Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape, a name that resonates with prestige and quality in the world of wine. This illustrious appellation is steeped in history dating back centuries and has been producing some of France&#39;s most celebrated wines for generations.

Nestled within the southern region of Rh&ocirc;ne Valley, France lies Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape - translated as &quot;the Pope&#39;s new castle&quot;. The area earned its moniker during the 14th century when it served as a summer residence for Popes who sought refuge from political turmoil in Rome.

The terroir here is unique; large pebbles known locally as &#39;galets&#39; cover much of vineyards absorbing heat during daytime and releasing it at night which aids grape ripening process. Additionally, Mistral winds blow away any cloud cover ensuring ample sunshine throughout growing season.

Unlike other regions where one or two varieties dominate, up to thirteen different types are permitted under AOC regulations but Grenache Noir typically forms backbone due to its ability withstand harsh conditions while still delivering high-quality fruit. Other key varietals include Syrah offering structure and spice notes; Mourv&egrave;dre contributing tannins and dark fruit flavors; Cinsault providing softness along with floral aromas.

Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape reds are renowned for their robust character and complex flavor profiles. Expect a symphony of ripe black fruit flavors like cherry and plum, intermingled with earthy undertones, hints of spice such as white pepper or clove, often accompanied by herbal notes reminiscent garrigue (wild herbs native to region).

These wines have impressive aging potential; while they can be enjoyed young when fruit characteristics are more pronounced, over time they develop secondary aromas including leather or truffle which add complexity. A well-aged Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape is truly an unforgettable experience.

Given its full-bodied nature and rich flavors profile it pairs wonderfully with hearty dishes - think roasted meats (lamb in particular), game birds or beef stews. For vegetarians mushroom-based dishes work beautifully too due the wine&#39;s earthy elements.

The history of Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape is not just about popes and castles but also about generations winemakers who&#39;ve worked tirelessly to create some world&rsquo;s most respected wines under challenging conditions. It&#39;s a testament to human ingenuity coupled with respect for nature resulting into liquid poetry that continues enchant connoisseurs worldwide.

Here are three staff favorites:

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Chateau-Beaucastel-Coudoulet-de-Beaucastel-Cotes-du-Rhone-2020-w2630129g4">Chateau Beaucastel - Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2020:</a>

Chateau Beaucastel is a prestigious winery located in Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape, in the southern Rh&ocirc;ne Valley of France. The estate has been owned by the Perrin family since 1909, and today is managed by the fifth generation of Perrins. The winemaker, Marc Perrin, follows a traditional approach to winemaking, emphasizing organic farming and minimal intervention in the cellar.

The Coudoulet de Beaucastel Cotes du Rhone 2020 is an affordable yet high-quality wine from this esteemed producer. This vintage displays a vibrant ruby color with purple hues. On the nose, it presents an intense bouquet of red and black fruits such as cherries and blackberries, along with spicy notes of pepper and licorice.

The structure is well-balanced with fine tannins that give way to a medium-to-full body. The palate echoes the nose with its fruity flavors complemented by earthy undertones and hints of garrigue - characteristic for wines from this region.

This wine has received praise from critics like Robert Parker&#39;s Wine Advocate which awarded it 91 points out of 100 in their review. No significant awards have been noted for this specific vintage yet but Chateau Beaucastel has a long history of accolades attesting to its consistent quality over time.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Domaine-La-Consonniere-Chateauneuf-du-Pape-2019-w73223116s">Domaine La Consonniere - Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2019:</a>

Domaine La Consonniere is situated in the heartland of Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape appellation in Southern Rh&ocirc;ne Valley. It&#39;s owned by Bernard Coste who also serves as its dedicated winemaker following family traditions rooted back to early last century when his ancestors first established vineyards here.

The Domaine La Consonniere Chateauneuf-du-Pape 2019 boasts an intense garnet color that gives away its concentration even before you take your first sip. The nose reveals rich aromas of ripe red fruits like raspberries and strawberries combined with warm spices such as cinnamon and cloves.

Its structure exhibits good acidity and firm tannins, resulting in a full-bodied wine. The palate mirrors the nose with an addition of complex notes of leather and tobacco that provide depth to this layered wine.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Olivier-Hillaire-Chateauneuf-du-Pape-Classique-2011-w0902472li">Olivier Hillaire - Chateauneuf du Pape Classique 2011:</a>

Olivier Hillaire is a small-scale winemaker based in Ch&acirc;teauneuf-du-Pape who started his own domaine in 2006 after selling his share from the family estate, Domaine des Relagnes. His meticulous attention to detail both in vineyard management and winemaking has quickly earned him recognition among Rh&ocirc;ne enthusiasts.

The Olivier Hillaire Chateauneuf du Pape Classique 2011 displays a deep ruby color with slight brick tones indicating its age. The nose opens up with opulent aromas of blackcurrant, plum jam intermingled with hints of truffle, smoke, and sweet spices.

Its structure is characterized by matured tannins that have softened over time leading to a full-bodied yet velvety texture on the palate. The taste reveals more dark fruit flavors combined with savory notes such as mushroom and cured meat adding complexity to this well-aged wine.

This particular vintage was highly praised by critics scoring an impressive 94 points from Robert Parker&#39;s Wine Advocate while also being awarded Silver at the Decanter World Wine Awards.

&nbsp;

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a name that resonates with prestige and quality in the world of wine. This illustrious appellation is steeped in history dating back centuries and has been producing some of France's most celebrated wines for generations.



Nestled within the southern region of Rhône Valley, France lies Châteauneuf-du-Pape - translated as "the Pope's new castle". The area earned its moniker during the 14th century when it served as a summer residence for Popes who sought refuge from political turmoil in Rome.

The Rich History of Châteauneuf-du-Pape highlighting some great value wines

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

Atera

Camila Alvarez

Atera:

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Camila Alvarez, wine sommelier and consultant.

Bonjour Camila,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join our CorkRules Family from Paris!

CA: Hello 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 wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

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:&nbsp;So, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about Atera New York&hellip;.It has a great energy and wine list to match. Maria I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what do you think of their extensive wine list?

CA: A long wine list, from France, USA, Germany, Austria, Italy, and Spain. They also have different vintages from the same producer which allows comparisons to be made. A remarkable proposal in this wine list is the sweet and fortified wines, I have not seen many wine lists with this specialty, and I find it incredible, all the methods of sweet and fortified wines are in this wine list.

RT: That&rsquo;s great, as you looked at the list did you see anything jump out at you?

CA: Well still I am surprised about the fortified and sweet wines from this wine list. The sherry wine from Equipo Navazos, &ldquo;La Bota N. 24&rdquo; is wine that was selected from the oldest fino solera, on average this wine has 20 years. As I expected, this wine is so complex in aromas, flowers, almonds notes, some toffee, a little bit of dry fruits.

RT: Ooohh those sound great.

So, Camila, their list seems to have lots of ways we could go but was there anything that you would say is a &ldquo;must-try&rdquo;?

CA: This wine list is colossal, amazing and difficult to choose only one must try.

From the old world, I want to suggest an area of France that is not so famous, but that produce amazing wines. From Savenni&egrave;res AOP, this appellation is in Val de Loire, for white wines.

The wine is from Nicolas Joly, Les Vieux Clos 2019, it is one of the best in the Savenni&egrave;res sub-appellation, the golden colour and the aromas of anis, lime and honey are found in the mouth, this wine has a great potential of aging.

The amazing Chenin blanc in all the potential and Nicolas Joly is the pioneer in biodynamic wines, this wine is very different from other chenin blanc, there is no intervention in this wine, almost as natural wine. This wine is a must to try if you want to taste wines in different styles.

RT: So, this list has so many great choices, what other wines would you suggest for our second or third course?

CA: I would like to suggest another white wine, but from Willamette Valley from the Eyrie vineyards; the Eyrie 2018, chardonnay from Dundee Hills, It is a distinctive wine from Oregon.

Great chardonnay with similar aromas as burgundy chardonnay, vastly different from those of California. Aromatic, fresh flavours and easy to taste the minerality in this wine.

For the second course, I think great to taste some Greek wine, this country with a vast history in wine production and particular grapes varieties, it is an excellent choice for a second course. In the middle of the Naoussa region next to Macedonia, we found the wine producer Kir-Yianni and the magnificent Ramnista, Xinomavro 2004, this grape variety Xinomavro called &ldquo;the acid-black&rdquo; is the symbol of the Naoussa wine region and the most successful appellation in Greece.

About the wine, full-body wine with very soft and elegant tannins, the aromas of red grapes fruits like cherry and strawberry are one of the characteristics of this grape, maximum age potential of 9 years and it is great to with some cheese or white meat.

RT: Ooh, Terrific.

Camila, speaking of price, sometimes people have a budget in mind.&nbsp; any other great value wines you&rsquo;d point us to?&nbsp;

CA: Great value and excellent quality wine is the wine from Cornas appellation called &ldquo;Granit 30&rdquo; 2017, from the producer Vincent Paris. This wine is produced only in 6 ha, and they produce in a sustainable culture. About the wine, is a 100 % Syrah, deep red colour with amazing notes of red and black fruits, black pepper and some hint of animal notes due to the oak aging. Great potential up to 15 years. A wine with a great value for money and amazing quality.

RT: Now Camila, what if I have a big client dinner or special occasion where I want to take it up a notch?

CA:&nbsp; &nbsp;As this wine list is very large, it is a little bit difficult to choose only one. During a special dinner, I will go for a legendary winery in Italy, more exactly the Piemont, 6 Cappellano, Pi&egrave; Franco, Serralunga d&#39;Alba, 2016. This is a 100% Nebbiolo, this grape variety is like the pinot noir in terms of tannins and body, soft and elegant wine with notes of flowers like the rose and red fruits.

RT: Cabs are always a good call for me, especially with meats/steaks. &nbsp;

CA: I 100 percent agree

RT: Camila Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Atera&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go back and 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: <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;

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Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Sandhi is a small, independent winery located in the Central Coast region of California, founded in 2010 by Rajat Parr and Sashi Moorman. The winery is known for its minimal intervention winemaking philosophy, which emphasizes the terroir and allows the grapes to express themselves. Sandhi produces a range of Chardonnay and Pinot Noir wines that are known for their elegance and finesse.

The American Express Centurion Global Lounge Network

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Crab House Contactless Seafood Buffet -All You Can Eat

Available Wines
Total Wines - 3

La Serre

Merlot NV

Merlot

Languedoc, France

Séduction

Cabernet - Syrah NV

Cuvee

Pays d'Oc, France

Villa Cerrina

Chardonnay - Pinot Grigio NV

Blend

Delle Venezie, Italy