines in Argentina.

Hibachi chain serving Japanese dishes grilled tableside by theatrical chefs.

Steak Frites

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

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

Benihana

Catena

Malbec NV

Malbec

Mendoza, Argentina

Rose

Krug NV

Champagne, France

Duckhorn Vineyards

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Cardinale

Napa Valley NV

California, USA

Tilia Estate

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Primorska, Slovenia

Stag's Leap Wine Cellars

ARTEMIS Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Belle Glos

Dairyman Vineyard Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

La Crema

Monterey Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

California, USA

Louis M. Martini

Sonoma County Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Red Car

Stranger, Central Coast NV

Central Coast, California, USA

Franciscan Estate, Chardonnay, Napa Valley NV

California, USA

J Vineyards

Pinot Noir (Monterey/Sonoma/Santa Barbara) NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Caymus

Special Selection Pinot Noir NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Locations, CA, California NV

California, USA

Ash Ridge

Alti Riesling NV

Riesling

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand