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

Oberlin

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas take a look through the wine list at Oberlin in Providence, Rhode Island to find the value wines, special bottles, and little-known gems that you might miss. 

Wine List Review of Oberlin, Rhode Island

Michaela Quinlan

Oberlin:

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 Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier.

Hello Michaela,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to be back together for another episode.

MQ: Hi Robert!

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 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.

RT: Today we are talking about Oberlin. Located in Providence, RI, Oberlin features an extensive menu of seafood and pasta, all locally sourced and house made in a cozy and comfortable environment.

Michaela, I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their wine list?

MQ: This wine list is packed with Old World and New World wines, along with organic, skin contact, and local wines from New England.

RT: That&rsquo;s really great, as you looked the list did you see anything jump out at you?

MQ: The first white wine that caught my eye was the 2021 Echeverria Viognier from the Curico Valley of Chile. I have not experienced too many Chilean Viognier. This Natural white wine features aromas of white flowers, citrus, melon, with notes of saline and a mineral finish. This Viognier would pair beautifully with seafood and spicy dishes.

RT: That is for sure unique. Did you find any others that caught your eye right away?

MQ: We discuss many red Italian grape varietals, &nbsp;but one I don&rsquo;t see often is Pinot Nero. Consider the 2020 Hofstatter Meczan Pinot Nero from Alto Adige in Italy. Pinot Nero is another name for Pinot Noir, and this wine stands out due to its rich aromas of ripe raspberries, cranberries and red cherries. The medium body with notes of black pepper make this wine an excellent pairing for savory dishes and pasta.

RT: So Michaela, their list seems to have lots of range but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

MQ: Definitely a must-try seafood pairing is the 2019 Nine Oakes Khikhvi from the country of Georgia. This is a unique, orange wine, which allows the juice and skin of the Khikhvi grape to ferment in contact to produce aromas and flavors of dried apricot, and ripe tangerine, with notes of mint and tea leaves.

RT: These are some great calls. So, you know I&rsquo;m getting thirsty and will need to order a bottle with my dinner, where would you guide us?

MQ: If you are considering seafood or lightly sauced pasta, a must-try is the always spectacular 2021 Chateau Pradeaux Rose from Bandol in France. Bandol is an exceptional appellation in Provence in southern France. This exquisite rose consisting of a blend of Cinsault, Grenache, and Mourvedre, is medium-bodied with aromas of lime zest, red cherries, watermelon, and raspberries. The finish is round and lingering with a slight saline note thanks to the vineyard location along the Mediterranean.

RT: Ooh, Terrific.

Michaela, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind.&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us to?&nbsp;

MQ: Another unique quality and value wine is the 2011 Luis Pato &ldquo;Informal&rdquo; Baga from Portugal. The Baga grape used in this dry sparkler is a thick-skinned, red grape that features bright acidy and aromas and flavors of raspberries, strawberries, and herbs. There is always room for sparkling wine, and this selection pairs beautifully with any seafood dish.

RT: That sounds great. What is your other value selection?

MQ: For our red wine drinkers, consider the exceptional quality and value of the 2020 Cantina Furlani Negrara from Italy. The red Negrara grape is indigenous to the northeastern region of Italy, specifically Trentino-Alto Adige and the Veneto. The ripe red fruit of this medium-bodied wine showcase ripe cherries, cranberries, raspberries, with notes of blueberries, earth, with an herbal finish. Pair this red with dense fish and richly sauced pasta.

RT: Now Michaela, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

MQ: Another standout on Oberlin&rsquo;s menu is the 2014 Esporao &lsquo;Canto de ze Crus&rsquo; Aragonez from Portugal. Aragonez is a rich, red grape, that is another name for Tempranillo. If you are looking for a rich, full bodied red wine to take your dining experience up a notch, then look no further. This is a unique grape from a region we may consider primarily for stellar dessert wine. The dark red fruit such as blackberries, boysenberries, cassis, with smoke, leather, and a lingering mineral finish would complement any richly sauced pasta, proteins, and special occasions.

RT: Michaela Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Oberlin&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try them myself. &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: <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.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

End

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Meson

Dear Annie

Rossoblu

Lago

Le Farfalle

Petit Trois

The Red Dory

Audrey

Cowboy Star

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 Hunter's Hound

Botter

Pinot Grigio Rosato NV

Delle Venezie, Italy

Ca'Delle Rose

Prosecco Extra Dry NV

Prosecco, Italy

Ca' Furlan

Cuvee Mariana Sparkling Rose NV

Veneto, Italy

Trambusti Origo Toscana Rosso IGT, Tuscany NV

Tuscany, Italy

Giuliano Rosati

Pinot Grigio 2021

Friuli-Venezia Giulia, Italy

Hands Winery 'Run Wild' Juicy Red Blend, Columbia Valley 2019

Columbia Valley, USA

Rose

Krug NV

Champagne, France

Ca' Furlan

Cuvee Beatrice Prosecco NV

Prosecco, Italy

Terrazas de los Andes

Altos del Plata - Malbec 2019

Lujan de Cuyo, Argentina

NV Ca' Furlan Prosecco Cuve Batrice, Italy, Veneto / Friuli-Venezia NV

Friuli Venezia Giulia, Italy

Villa Maria

Clifford Bay Reserve Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Marlborough, New Zealand

Chateau La Tuilerie

du Puy, Bordeaux Superieur 2019

Bordeaux Superieur, Bordeaux, France

Apothic

Red (Winemaker's Blend) 2020

California, USA

Apothic

Red (Winemaker's Blend) 2020

California, USA

Murphy-Goode

Red Blend 2018

California, USA