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.

Alto means high, referring to altitude when talking about wine, in both Spanish and Italian. Recently higher altitude locations have been planted more and more. A few decades ago, these areas were not seen as suitable for growing quality grapes as the climate back then was too cool. Today, with many producers witnessing a rising temperature, and a lot of new techniques in the vineyard, these areas are finally becoming viable. The higher you plant the cooler the temperature will be, but you will also receive more sun which in turn helps ripen the grapes. The temperature will be quite warm during the day, but very cool at night. This leads to ripe fruit aromas developing during the day, followed by a cool nighttime keeping the fresh acidity in the grapes, the best of both worlds for the grapes.

In Italy this development has been very prominent in northern Piemonte in the last decade. There is now talk about an area called Alto Piemonte, comprised of a few different wine regions. They are all located higher up in the mountains, and like the most famous wines from Piemonte many are based on the Nebbiolo grape. The most well-known wine regions would be Ghemme, Gattinara, and Boca.

But Alto Piemonte is not the only area where the term is used. In quite a few cases, in both Italy, Spain, Argentina and Chile the term can be seen used as part of a producer name or even as the name of a specific wine, sometimes to convey the wine is from a high planted vineyard. It is not uncommon however for winemakers to use the term to show it&rsquo;s their highest quality wine, not a wine from high altitude.

More wine growers have shown interest in high altitude vineyards lately, and the record of the highest planted one is something a few are trying to beat. It&rsquo;s safe to say the positive effects the altitude has on the growing grapes mean these vineyards are here to stay, and terms as alto may be used in more languages soon.

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

North Italia - Las Vegas

Maria Valetta, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head to Las Vegas where they review the wine list at North Italia.

Wine List Review of North Italia, Las Vegas

Maria Valetta

North Italia

\North Italia Las Vegas in Summerlin

RT): Hi Everyone, welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists.

I&rsquo;m Robert Tas, along with Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hello Robert! Today we are checking out an Italian spot that&rsquo;s a favorite amongst the locals&nbsp; here in Las Vegas

RT: That&#39;s right, today we are talking about the wine list at North Italia Las Vegas in the suburb of Summerlin. This national chain restaurant is different from most: the food is made from scratch daily with lots of love and there are daily specials that add to the menu of Italian-American favorites. This casual hotspot is always buzzing and busy, for Lunch, Brunch, and especially dinner.

RT: Sounds like a place that probably has plenty of Italian wines on offer, so Maria walk us through the wine list at North Italia Las Vegas.

MV: Sure thing. I frequent this place a lot and I have also been to one of their Arizona locations. It is always reliably good. The wine list by the bottle is short and sweet, offering just as much by way of California as they do Italy, but what impresses me the most are the wines by the glass &ndash; they offer more than most restaurants and they have some interesting wines at that plus the pours are also available by the Terzo !

RT: The terzo?

MV: Terzo means third in Italian so (3rd of the bottle) basically 8 ounces.

RT: Got it...&nbsp; I like that option. so, what are the impressive standouts?

MV: for instance, they have a Vermentino by the glass for white, the Gianni Gagliardo &ldquo;Fallegro&rdquo; Lange (where here they call it Favorita) And they also have a Pecorino by the glass&hellip; The Terra d&rsquo;aligi &ldquo;Zite&rdquo; from Abruzzo and I know what you&rsquo;re thinking&hellip;nope it&rsquo;s not the cheese. It&rsquo;s a grape too. It usually has these nutty citrus and stone fruit aromas.

RT: Yeah you don&rsquo;t see either of those by the glass much... do they have some interesting Italian reds as well?

MV: YES, they do!&nbsp;&nbsp; In Reds they have a Frapatto from Sicily &ndash; the donnafugatta &ldquo;bella assai&rdquo; a lighter bodied red... Barbera, the Marchesi di Gresi Barbera d&rsquo;asti and another fun one, the negroamaro Li Veli &ldquo;Pezzo Morgana&rdquo; Riserva from Salice Salentino (Puglia). All native grapes to Italy... a negroamaro and the Italian meatballs with creamy polenta is going to hit the spot..

RT: Great yummy options there to begin with, so what about by the bottle &ndash; I know you said it&rsquo;s limited but what are your top 2 choices for value bottles on the list?

MV: I&rsquo;ll give you more than that because honestly what&rsquo;s great about this list is that most of the wines are under $100! Amazing!!!

RT: WOW! That&rsquo;s incredible&hellip; A RAREITY! Soo then... give us all your favorites&hellip;

MV: My ultimate line up would be to start with the

Ferrari Blanc de Blanc sparkling from way up north In Trentino... made in the champagne method from 100% chardonnay grapes aged for over 30 months on the lees this to pair with the burrata starter&hellip; then I would choose a lighter-bodied white... the Jermann Pinot Grigio (everyone who knows me knows I don&rsquo;t often drink PG but this one is my fav) perfect for the arancini or the Mediterranean mussels.

RT: Then what, a richer white?

MV: You guessed it&hellip; the ZD Chardonnay when I want that rich buttery style.. butternut squash Anolini&nbsp; OR chicken pesto pasta with this bad boy&hellip;

RT: ooohhhh&hellip; now What about a good pizza red? I bet their pizzas are pretty darn good &hellip;?

MV: oh yeah the PIG pizza (meat lovers obviously) I like barbera and also sangiovese with pizza.. so the Viberti la gemella barbera d&rsquo;alba&nbsp; or the Castello di Volpaia Chianti Classico - tomato paste..&nbsp; could go with that PIG and the Bolognese tagliatelle too.

RT? And the finale &hellip; how about a real big red?

MV: I&rsquo;m going for it.. the roasted porchetta and braised short ribs are not to be missed and for these, I&rsquo;d end with the Allegrini Amarone... Veneto 45% Corvina Veronese, 45% Corvinone, 5% Rondinella, 5% Oseleta intense concentrated ripeness here&hellip;

Now If dry wines aren&rsquo;t your thing then the sangria could be right up you taste bud alley.. they have one that&rsquo;s made with a sparkling ros&eacute; and of course a red sangria. both are fantastic. I can vouch! Lol!

RT: well, thank you Maria for giving us an incredible wine lineup at North Italia Las Vegas. Thank you everyone for joining us today you can find more wine tips from Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde. Be sure to download the CorkRules app! And 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. Prices and selections subject to change, please drink responsibly.

&nbsp;

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

Frescobaldi is a historic and respected wine producer in Tuscany, with a legacy of winemaking dating back to the 1300s. Today, the family owns and manages over 1,000 hectares of vineyards across Tuscany, producing a range of high-quality wines that showcase the region's terroir and grape varieties.

Stately refuge with a global menu, plus famed chef's table, a tasting menu with kitchen seating.

Krasi

Sazon

La Boca

Coppa

Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro

Helm Oyster Bar and Bistro

Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Ledger

Row 34

The Ordinary

The Fig

Harvest

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

Lacroix Restaurant at The Rittenhouse

Rare Wine Co.

Charleston Sercial (Special Reserve) NV

Sercial

Madeira, Portugal

Saint-Chamant Cuvee de Chardonnay Blanc de Blancs Brut Vintage 2011

Champagne, France

ARPEPE

Sassella Stella Retica 2001

Nebbiolo

Lombardia, Italy

Caldora

Sangiovese - Merlot Ortonese NV

Blend

Puglia, Italy

Ash Ridge

Alti Sparkling Syrah NV

Shiraz/Syrah

Hawke's Bay, New Zealand

Antoine Arena

Carco Patrimonio Blanc 2012

Vermentino

Corsica, France

PV365

Cabernet Franc NV

Cabernet Franc

Napa Valley, USA

Merlot Blend Cain Cuvee NV

Napa Valley, USA

Lolo

Malbec - Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Assemblage

Mendoza

William Chris Vineyards

Mourvedre NV

Mourvedre

Texas, USA

Filipa Pato, FP Bical Arinto, Bairrada 2016

Arinto

Bairrada, Portugal

Heidi Schrock, Biscaya Rose, Burgenland 2018

Burgenland, Austria

Tezza

Corte Majoli Valpolicella 2014

Blend

Valpolicella, Veneto, Italy

Weingut Schlossmuhlenhof Muller Thurgau Trocken, Rheinhessen 2018

Rheinhessen, Germany

Sektkellerei Ohlig Privat Rose Jahrgangssekt Extra Trocken, Rheingau NV

Rheingau, Germany