If fine French dining is your raison d&rsquo;etre, <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/le-coucou/episodes/21">Le Coucou</a>&nbsp;is the place for you. Internationally acclaimed chef Daniel Rose made his name in Paris with his flair for French cuisine, and he brought his culinary creativity to New York where he established an elegant restaurant and exceptional dining experience.

And what better way to complement French fare than with a spectacular French wine? Bring on the Cru and let the fun begin.

But wait, should you splurge and opt for a grand Cru or will a simple cru do, and what&rsquo;s the difference anyway?

Let&rsquo;s demystify the terminology and move on to enjoyability.

Quite simply, the term &lsquo;cru&rsquo; is used within classifications of French wine to indicate a high-quality vineyard or group of vineyards. Cru literally means growth, and this term has been adopted in classification as a nod to the importance of the terroir.

Grand Cru is the recognized designation of higher quality wine. Grand Cru refers to the quality of a particular vineyard and the terroir in which the grapes grow. The terroir of the region that gains this accreditation is known to produce consistently high-quality vintages. Grand cru literally means great growth. The term is first found to be used in the region of Burgundy in the middle ages when the Cistercian monks and the Catholic Church classified each vineyard according to quality. In Burgundy, grand cru wines must be made with only grapes from villages that fall under a grand cru region.

Fast forward and move over to Bordeaux in 1855 when the term is officially recognized as a classification of the Left Bank Bordeaux (thanks to Napolean). The classification in Burgundy is all about the vineyards and terroir, but in Bordeaux, the classification of grand cru can be given to a winery that holds the status.

Premier cru wines are a step down from grand cru, however, since a premier cru vineyard could be literally next door to a grand cru vineyard, the difference in the quality of the wine may be negligible. Premier cru or 1er cru accounts for no more than 5% of the total Burgundian production, and grand cru makes up a tiny and exclusive 1% of production in Burgundy.

But if these high-status wines are outside of the budget, consider opting for village wines. These wines are from the same classified regions, but the yield allowed per hectare is more, allowing more of the grapes to grow, the vines themselves may be younger (old vines add complexity to wine). There are plenty of quality village wines on the market, and this is a great place for finding delicious wine at a good price.

If a white Burgundy is on your mind or you are looking for a grand cru wine, click over to the CorkRules <a href="https://uat.corkrules.com/le-coucou/episodes/21">wine review podcast</a>&nbsp;with certified sommelier Grace Hood. She&rsquo;s identified a few good bottles on the wine list at Le Coucou.

Cheers!

&nbsp;

About the CorkRules Podcast:&nbsp;Each week we pour a glass and share top restaurant wine list&rsquo; picks, providing you with the knowledge to confidently navigate the wine list through sommelier recommendations, suggested food pairings and expert insights

About CorkRules:&nbsp;CorkRules, the first digital wine app experience, makes it easier for you to navigate the restaurant wine list, and provides you with personalized wine recommendations from your favorite restaurants. Through CorkRules you can find the perfect wine for every occasion based on your preferences. Connect with friends and wine experts to discover new wines to try and learn about wine. CorkRules makes it easier to discover and drink what you love. &nbsp;

If fine French dining is your raison d’etre, Le Coucou is the place for you. Internationally acclaimed chef Daniel Rose made his name in Paris with his flair for French cuisine, and he brought his culinary creativity to New York where he established an elegant restaurant and exceptional dining experience.

Premier Cru & Grand Cru at Le Coucou

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

Andrea Morris, beverage director and sommelier, and Robert Tas talk wine at Essential by Christophe on the Upper Westside of NYC.

Wine List Review of Essential by Christophe, New York City

Andrea Morris

Essential by Christophe

Essential by Christophe 

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

Excited to announce our CorkRules app is now available for download, it has 40K of your favorite restaurants where you can get personalized recommendations, price transparency, and connect with your friends. It&rsquo;s a place to discover and order wine with confidence.

Welcome to today&rsquo;s podcast where&nbsp;we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Andrea, Beverage Director from newly opened Essential by Christophe located on UWS of NYC.

Hello Andrea,&nbsp;it&rsquo;s great to have you join us here on CorkRules.

AM: Hi Robert! Excited to be here.

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: So today we are talking about on the hottest new restaurants in NY: Essential by Christophe

Christophe Bellanca, the French chef who rose to prominence in New York at Le Cirque and L&rsquo;Atelier de Jo&euml;l Robuchon, is creating his own modern French dining experience.

I have to say, I had the pleasure of dining there last week and it was off the charts. From food to wine to service.

So, Andre let&rsquo;s start by getting to know you a little and how you got involved with Christophe?

AM: Tell me about your background, journey to Essential and special experiences. Talk about your wine journey with Court of Masters Sommeliers.

RT: Wow impressive. Let&rsquo;s talk about Christophe and the restaurant?

AM: talk about the food, vision for the experience.

RT: Alright, let&rsquo;s jump and talk about your impressive wine list.

CC: Give an overview of the list, and highlight some key areas.

-French-focused but global

-My goal is to make it feel like a list that has been around for years

-a mix of classics and quirks

&nbsp;RT: Let&rsquo;s talk about BTG program, I always think this is a great way for folks to try cool stuff.

AM: Overview, then give 2-3 options be specific.

-The btg program mirrors the rest of list- French leaning, a mix of classics and new discoveries

-Every selection is made with the food in mind

-We always have a great Champagne and a great white burg btg

-Burklin Wolf Wachenheim R Riesling 2017 

-Champ de l&rsquo;Orphee Braucol super fun Sud-Ouest red

RT: Cool. Your list has a lot to offer, what are some the unique offerings that I might not see on other lists. Anything that folks might not know to try?

AM:

-Aligote w age- Denis Bachelet 2012, Naudin 2017. Extra important now that white burg is so expensive

-Wide variety of dry Chenin

-Spanish and Portuguese whites, textured, really seafood friendly

-Aged French reds at affordable prices. Look really hard for great values, lesser-known quality producers.

RT: What about some hidden gems for value hunters.

AM: 2-3 options

-Santei Zelen from Slovenia $55

-Camp Atthalin SLB Dessus les Vermots 2017 $65

-Pas de l&rsquo;Escalette Les Clapas Languedoc $65

&nbsp;

RT: Alright, I&rsquo;m gonna throw you an easy question, Essential is a special place that would be perfect to celebrate something what are your recommendations for my big night out?

&nbsp;

AM: Give 2-3 options, be specific.

-Hubert Lamy Macherelles 2012 $500

-Trimbach CFE 2010 $350

-Dujac Charmes-Chambertin 2002 $2000

RT: Andrea, thank you so much for joining us here on CorkRules talking about the fabulous list at Essential by Christophe a must-try.&nbsp;

AM: &hellip;

RT:&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

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.

We are looking forward to being with you on another CorkRules episode soon. In the meantime, please download the CorkRules app that has over 40K restaurants that provides personalized recommendations, provides price transparency, and allows you to connect you&rsquo;re your friends&mdash;order with confidence.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

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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

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