Unless you are born into a vineyard, grow up in wine country,&nbsp;a career in wine is not&nbsp;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 <a href="https://www.linkedin.com/in/jane-lopes-b67743a8/">Jane Lopes</a>, sommelier, co-founder of Legend Imports, and author of&nbsp; <a href="https://www.amazon.ca/Vignette-Stories-Life-Wine-Bottles/dp/1743795327">Vignette: Stories of Life and Wine in 100 Bottles. </a>

Jane graduated from the University of Chicago with a B.A. in English Language and Literature/Letters. Post-graduation, she worked in the hospitality industry, as so many students do before they find their path in life. It was as a server/bartender that Jane&rsquo;s formal education in the wine industry began. &nbsp;She worked at renowned restaurants including Eleven Madison Park in New York, The Violet Hour in Chicago, and The Catbird Seat in Nashville; her education at these establishments was intensive and hands-on, and by immersing herself in the world of wine, she fast-tracked her way towards accreditation as one of the world&rsquo;s few Master Sommeliers.

&nbsp;

In 2018, Jane was a candidate for the Master Sommelier, the most prestigious of accreditations in wine. To give you an idea of how difficult it is to achieve this standard, there are only 262 Master Sommeliers in the world, and candidates must pass four exams offered through the Court of Master Sommeliers (CMSA).

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Although Jane passed the exam, one of only 34 women to pass it; unfortunately, for all candidates sitting the 2018 exam, their results were nullified due to a previous candidate sharing information about the wines selected for the tasting exam. It seems rather unfair; however, it didn&rsquo;t stop Jane from pursuing her career in wine and proving her vast knowledge on the subject by publishing her book.

Vignette is a book for people who love wine without the pretension that often surrounds the wine industry. It is thoughtfully arranged and offers clarity on varietals, tasting notes, and a list of 100 bottles that represent wine regions from around the globe, and most importantly for the majority of wine lovers, Jane has added an appendix of affordable wines for the wine lover who wants a delicious bottle that meets the budget.

Jane&rsquo;s book is both informative and highly entertaining read as it documents her life&rsquo;s journey in wine, beginning with the earliest introduction to wine: a cheap, Californian chardonnay her parent&rsquo;s drank.

&nbsp;

Jane has recently completed a second book, How to Drink Australian, which will be published in September 2023. This book is inspired by the company she runs with her husband, <a href="https://legendaustralia.com/jane-jon/">Legend Australian Wine Imports</a>, a socially-focused wine importer. Jane and her husband founded this company with the goal of bringing the best of Australian wines to the U.S.

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Listen to Jane&rsquo;s story on <a href="https://corkrules.com/vignette:-stories-of-life-and-wine-in-100-bottles/episodes/384">Episode 268 of CorkRules</a> where she offers suggestions on wine and shares a little of her life&rsquo;s journey in the industry.

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

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

Fellow

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas explore the wine list at Fellow, now known as Wolfsglen,

Wine Review of Fellow, Los Angeles

Grace Hood

Fellow

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: Greetings 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 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. All right Grace &ndash; today we&rsquo;re reviewing the hot new spot, Fellow.

GH: I&rsquo;m very excited to review this wine list b/c it was created by a fellow sommelier friend of mine, Scott Lester! Hey, Scotty proud of you, my dude!

RT:&nbsp;Incredible! Is this the first time we&rsquo;re reviewing a list made by a colleague of yours

GH: Indeed, it is! Scotty has since moved back to his one true love, the Rocky Mountains. And the wine director for the Aspen Snowmass resort. But he definitely left a mark on Fellow.

RT: I&rsquo;m excited to get into it! &nbsp;

GH: Oh, you have no idea, Robert. I dined here twice during the pandemic when Scott was running the wine program. And both experiences were absolutely divine. The service, the presentation, the cuisine. Seriously amazing.

RT: I love it. We will have to go next time I&rsquo;m in LA Where do you want to start us on this wine list made by your friend?

GH: Where do we always start Robert? At sparkling of course! I&rsquo;m thinking this 2015 Chartogne-taillet Champagne would be a great way to kick of your experience at Fellow.

RT: Vintage champagne &ndash; I don&rsquo;t hate it! Now Scott must have curated an amazing selection of white wine for sure.

GH: Oh did he ever! Looking first at some light cali whites, I&rsquo;m really interested in this Pinot gris pinot blanc blend from one of my personal favorites, Au Bom Climate, out of Santa Barabara. I love their pinots and chardonnays so would be really curious to try this white pinot blend.

RT: Oh, wow that is a really interesting combo. I wouldn&rsquo;t expect that from the central coast.

GH: I know right? That&rsquo;s why I want to give it a whirl! &nbsp;

RT: Now we can&rsquo;t talk California without talking chardonnays. &nbsp;

GH: Oh well of course not. Scott hit the nail on the head with having some classic producers as well as some smaller boutique vineyards represented on the list. One Cali chard that has a cult following in Mayacamas, and you get your pick of a newer vintage bottle with 2019, or an aged mayacamas, throwing it back to 2002! Ooh wee!

RT: They do love their American oak out in Cali.

GH: Oh don&rsquo;t they ever! It&rsquo;s embedded into our economy!

RT: Makes sense! Now I believe Scott killed it in the red section Grace

GH: Oh he absolutely did! He and I both love pinot so I was blown away by the selection. Right out the gate if you&rsquo;re thinking Oregon &ndash; gotta go with the 2017 Arterberry Maresh. If we&rsquo;re thinking Sonoma &ndash; 2017 Arista from Russian river. And to round it out with central coast &ndash; the 2017 Hitching Post from Santa Rita Hills.

RT: Greatest hits of the west coast. I love it! Now we can&rsquo;t talk California without talking cabernet. What did Scott curate for the cab drinkers?

GH: Well, if you wanted to have a whole mayacamas experience, there&#39;s a 2005 from Mt. Veeder which would be drinking amazingly right now.

RT: Oh, that would be such a fun experience. Two older Mayacamas together. Super unique! Now, I know you&rsquo;ve talked that sommeliers want to have something for everyone on their lists. What did Scott pick for some value wines?

GH: For whites, he has a Verdicchio on the menu for $30 which is a crazy price for LA! And then your value red &ndash; he&rsquo;s got a 2019 Bourgogne from Domaine de Vieux College 

RT: Fantastic. Now, how are you going to pick the special occasion bottles on a list curated by a friend?

GH: For real there are so many special bottles on the list. But at the end of the day, Scott and I are both Francophiles. This 2018 Meursault from Chavvy Chouet would be white Burgundy white gold, and then for red, this 2005 St Estepe from Ch&acirc;teau Lafon Rochet would be just the ticket

RT: Fantastic! Grace, thank you so much for helping us navigate the list at Fellow. 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.

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

Sycamore Lane is a popular wine brand that offers a range of varietals, including Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon, and others. The wines are known for their consistent quality and affordability.

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

Dowling's at The Carlyle

Ca' Vittoria

Brut Rose NV

Glera (Prosecco)

Prosecco, Italy

Terrazas de los Andes

Reserva Malbec 2021

Malbec

Mendoza, Argentina

Il Conti

Pinot Grigio 2020

Pinot Grigio

Veneto, Italy

Volcan

Blanco Organico NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Valle de Guadalupe, Mexico

Terrazas de los Andes

Reserva Malbec 2018

Malbec

Mendoza, Argentina

The Hilt

Pinot Noir 2016

Pinot Noir

California, USA

The Hilt

Estate Pinot Noir 2016

Pinot Noir

Sta. Rita Hills, USA

Château Reysson

Haut-Medoc 2016

Blend

Medoc, Bordeaux, France

Château d'Esclans

Whispering Angel Rose 2020

Grenache

Provence, France

Domaine La Gemière

Sancerre 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre, France

Piaugier

Gigondas 2019

Shiraz/Syrah

Gigondas, Rhone, France

La Perrière

Sancerre Blanc 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Loire Valley, France

Tenuta Il Poggione

Rosso di Montalcino 2019

Sangiovese

Rosso di Montalcino, Tuscany, Italy

Joseph Drouhin

Drouhin - Vaudon Chablis 2020

Chardonnay

Chablis, Burgundy, France

Joseph Drouhin

Drouhin - Vaudon Chablis Reserve De Vaudon 2020

Chardonnay

Chablis, France