Have you ever heard the word Xinomavro? Most have not. It is however a word on many sommeliers&rsquo; 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.

Xinomavro is an interesting grape. The name translates to &ldquo;sour black&rdquo;, and it&rsquo;s quite telling as the wine can have deep color and high acidity. It makes medium-bodied red wine with a marked astringency, red and black fruit aroma and can develop forest like notes, just like how the grape Nebbiolo would be described. In general, the Nebbiolo wines are less full-bodied though, as the climate where they&rsquo;re grown is slightly cooler. Nebbiolo is most famous from the Barolo region in northern Italy, and many are looking to find styles similar to it today, paving the way for grapes like Xinomavro.

Xinomavro is mainly planted in northern Greece with the region Naoussa making the best examples today. It can be planted elsewhere as well, and even some vineyards in other countries can be found nowadays. Some choose to blend the variety with softer grapes like Merlot, but the most prestigious ones are usually Xinomavro only and further aged in oak barrels. Many of these wines can age in the bottle for many years, just like Barolo, and usually shines the most when they do. Besides red wine, the grape is used for ros&eacute; and sparkling white wine as well, some of very good quality.

As the world of wine becomes more curious, and well-known wines like Barolo becomes more and more expensive, Greece and its wines is something everyone should keep an eye on.

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

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

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

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier and Robert Tas explore the wine list at Cowboy Star in San Diego’s East Village.

Wine List Review of Cowboy Star in San Diego

Grace Hood

Cowboy Star

Cowboy Star

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 Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Grace,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you!

GH: Hey Robert happy to be here as always

RT: Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that&nbsp; list handed to us, well&hellip; it can be intimating, 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 we&rsquo;re reviewing one of San Diego&rsquo;s best steak houses, Cowboy Star. Grace, you said you recently dined there?

GH: Oh, I sure did Robert! I went there after a networking event and boy did it blow me away. We had a 2002 Chateau Margaux which was nearly perfect, and followed that up with a 2011 Sierra Cantabria Gran Reserve. It was a killer evening!

RT: Oh, yum those both sound amazing. Wish I was there!&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;

GH: You&rsquo;re always there in spirit Robert!

RT: Hahaha I love it Grace. So we already know Cowboy Star has some heavy hitters. Should we dive into the rest of the list?

GH: Let&rsquo;s do it! If you wanted to start with bubbles, they&rsquo;ve got some classic champagne houses. The Nicolas Fueillant always hits the spot, or they also have a Paul Bara Grand Reserva which would be delish.

RT: Oh those are two great choices. How are they looking for white selections?

GH: They&rsquo;ve got a small but nice selection of whites! Since they&rsquo;re a steak houses, there&rsquo;s a lot of emphasis on red wine. But for my light white wine drinkers, you could go with the 2019 Coteline Sancerre or the 2018 jj Vincent Pouilly Fusse. And if you wanted something a little more rich, they&rsquo;ve got a 2018 Chassagne Montrachet from Domaine Lamy Pillot, and for my California Chardonnay drinkers, the 2019 Dumol from Russian River Valley 

RT: Yum those are some classic choices. But now let&rsquo;s get to the good stuff. What are you red selections Miss Hood?

GH: Starting with the lighter styles, I would do either the 2018 Domaine Serene Pinot Noir from the Willamette Valley, or if you wanted a California pinot, the 2017 Joseph Swan from the Russian River Valley 

RT: I love your dedication to pinot noir Grace hahah how about something medium bodied?

GH: Exactly the direction I was thinking Robert. Syrah and Merlot are two of my favorite reds, and Cowboy star has some excellent choices for both! You could do a 2019 Syrah from Melville which is one of my favorite central coast producers, and then for merlot they a 2019 Maycamas which is another one of my cali faves. Oh and they also have a 2016 Muga from Rijoa which is another good favorite!

RT: Man, they&rsquo;re really catering to the Grace Hood palate it seems hahah&nbsp; Now have we come to the main event? Big bold tannic reds?

GH: Drumroll please hahaha starting with Bordeaux, I would grab the 2009 Chateau Brane Contenac from Margaux, and then for a Napa Cabernet, they have a 2007 Chateau Montelena. 

RT: I&rsquo;ll take one of each thank you hahah So how about some bottles for our friends on a budget?

GH: I got you! For an affordable white, I would do the 2020 Chalk Hill Sauvignon Blanc from Napa. And for wallet-friendly red, the 2020 Shea Estate Pinot Noir from Willamette Valley. 

RT : Solid picks Grace. But how about if we&rsquo;re trying to impress a date or celebrating a special occasion? I&rsquo;m sure cowboy star has some heavy hitters on the list.

GH: Without a doubt Robert! And my special occasion picks would definitely be the Grand Kuvee Krug champagne, and for a red &ndash; gonna have to be the 2012 Harlan estate

RT: Great Choices as always Grace, thank you so much for helping us navigate the wine list at Cowboy Star.&nbsp; To our audience, Thank you all for Joining us here on CorkRules.&nbsp; If you would like us to review one of your favorite restaurants, please send us email to: <a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">Info@</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">CorkRules</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">.</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">c</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">om</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.

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 and @wineswithgrace

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

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

Anterra is a well-known winery in Delle Venezie, Italy that produces high-quality wines. The winery is known for its balanced approach to winemaking, which combines tradition with innovation. Anterra sources its grapes from the best vineyards in the region and uses modern winemaking techniques to produce wines that reflect the terroir and the unique character of the grapes.

Craft

Craft L.A.

Barbrix

Wally's

The Belvedere

Spago Las Vegas by Wolfgang Puck

Spago

Jeune Et Jolie

Cucina Urbana

Rossoblu

Petit Trois

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 Brasserie at Cotswold Water Park

Montebuena

Rioja Alavesa NV

Tempranillo

Rioja, Spain

Nyala

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Western Cape, South Africa

Alto Bajo Merlot, Central Valley NV

Central Valley, Chile

Circa.

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Grigio

Veneto, Italy

Villa dei Fiori Primitivo di Puglia IGT NV

Italy

Alto Bajo Chardonnay, Central Valley NV

Central Valley, Chile

Vaporetto

Prosecco Rose NV

Glera (Prosecco)

Prosecco, Italy

Cap Cette Picpoul de Pinet, France, Languedoc Roussillon NV

Picpoul Blanc

Languedoc-Roussillon, France

Little Eden

Shiraz Cabernet NV

Blend

South Eastern Australia, Australia

Tuffolo

Gavi NV

Cortese

Gavi - Cortese di Gavi, Piedmont, Italy

Borovitza

Cabernet Franc - Pinot Noir NV

Blend

Bulgaria

Chateau La Croix Ferrandat, Saint-Emilion NV

Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France

Vivanco

Seleccion de Familia Reserva NV

Blend

Rioja, Spain

Journey's End

Shiraz NV

Shiraz/Syrah

Coastal Region, South Africa

Bodegas Castro Martin 'Casal Caeiro' Albarino Sobre Lias NV

Rias Baixas, Spain