Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting <a href="https://www.67pallmall.com/the-london-club/">67 Pall Mall,</a> an elite private members&#39; club in London that caters exclusively to wine enthusiasts. Nestled in a grandiose building steeped in history and charm, this establishment offers a rich gastronomic experience for all its patrons.

The Food:

Dining at 67 Pall Mall is akin to indulging your senses in an array of culinary delights. The menu was thoughtfully curated with dishes designed not just for their standalone merit but also how they pair beautifully with wines. From delicate canap&eacute;s to hearty mains and decadent desserts, each dish was crafted exquisitely using high-quality ingredients sourced locally.

The Wine Program:

The heart and soul of 67 Pall Mall lie undoubtedly within its extensive wine program &ndash; one that boasts over four thousand different labels from around the globe. Their highly trained sommeliers guide you through this labyrinthine list with grace and knowledge. Whether you&#39;re a novice or seasoned connoisseur, there&rsquo;s something incredibly satisfying about discovering new vineyards or vintages under their expert guidance.

What sets them apart is not only the diversity of their collection but also their impressive storage capabilities which allow them to house these thousands of bottles under optimal conditions ensuring perfect preservation.

Service &amp; Vibe:

Atmosphere plays a crucial role when it comes down to enjoying fine dining paired with exquisite wines; thankfully, this aspect has been mastered by 67 Pall Mall as well. With impeccable service that strikes the right balance between attentiveness without being intrusive along with an ambiance reminiscent of old-world sophistication mixed subtly with modern chicness - it&rsquo;s hard not be enamored by it all!

Global Presence:

Beyond London&#39;s historic St James district where it first opened doors back in December 2015 lies its international presence across Bordeaux, Beaune, Singapore, and Melbourne. Each location maintains the same high standards of service while reflecting the unique cultural nuances of their respective regions.

Comparison with Soho Franchise:

While both 67 Pall Mall and Soho franchise cater to an elite clientele seeking a refined experience, there are notable differences. Where Soho clubs tend to lean towards a broader spectrum of interests including arts, film and media; 67 Pall Mall is unabashedly dedicated to wine enthusiasts providing them with an unparalleled selection along with educational events hosted by industry experts.

The Need for Private Wine Clubs in New York:

Given New York&#39;s vibrant culture and its plethora of enophiles, it&#39;s surprising that private wine clubs like 67 Pall Mall aren&#39;t more prevalent here. Establishments such as Wing-Tip in San Francisco have demonstrated how these venues can become social hubs for those passionate about wines - combining education, appreciation and camaraderie under one roof.

Being part of a community like this not only expands your understanding but also refines your palate over time &ndash; making every sip you take thereafter a testament to your evolving sophistication. As I left the hallowed halls of 67 Pall Mall that evening - satiated yet yearning for more - I couldn&rsquo;t help but feel grateful for having been part of such an enriching experience. Here&rsquo;s raising my glass hoping many more will get to enjoy this oenophile&rsquo;s paradise!

Recently, I had the pleasure of visiting 67 Pall Mall, an elite private members' club in London that caters exclusively to wine enthusiasts. Nestled in a grandiose building steeped in history and charm, this establishment offers a rich gastronomic experience for all its patrons.

A Connoisseur's Sojourn to 67 Pall Mall - An Exquisite Oenophile's Paradise

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

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Cucina Urbana where they serve contemporary Italian cuisine with a focus on California seasonality and the bounty of local farms. 

Wine List Review of Cucina Urbana in San Diego

Grace Hood

Cucina Urbana

Cucina Urbana

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: Happy to be here as always 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. What spot are we reviewing today, Grace?

GH: Today we&rsquo;re chatting about a San Diego Italian staple &ndash; Cucina Urbana. I&rsquo;ve been a big fan of this place ever since I moved to the city 12 years ago. One thing I really love about this spot and what makes it really unique is that they call themselves a retail wine shop inside a restaurant.

RT: That&rsquo;s an interesting concept! How would that work then?&nbsp;

GH: They price their wines with retail pricing in mind. Which means they are usually lower cost than when you buy wine at restaurant prices. Buying wine in a wine shop is usually way cheaper than buying wine from a restaurant list right? So that&rsquo;s the concept they&rsquo;re running with here! When you buy a bottle to enjoy, you&rsquo;re getting it at the retail cost, and they only charge you a $10 corkage fee. Honestly that&#39;s a steal!

RT: Oh man they must be very popular with the wine crowd in San Diego then!&nbsp;&nbsp;

GH: Totally Robert. They have a few more locations in their hospitality brand as well. They&rsquo;re definitely a SoCal success!

RT: Love that. So, should we dive into some recommendations?&nbsp;

GH: Totally! So, they have their wine list sorted by the classic, red, white rose sparkling. But then they break it down into &ldquo;here, there and everywhere&rdquo;. I&#39;m excited to see what selections they have in each area!

RT: And let me guess &ndash; we&rsquo;ll be starting with sparkling!

GH: Hey buddy I don&rsquo;t make the wine rules, I just make people happy! Hahah But yes if you wanted to start with bubbles, they have some great options for Italian as well as traditional sparkling. You could go with a classic prosecco, but I&rsquo;m really interested in this Pinot Nero/Chardonnay Blend from the Pojer e Sandri Vineyard in Alto Adige. Or if you wanted a French sparkling, they have one from the Loire valley which honestly, I&#39;ve never seen before! Of course, everyone knows champagne, but there are other places in France that make fabulous Cremant. This one is a Pineau d&rsquo;Aunis coming from the Domaine Brazier vineyard. 

RT: Oh, wow those are super unique! I&rsquo;ve never even heard of that grape before. Must be super indigenous to the area. Definitely something delicious to try. San Diego is such a sunny place &ndash; I assume they have some great selections for rose all day?

GH: Of course, they do my friend! If you wanted an Italian rose, they have a 2019 Grenache one from the Giovanni Montisci Vineyard out of Sardinia. And if you wanted something French, but outside of the traditional Provence area, they have a 2021 Pinot Noir Rose from the Lucien Crochet Vineyard in Sancerre. 

RT: Oh yum! I love Sancerre&#39;s but usually have their Sauvignon Blancs. I&rsquo;m sure their pinot noir rose is just as good. Now how about some whites?

GH: If you want a lighter-style Italian white, I would go with this 2020 Gruner Veltliner from the Manni Nossing Winery in Alto Adige. And then of course I can&rsquo;t Forget my Cali chard drinkers &ndash; they have a killer selection so you can&rsquo;t go wrong with any, but my pick would be 2017 Mayacamas from Mt. Veeder in Napa. 

RT: Oh that&rsquo;s a great call. I love anything Mayacamas makes. Now we&rsquo;re at an Italian spot. Can&rsquo;t wait to hear your picks for red wines!

GH: Oh man they had so many good options! If you&rsquo;re wanting Italian b/c when in Rome ya know ha-ha I would do either this 2014 Barolo from La Bioca, or if you want something more full bodied, they have a 2003 Cabernet Merlot Blend from Josco Gravner that is definitely read to drink now!

RT: Yum sounds delicious! Either of those would be awesome. What about some California reds?

GH: For a light California &ndash; I would do the 2017 Byron Giddlestix pinot noir from Santa Rita Hills. And for a traditional California Cabernet &ndash; the 2016 Heitz Martha&#39;s vineyard from Napa 

RT: Great choices as always! Grace, thank you so much for helping us navigate the wine list at Cucina Urbana.&nbsp; 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@</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">CorkRules</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">.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.

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