NEW YORK, Feb. 13, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- CorkRules launched today on iOS as the first digital wine experience aimed at making it easier for consumers to navigate the restaurant wine list. Through the CorkRules app, consumers can easily find the perfect wine for every occasion based on their preferences, connect with friends and wine experts to discover new wines to try, and learn more about the world of wine. Users will get personalized wine recommendations at thousands of restaurants, making what can often be an overwhelming experience an easier one. CorkRules is available now for free on Apple iOS devices in the <a href="https://apps.apple.com/app/id1631528589">App store</a>.

The CorkRules app is designed to help consumers feel more confident and comfortable ordering wine in restaurants. In a recent survey conducted by the company, only 9% of respondents indicated feeling confident when making a wine selection or purchase. And only 23% considered themselves knowledgeable on wine. &ldquo;Ordering wine at restaurants can be intimidating and complex, even for me as a wine enthusiast,&rdquo; says Founder Robert Tas, who has spent his career focused on building consumer experiences through digital platforms. &ldquo;I created CorkRules to make it easier for people to find and drink what they love.&rdquo;

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Key features of the app include: 

Personalized Wine Recommendations from Thousands of Restaurants: The CorkRules database includes wine lists from restaurants across the United States, and the team is actively expanding the database to include more restaurants every day.

Wines Tailored to Each User: Special Occasion? On a budget? Love Bordeaux? CorkRules provides users with expert wine recommendations tailored to their preferences in just a few taps.

Social feed: CorkRules users can keep up with friends and wine experts too, including certified sommeliers through the CorkRules feed, built with social media like features including the ability to post, like, comment and share updates pre, during and post a dining and wine experience. This will allow users to keep up on restaurant trends and discover new wines.

Connect with Friends: CorkRules provides the ability for users to &ldquo;Friendsource&rdquo; trusted wine recommendations by discovering wines friends have rated, reviewed or shared like to expand their wine choices CorkRules is built using proprietary technology leveraging machine learning to surface personalized and tailored recommendations, and leans on a team of wine experts, sommeliers and restaurateurs to advise on ongoing development. For a complete list of wine experts and CorkRules sommeliers, visit CorkRules.

Wine sales in general are lagging among younger consumers. And restaurants, especially, have seen the impact, with a 2022 wine sales growth rate at 9.6 percent, down from growth of 18.2 percent in 2021. Tas is looking to address that &ndash; both making diners feel more comfortable purchasing wine in restaurants through technology and in enabling restaurants to sell more wine from their inventory. The hope is that this app will enhance the beverage team in the restaurant, will provide conversation starters at the table and will allow restaurateurs to manage their inventory.

&ldquo;You shouldn&rsquo;t need a PHD to order a bottle of wine at a restaurant. This app will allow consumers to understand value, quickly discover what they love, and find recommendations based on what they have enjoyed in the past,&rdquo; Tas added.

CorkRules is also committed to expanding wine education through easy-to-digest articles and helpful wine tips in partnership with wine experts, including content on understanding wine varietals, quick tips for picking wines by occasion and cuisine, and basics of pairing, and will add features about wine, such as understanding wine varietals, quick tips for picking wines by occasion and cuisine. The company introduced a podcast, The CorkRules Podcast, in 2022 featuring wine experts making suggestions from wine lists at top restaurants around the country.

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ABOUT CORKRULES: CorkRules is the first digital wine experience aimed at making it easier to navigate the restaurant wine list by providing consumers with personalized wine recommendations. Launched in February 2023, the CorkRules app gives consumers personalized wine recommendations for every occasion at thousands of restaurants across the United States based on a user&#39;s wine preferences, expert opinions and friends&rsquo; reviews. Available for download now on Apple iOS devices. To learn more, visit CorkRules.com.

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Media Contact: Lori Lefevre Wells, lori@lorilefevre.com

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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.

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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.

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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.

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Bavette‚Äôs Steakhouse & Bar ‚Äì Las Vegas

Maria Valetta, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit the classic steakhouse Bavettes, MGM in Las Vegas.

Wine List Review of Bavettes, Las Vegas

Maria Valetta

Bavettes

Bavettes Park MGM 

Robert Tas (RT): Hello and welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists so you can learn to order wine with confidence.

I&rsquo;m Robert Tas, along with Maria Valetta, certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hello Robert!! We have a sophisticated steakhouse to discover today in our podcast

RT: we sure do, but before we get started, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. CorkRules was created to help you navigate the wine list with confidence so you will always love the wine you drink. With CorkRules in hand, you can easily select wines from your favorite restaurant wine lists based on your preferences of flavor, style, region, and even price! Plus, you can check out which wines your friends ordered and try them yourself. Want to get started? Our podcast wine list reviews are here to help you find those hidden gems, value wines, and those special celebration-worthy bottles on the list. So be sure to listen and check out what our Top Sommeliers recommend at your favorite restaurant.

MV: Today we are talking about Bavettes Las Vegas located in the Park MGM Hotel and Casino. You could almost forget you are on the Las Vegas strip when you step into this dimly lit- sultry and sexy intimate outpost of the Chicago Classic Steakhouse. Nouveau-style mirrors, colorful Tiffany glass shaded lamps, cozy red leather banquettes and gallery-style vintage art give this den-like restaurant made-up of multiple rooms a classy feel. The menu is as stylish as the immaculately appointed and knowledgeable servers. Expect standouts such as tiered seafood platters, sizzling seafood plates, and 42 day dry-aged ribeyes on this classic steakhouse menu that has become a favorite among the fashionable steakhouse-loving clientele.

RT: Maria after that description I am definitely putting this restaurant on my list when I come to visit. How does their Wine list look?

MV: Overall, It is a tad smaller than I expected but that makes it a little easier to navigate, I&rsquo;d love to see them expand on this by adding some options from Australia, New Zealand, and Chile and more from Argentina to round things out. But they do have a great selection of California Cabs and French Bordeaux which is a must for a steakhouse like this.

RT: It sure is Maria, So where will we begin?&nbsp;

MV: I am always inclined to start with oysters or a shellfish tower at a steakhouse before things get all meaty, so I would start with a glass of the Ros&eacute; Cremant, Lucien Albrecht Brut Ros&eacute;, from Alsace, in France, I mean sure you could start with the Champagne, by Nicolas Feuillatte, Reserve Exclusive, but not everyone is up for spending upwards of $35 on a glass of wine, clocking in at around $16 the Lucien Albrecht is still going to give you lots of bubbly goodness at a better price so you can spend more on the steak wine! A Cremant is produced in the method of champagne but produced in regions outside of Champagne and sometimes using different grapes... But This particular one is using 100% Pinot Noir.

RT: Cool great tip, what about a red by the glass.

MV: Okay- check this one out, the

Malbec, Susana Balbo, Mendoza, Argentina&nbsp;2019&nbsp; [bin - 7312] This is the only wine I could find on the list from Argentina. At this reasonable price point of$16 a glass, you can&rsquo;t go wrong and Susana is the most recognized female winemaker in Argentina, she literally started a movement there and when we visited it we had the most memorable lunch and wine pairing at the estate in Mendoza.

RT: Awesome Maria, now what about finding us some bottles of white and red that aren&rsquo;t going to blow a hole in the wallet?

MV: Sure, quite a few incredible options!

The DeLille Cellars &quot;Chaleaur Blanc&quot;, WA&nbsp;2018&nbsp; [bin - 8641]

$84A gorgeous Bordeaux style white blend from Columbia Valley Washington, Sauvignon blanc and Semillon are the grapes and this wine is going to be rich but fresh, cirtusy but tropical, perfect with that crab stuffed avocado I&rsquo;m eyeing on the menu..

RT: That sounds like a perfect pairing..

MV: I agree, And for my Pinot lovers, the Alexana, Revana Vineyard, Willamette Valley, Oregon&nbsp;2013&nbsp;vintage&nbsp; [bin - 8392] a medium plus bodied red with csome cellaring on it, this is my go-to wine here because often we will do more of a surf and turf sharing and so this wine works with just about everything. The Founder Dr. Revana, a cardiologist has wineries in Willamette Valley Oregon, Napa Valley California, and Mendoza Argentina, and they all produce highly accoladed wines from site specific quality vineyards.&nbsp; A great deal as it is under <s>$140 ($132)</s>

RT: those are 2 great Options Maria, and can you recommend for us 2 steakhouse reds for those of us wanting a special occasion option?

MV: I would love to, now a special occasion wine might be in the $500+&nbsp; range for some and more like the $200 range for others, it&rsquo;s all relative, so here are 2 wines from the same producer in those pricepoints. The Ch&acirc;teau Lynch Bages, 2012 And the estates so called &ldquo;second wine&rdquo;, the Ch&acirc;teau Lynch Bages Echo de Lynch Bages, 2012

NOW Both are excellent Bordeaux Blends from the commune of Pauillac, where some of the most famous and expensive wines in the world come from. Both are going to be Cabernet Sauvignon Dominant, typical of the red wines from the left Bank of the Gironde river in Bordeaux.

But here&rsquo;s where they differ: the flagship wine is from much older vines, has a higher percentage of Cabernet Sauvignon and along with merlot and Cab franc, adds a little bit of P. verdot. (72% Cabernet Sauvignon, 19% Merlot, 6% Cabernet franc, 3% Petit) it&rsquo;s also aged in Wood barrels for 18 mo 75% of which are brand new barriques (this is where a lot of the expense comes in for making the wine)&nbsp;

Now the Echo is produced from the younger vines on the property, sees a higher proportion of Cab Franc and merlot and is aged in previously used French oak barrels for just 14 months. (a lot less cost in oak).

You will still find both wines to be textbook Pauillac, Rich Sturdy Black Currant flavors dusted with graphite pencil shavings and cigar box aromas. But the Flagship wine will have longer ageabilty, more aggressive tannins and more complexity due to the older vines, but the Echo will certainly hold its own to any of the steaks on the menu (which by the way I have had my most flavorful steak ever at Bavettes!) CLASSIC RIBEYE - CHICAGO CUT

RT: Wow- Maria this is great for our listeners to learn about as I often look for these second wines from my favorite Bordeaux estates. I find them much more attainable and thoroughly enjoyable.

MV: This menu is great they have quite a few of them from many of the most well-regarded estates. It&rsquo;s a great question for the restaurant Sommelier, where you can still look sophisticated in front of your guests, just ask the Somm to help you choose a second wine from one of the great Bordeaux Estates.

RT: Great TIP! Thank you Maria, it&rsquo;s been a pleasure to discover Bavette&rsquo;s wine list with you. You can find Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde. Thank you everyone for joining us here on CorkRules. Remember the only rule in wine is &ldquo;drink what you LOVE&rdquo;.

MV: Have a favorite wine List? Let us review it here. Send us your requests at <a href="mailto:info@corkrules.com">info@CorkRules.com</a> You can find previous episodes on your favorite podcast platform and on

The CorkRules website. Be sure to follow @CorkRules on Instagram for episode and app updates Must be 21 and older, please drink responsibly.

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The Sugar Bowl

Available Wines
Total Wines - 6

Michael David Winery

Freakshow Red NV

California, USA

Starborough

Sauvignon Blanc 2016

Marlborough, New Zealand

Santa Julia

Organica Malbec 2017

Mendoza, Argentina

Glen Ellen

Cabernet Sauvignon Reserve NV

California, USA

Avant

Kendall-Jackson, Chardonnay 2016

California, USA

Weingut Eifel-Pfeifer 'Heinz Eifel' Shine Riesling Germany 2015

Germany