Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God, the popular manga series by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto, has been adapted into a television series by AppleTV and has some buzz in the wine world. The AppleTV series tells a story about a competition between Camille&#39;s (Fleur Geffrier) estranged daughter and Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita), the prot&eacute;g&eacute; after the death&nbsp;of&nbsp;Camille&#39;s father, a famous wine collector, to win his world-renowned wine collection valued at $100M+.

The show has been compared to the 2004 movie Sideways, which follows the journey&nbsp;of&nbsp;two friends as they travel through California&#39;s wine country. Both&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;and Sideways share a common theme&nbsp;of&nbsp;discovering wine&#39;s joys and the culture surrounding it. The film had an immediate impact on both tourism and sales by introducing people unfamiliar with wines.

However,&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;takes it to a new level with its intricate and detaileddescriptions&nbsp;of&nbsp;wines, vineyards, and the people behind them. The series has created a buzz in the wine world, with viewers becoming curious about the winesmentioned in the show and eager to try them themselves.

The cultural impact&nbsp;of&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;has been immense in Japan, with the manga series selling over 30 million copies and the television series was a huge hit. The show has inspired a generation&nbsp;of&nbsp;young people to explore the world&nbsp;of&nbsp;wine and has even led to an increase in tourism to wine regions.

This is a golden opportunity, but yet it&#39;s surprising the wine world has not leaned into&nbsp;Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;more, missing a chance to bring people&nbsp;of&nbsp;all ages into the wine world. With the decline in wine sales, it&#39;s clear that the industry needs to reimagine how it markets its products and brings new consumers into its ecosystem.

This emphasis on education is something that many experts argue could be key for helping bring new consumers into the wine world who have until now been unaware or intimidated by all there is out there; young people can significantly benefit from having access to this kind&nbsp;of&nbsp;information without needing expensive classes or sommelier certifications first.

Drops&nbsp;of&nbsp;God&nbsp;comes at a unique point in time for the wine world and&nbsp;offers a significant opportunity to educate and bring people&nbsp;of&nbsp;all ages into the wine world. The cultural impact&nbsp;of&nbsp;the series in Japan and the potential impact it could have in the US and around the world cannot be ignored.&nbsp;Time is ticking, and the wine world cannot afford to miss this opportunity.

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Drops of God, the popular manga series by Tadashi Agi and Shu Okimoto, has been adapted into a television series by AppleTV and has some buzz in the wine world. The AppleTV series tells a story about a competition between Camille's (Fleur Geffrier) estranged daughter and Issei (Tomohisa Yamashita), the protégé after the death of Camille's father, a famous wine collector, to win his world-renowned wine collection valued at $100M+.

Drops of God: The AppleTV Series That Could Save the Wine Industry

1803 is a Cajun restaurant that brings a little of New Orleans’ eclectic culture to the streets of New York. It’s a sexy, sultry space with a penchant for Deep South decadence and jazz. For a memorable culinary experience, this is the place to bring a date.

Pairing Wine with Cajun Food at 1803

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.

Artisan Wines at Il Buco

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.

Pairing Orange Wines at Pasquale Jones

The Lobster Club in the Seagram Building, New York City is a Japanese Brasserie that is renowned for its unique interpretation of Japanese cooking and Sushi, and what’s even more exciting is that it has an extensive wine list.

Fine Wines at The Lobster Club

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

CorkRules has been presented with the BMMA ‘Best New Mobile App” Platinum award, the highest award achievement in category.

CorkRules Wins the 2023 BMMA Platinum Award for "Best New Mobile App"

Pairing wine with Asian food is a common dilemma. Just what should you order with the Spicy Yellowtail Yu Sheng or the Mongolian Lamb Chops? How do we make palatable choices that cross cultures and bring out the best in each location’s use of herbs and spices?

Pairing Wine with Asian Food at Buddakan

With the exception of sommeliers and vintners, for most of us who love wine, no matter how many bottles you drink in your lifetime, and no matter how delicious, you rarely think of the terroir, the grape, or the growing process as you drink it.

Chris Phelps on Wine and Life

Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Lago restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel, Las Vegas

Wine List Review of Lago in Las Vegas

Maria Valetta

Lago

Lago 

RT:&nbsp; Hi Everyone,&nbsp; 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, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hello Robert! I&rsquo;m excited to talk about this special Italian hot spot with Fountain views today

RT: That&rsquo;s right Maria, but before we get started, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules. CorkRules was created to help you navigate the wine list so you will always love the wine you drink. With CorkRules in hand, you can confidently and easily select wines from 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? Then check out our podcast wine list reviews, our Top Sommeliers are here to help you find those hidden gems, value wines, and those special celebration-worthy bottles.

Now Maria, let&rsquo;s talk about this Bellagio restaurant favorite.

MV: Let&#39;s get into it. Today we are talking about Lago Restaurant in the Bellagio Hotel and Casino by the James Beard award-winning chef, Julian Serrano. Get ready for your tastebuds to take a culinary tour of the many different regions of Italy. The menu features creative interpretations of innovative Italian small plates and handmade pastas that are perfect for sharing, while taking in the romantic view of the iconic Bellagio fountains.

RT: I bet this is a hot spot in Vegas. How does the wine list look Maria?

MV: It sure is, we have come here for a few celebrations, and the wine list has so many wonderful choices from all over the world. Plus the view really is one of the best!

RT: That&rsquo;s great to hear,&nbsp; so why don&rsquo;t you select a few options by the glass to kick off our meal.

MV: Yes, I would recommend if you wanted to start with something light, and as refreshing as those fountains, the Nino Franco,&#39;Rustico&#39;, Prosecco di Valdobbiadene, from the Veneto region of Italy. I&rsquo;m particular with my prosecco, some of them can honestly be boring, but the Nino Franco is one that I really like and it&rsquo;s the most reasonably priced bubbly on the by the glass list. It&rsquo;s going to be great with the oysters, or the fish Crudo options.

RT: Any still wines that would also pair with those dishes?

MV: yes, the Cordero de Montezemolo, Arneis 2020. &nbsp;Now Arneis is an indigenous Italian white grape from the piedmont region of Italy. This wine is pure expression of the fruit, this is not an oaked wine, I love this grape.

Now If you are a butter chardonnay drinker and would prefer a wine with oak influence then I would suggest the Patz &amp; Hall, &#39;Dutton Ranch&#39;, Chardonnay, Russian River Valley&nbsp;2018&nbsp;

RT: 2 great options, and how about some nice reds by the glass?

MV: I would order the Vajra, (*Viara)Barbera d&#39;Alba, Piedmont, Italy [3825855]&nbsp;2018&nbsp;

$20 Great producer that also makes killer Barolos but, loves their Barbera too because of the

Dark rich fruits like blackberries and black currants here, and this would be stellar with the mushroom risotto!

Another great option is the Edge, Cabernet Sauvignon, Alexander Valley 2019&nbsp;a luscious and smooth, wine that is lovable without breaking the bank.

RT: Fantastic! What about the list of bottles.. so much to choose from, what caught your eye that our listeners should try?

MV: Well Robert they have some great champagnes and I think that a bottle of champagne is a perfect way to kick off an evening in Vegas.

Delamotte, Blanc de Blanc, Le Mesnil sur Oger 100 % chardonnay grapes a multi vingtage option and for vintage, the Piper-Heidsieck, Rare, Reims 2008&nbsp;

The top cuvee they make also called Tete du Cuvee This bottle is beautiful!! Just stunning!

Also loving that they have some Greg Linn wines. They are always awesome. I love their motto, which is &ldquo;whatever it takes&rdquo; because quality is the most important thing for them.

RT: Any of those fall in the value category?

MV:Yes actually, the Greg Linn 2019&nbsp;Langhe Nebbiolo, he produces great Barbaresco and Barolos, this is the same grape, Nebbiolo, so basically a declassified, lighter structured Barbaresco is what you get and&nbsp; a much more reasonable price point comes with it.$180

RT: That&rsquo;s a great&nbsp;find Maria, what else falls into the value category?

MV: The Planeta, Eruzione 1614, Nerello Mascalese &nbsp;2018&nbsp;from Sicily. 

$102 This is a lighter-bodied red that I often recommend to those that favor a lighter-bodied like Pinot Noir. There&rsquo;s some similarities here and get this 1614 correlates to the eruption of the Etna volcano which in year erupted and lasted for a legendary 10 years, And get this

The vines which produce this wine grow on actual lava Flow

RT: that is just super cool, now I do see a lot of seafood on the menu so a white would also be a&nbsp; nice recommendation here.

MV: For sure, I can give you 2 Italian whites, the Reva, Grey, Langhe 2018&nbsp;

$ This is a white from the piedmont region 50% SB and 50% Sauvignon Gris organic, vegan-friendly, a medium-bodied, mineral-driven fresh white, perfect with seafood pasta grilled vegetables or pesto. And the Poggio al Tesoro, Solosole, Vermentino, Bolgheri a Tuscan white 2020&nbsp; that would be lovely with the mixed seafood Grill.

RT: Now we need 2 final&eacute; wines! Something as spectacular as those fountains!

MV: haha! Love that, they are spectacular! The Dominique Lafon, &#39;Les Champs Gains&#39;, 1er Cru 2017&nbsp;Puligny Montrachet white burgundy from French is the origin of course. vines averaging 50+ years in age. Hard to find, this is chardonnay at a whole other level. INCREDIBLE balance with the oak here.

And a lovely red worthy of a special celebration I would say definitely go Italian, given the menu&hellip; I&rsquo;m eyeing that Veal Osso Bucco with the Saffron Risotto that, and the Valdicava 2017&nbsp;Brunello di Montalcino is going to be amazing!!!

And just a side tip since we are talking about Valdicava, when we were last there we had a bottle of their Rosso di Montalcino which is also a really nice option without being too spendy! SO there you go!

RT: Yes! The rosso&rsquo;s are always a good buy and I would say those from the top producers are quite impressive. But that Valdicava Brunello and Veal Osso Bucco &hellip; that&rsquo;s where you had me!

MV: HAHA! I knew you would love that pairing Robert!

RT: well Thank you Maria for taking us through the Wine list at Lago Restaurant Las Vegas In the Bellagio Hotel.&nbsp; You gave our listeners a lot of great wines to try.

Thank you, everyone, for joining us today. You can find more wine tips from Maria on Instagram @Mariathewineblonde. 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.

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&nbsp; The dynamic modern space of bright uplifting colors and an outdoor patio with views of the iconic Bellagio fountains make it the perfect spot for a date night, a leisurely leisurely lunch or weekend brunch.

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Meson

Dear Annie

Rossoblu

Le Farfalle

Petit Trois

The Red Dory

Audrey

Cowboy Star

Per Se

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Join us each week as we pour a glass and share top restaurant ‘wine list’ picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the ‘wine list’ through somm recommendations, suggested food pairings and masterclass insights.

University Club

Available Wines
Total Wines - 7

Château Gruaud Larose

Saint-Julien (Grand Cru Classe) 1998

Bordeaux, France

Taittinger

Brut La Francaise Champagne NV

Champagne, France

Orben

Orben NV

Rioja, Spain

Roederer Estate

Brut NV

Anderson Valley, USA

Veuve Clicquot

Yellow Label Brut NV

Champagne, France

Domaine Chandon

Etoile Brut, Napa Valley NV

Napa Valley, USA

Saint-Emilion 1995

Saint-Emilion, Bordeaux, France