Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God, the popular manga series by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto, has been adapted into a television series by AppleTV and has some buzz in the wine world. The AppleTV series tells a story about a competition between Camille&#39;s (Fleur Geffrier) estranged daughter and Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita), the prot&eacute;g&eacute; after the death&nbsp;of&nbsp;Camille&#39;s father, a famous wine collector, to win his world-renowned wine collection valued at $100M+.

The show has been compared to the 2004 movie Sideways, which follows the journey&nbsp;of&nbsp;two friends as they travel through California&#39;s wine country. Both&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;and Sideways share a common theme&nbsp;of&nbsp;discovering wine&#39;s joys and the culture surrounding it. The film had an immediate impact on both tourism and sales by introducing people unfamiliar with wines.

However,&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;takes it to a new level with its intricate and detaileddescriptions&nbsp;of&nbsp;wines, vineyards, and the people behind them. The series has created a buzz in the wine world, with viewers becoming curious about the winesmentioned in the show and eager to try them themselves.

The cultural impact&nbsp;of&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;has been immense in Japan, with the manga series selling over 30 million copies and the television series was a huge hit. The show has inspired a generation&nbsp;of&nbsp;young people to explore the world&nbsp;of&nbsp;wine and has even led to an increase in tourism to wine regions.

This is a golden opportunity, but yet it&#39;s surprising the wine world has not leaned into&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;more, missing a chance to bring people&nbsp;of&nbsp;all ages into the wine world. With the decline in wine sales, it&#39;s clear that the industry needs to reimagine how it markets its products and brings new consumers into its ecosystem.

This emphasis on education is something that many experts argue could be key for helping bring new consumers into the wine world who have until now been unaware or intimidated by all there is out there; young people can significantly benefit from having access to this kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;information without needing expensive classes or sommelier certifications first.

Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;comes at a unique point in time for the wine world and&nbsp;offers a significant opportunity to educate and bring people&nbsp;of&nbsp;all ages into the wine world. The cultural impact&nbsp;of&nbsp;the series in Japan and the potential impact it could have in the US and around the world cannot be ignored.&nbsp;Time is ticking, and the wine world cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

&nbsp;

Drops of God, the popular manga series by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto, has been adapted into a television series by AppleTV and has some buzz in the wine world. The AppleTV series tells a story about a competition between Camille's (Fleur Geffrier) estranged daughter and Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita), the protégé after the death of Camille's father, a famous wine collector, to win his world-renowned wine collection valued at $100M+.

Drops of God: The AppleTV Series That Could Save the Wine Industry

1803 is a Cajun restaurant that brings a little of New Orleans’ eclectic culture to the streets of New York. It’s a sexy, sultry space with a penchant for Deep South decadence and jazz. For a memorable culinary experience, this is the place to bring a date.

Pairing Wine with Cajun Food at 1803

Certified sommelier and CorkRules’ resident Somm, Michaela Quinlan shares her expertise on the wine list of il Buco. il Buco’s wine cellar holds a selection of over 400 wines and includes an exciting range of lesser-known, artisan wines from Europe. This restaurant has been called "one of the best and most exciting in America" by Gourmet magazine and the wine list has won Wine Spectator’s "Award of Excellence" several times.

Artisan Wines at Il Buco

Orange wine is made from white grapes, but the skin stays in contact with the juice longer during the maceration period, which increases the tannins and turns the normally white wine a more golden hue. The longer the contact,  the darker the hue, which increases the tannins and a stronger intensity. Pinot gris and malvasia are two common grape varieties used to make orange wine, but if you dig a little deeper, explore a little further, you can find some delightful orange wines along the border between northeastern Italy and Slovenia where orange wines are madefrom indigenous grapes on the region, including sauvignon vert (friulano), ribolla gialla, and pinot grigio.

Pairing Orange Wines at Pasquale Jones

The Lobster Club in the Seagram Building, New York City is a Japanese Brasserie that is renowned for its unique interpretation of Japanese cooking and Sushi, and what’s even more exciting is that it has an extensive wine list.

Fine Wines at The Lobster Club

Unless you are born into a vineyard, grow up in wine country, a career in wine is not a go-to profession for most graduates. But for some people, their love of wine and career path are intertwined. This is how it was for Jane Lopes, sommelier, co-founder of Legend Imports, and author of Vignette: Stories of Life and Wine in 100 Bottles.

Stories of Wine & Life with Jane Lopes, Sommelier, Author and Co-Founder of Legend Imports

CorkRules has been presented with the BMMA ‘Best New Mobile App” Platinum award, the highest award achievement in category.

CorkRules Wins the 2023 BMMA Platinum Award for "Best New Mobile App"

Pairing wine with Asian food is a common dilemma. Just what should you order with the Spicy Yellowtail Yu Sheng or the Mongolian Lamb Chops? How do we make palatable choices that cross cultures and bring out the best in each location’s use of herbs and spices?

Pairing Wine with Asian Food at Buddakan

With the exception of sommeliers and vintners, for most of us who love wine, no matter how many bottles you drink in your lifetime, and no matter how delicious, you rarely think of the terroir, the grape, or the growing process as you drink it.

Chris Phelps on Wine and Life

Nerano

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas put their wine minds together to review the wine list at Nerano, an Italian-American restaurant in Beverly Hills

Wine Review of Nerano, California

Grace Hood

Neranobh

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 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 we&rsquo;re chatting about the Amalfi Coast-inspired, Beverly Hills Italian restaurant, Nerano. Grace what are your initial thoughts?

GH: Gosh this place looks so lovely! Lots of Italian influence. They even note that the wine list is a rotating selection of carefully chosen quality Italian and California wines curated by their sommelier, Davide Matarazzo. So, shout out to him! Well done sir

RT:&nbsp;Love it! We will have to get some of these sommeliers on the podcast soon. &nbsp;

GH: What am I chop liver Robert!? HAHAH &nbsp;

RT: HHAHA Grace you are indispensable to Cork Rules. But I would love to hear the conversations between like-minded wine professionals. &nbsp;

GH: Oh absolutely. More wine minds more better! &nbsp;

RT: Totally. So where would you like to start on the Nerano wine list?

GH: Well, starting off with bubbles &ndash; they have a lovely selection of Italian Sparkling, and instead of the classic prosecco, which is the famous sparkling Italy is known for, I&rsquo;m gonna hit you with some smaller production bottles. I&rsquo;m definitely interested in this 2016 Revi&#39;Dosaggio Zero&#39;, which is a pinot nero chardonnay blend from Trentino in northern Italy. That will be super crispy and mineral-driven. Or if you&rsquo;re thinking a sparkling rose, the 2014 San Salvatore Gio from Campania would also be a lovely choice

RT: Love it. Don&rsquo;t know the last time I had a sparkling Italian Rose. Will have to put that on the to-try list. How is Nerano looking for Italian white wine Grace?

GH: Bellisima! If you&rsquo;re looking to go for something light dry and a little fruit, the 2019 Greco from Cantine Ippolito. If you&rsquo;re feeling something a little more lush, this 2019 Toscana Chardonnay from Isole and Olena will do the trick.

RT: Yum those sound perfect for a seafood dish. Love those picks. Does Italy have good still rose as well?

GH: Oh boy do they ever! On the Nerano menu they have a 2017 Rosato IGP from IGreco that would satisfy any rose palate

RT: And speaking of red grapes, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear your picks for their Italian reds.

GH: I got you, Robert. This is by far the biggest section on the wine menu and it has some serious stunners on it. Right out the gate, they have a subsection of special selections from Gaja, which as we&rsquo;ve talked about before, is one of the iconic Italian wine houses. They&rsquo;ve got a few of their iconic wines, but my picks would have to be their 2004 brunello di montalcino or the 1989 barolo! 33-year-old nebbiolo oooo wee that&rsquo;ll be amazing.

RT: Oh wow I bet that would be an incredible bottles. Like you, I&rsquo;ll drink anything from Gaja.

GH: Man after my own heart Robert! Now friends if Gaja isn&rsquo;t your thing, and you still want to go with a barolo, they have a 1997 one from Oddero which is another classic italian producer. And a different brunello di montalcino that caught my eye was this 2008 from Soldera

RT: Great choices. All sound delicious. Now what about for those big bold wine drinkers? I&rsquo;m sure they&rsquo;ve got a killer selection of Super Tuscans. &nbsp;

GH: They sure do senor! I&rsquo;ve got my eye on this 2007 Sassotino, ooo or they also have 2010 Castello dei Rampollo. Two awesome Tuscany producers.

RT: I love it, Grace. Now, what about some great value bottles for our friends on a budget?

GH: Thankfully Italy has great affordable wine! For a White pick I would go with 2018 Turbiana from the Maragona vineyard in the Lombardy region. And for a red, the 2020 Serra di Gatti Barbera d&rsquo;alba would work.

RT: Awesome. And what about some bottles for a special occasion? &nbsp;

GH: Gonna have to be the Krug Grand Cuve champagne or the 2012 Barolo from Guissepe Rinaldi 

RT: Fantastic! Grace, thank you so much for helping us navigate the list at Nerano. 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@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.

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

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Meson

Dear Annie

Rossoblu

Lago

Le Farfalle

Petit Trois

The Red Dory

Audrey

Cowboy Star

Ritzy rooftop at the Four Seasons serving refined continental fare & cocktails with 1920s flair.

Vanderpump a Paris

Lamaii

Jaleo

Jaleo by Jose Andres

North Italia - Las Vegas

North Italia

Carmine's - Las Vegas

Carmine's

Herb & Wood

Bavette‚Äôs Steakhouse & Bar ‚Äì Las Vegas

Bavettes

Spago Las Vegas by Wolfgang Puck

Spago

Carbone

learn

Join us each week as we pour a glass and share top restaurant ‘wine list’ picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the ‘wine list’ through somm recommendations, suggested food pairings and masterclass insights.

The Bygone

Captre Wines Cabernet Sauvignon Innovant, USA, California, Sonoma 2017

California, USA

Chateau de Mercey (Antonin Rodet), Maranges Premier Cru, Les Clos Roussots NV

Burgundy, France

Castilla

Mauro, y Leon NV

Castilla y Leon, Spain

Dasca Vives

Crit, Spain, Catalunya NV

Catalunya, Spain

Albert Bichot

Moulin-a-Vent NV

France

DAOU

Petite Sirah NV

Paso Robles, USA

Domaine Lafond, Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Roc Epine 2018

Chateauneuf-du-Pape, Rhone, France

Luigi Righetti

Amarone della Valpolicella Classico 2018

Amarone della Valpolicella, Italy

Château Beauchene

Cotes du Rhone Grande Reserve Rouge 2020

Cotes du Rhone, Rhone, France

Château d'Aiguilhe

Seigneurs d'Aiguilhe Castillon - Cotes de Bordeaux 2018

Cotes de Bordeaux, Bordeaux, France

Domaine de l'Enchantoir

Saumur 'Terres Blanches' 2018

Saumur, France

Vega Sicilia

Valbuena 5o 2013

Ribera del Duero, Spain

Wimmer

Weingut, Czerny, Fumberg Gruner Veltliner, Wagram 2015

Niederosterreich, Austria

Weingut R&A Pfaffl

Alte Reben Reserve Gruner Veltliner 2016

Weinviertel

Moulin la Viguerie

Domaine, Tavel La Combe des Rieu 2019

Rhone, France