The wine and&nbsp;restaurant industry is at an interesting point post covid, staff shortage, new models, supply chain challenges, and staff shortages.

We are interested in understanding your dining and wine consumption habits to gain valuable insights into the wine and restaurant industry. Your responses will be anonymous and confidential.

Survey should take about 5 min to complete.

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Please click <a href="https://forms.gle/4ak7KVhw6kSygnpu7">here</a>.&nbsp;

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We are interested in understanding your dining and wine consumption habits to gain valuable insights into the wine and restaurant industry.

State of Wine and Restaurant Survey 2024

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

Restoration Hardware

Grace Hood

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where, in each episode, 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: Hey, hey, Robert happy to be here as always

RT Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about CorkRules.

We created CorkRules to demystify wine list&rsquo;s 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.

So, Grace - today we&rsquo;re talking about Restoration Hardware.

GH: Isn&rsquo;t that a bougie furniture company? Do I need to put my interior design hat on?

RT: ha ha ha you are a woman of many talents.

GH: I kid of course. I love that RH was able to move into the hospitality space! Many high-end retailers have cafes in them, so it was interesting to see Restoration Hardware move into this business model.

RT: Totally! You can shop and sip at the same time! Nothing like couches and cabernet

MV: ha-ha yes exactly! Speaking of sipping, checking out the RH wine list - they&rsquo;ve got a lot of the popular girls on there. A lot of name brands that people would recognize. They&rsquo;re not trying to reinvent the wheel here ya know? Their list is super approachable. They have a pretty extensive wines by-the-glass list which I always appreciate b/c you get to try different wines you may have not had before but felt hesitant to order a whole bottle of.

RT: What sticks out to you on the wines by the glass list?

MV: So, a lot of people usually think that the wines by-the-glass list is just going to be lower-tier wines that are just easy to sell. Approachable price points around that $10-$15 sweet spot. However, if you&rsquo;re a sommelier or wine director or beverage manager nerd, and you know your clientele, you can reallly make a killing with the by the glass list, offering wines in many prices points. For instance, on the RH menu, we have everything from a Scarpetta Pinot Grigio, which is master sommelier Bobby Stuckey&rsquo;s delicious Italian wine brand, at $15 a glass - all the way up to $40 glass of the famous Silver Oak cabernet. Never sleep on the wines by the glass list!

RT: You can go sleep on the restoration hardware beds instead!

&nbsp;

MV: H&Aacute; H&Aacute; HA yes but don&rsquo;t spill the wine on the sheets!

RT: That would be a tragedy - now Grace what are we thinking for wines by the bottle?

GH: It&rsquo;s a great mix of classic old-world, new world. If it was me and I was going furniture shopping or meeting the ladies who lunch, def gotta start off with some bubbly. If we&rsquo;re looking for value - go with the Juve y Camps cava, or if you&rsquo;re to splurge, the Champagne Collet Brut Rose. Or if you&rsquo;re in a rose all-day kind of vibe - the Miraval or Ott from Provence, France are both legendary rose houses.

RT: What&#39;s better than ros&eacute; at lunch?

MV: Sancerre at lunch ha ha ha they have the Saget la Perriere, or if you want another crispy aromatic French white, go with the Petit Chablis from Domaine Jolly 

RT: Oui oui madame love where your heads at. What about some red wine while we pick out curtains?

MV: Well what pairs better with curtains than pinot noir ha ha ha that would be great wine pairing activity - furniture and wine. But I digress - they do have some fabulous pinots on here from two of my favorite California vineyards - Lioco and Kosta Browne. Or if you&rsquo;re wanting some fan favorite Italian producers - they&rsquo;ve got the la spinetta and antinori tiganello. 

RT: I love it! Grace thanks so much for helping us navigate the unique wine list at Restoration Hardware.

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@corkrules.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.

End

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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

La Crema is a well-known winery located in the heart of Sonoma Coast, California. They are known for their expertise in crafting premium cool-climate varietals, such as Pinot Noir and Chardonnay. Their winemaking philosophy is centered around creating wines that are both elegant and balanced, showcasing the unique terroir of the region. La Crema is a medium-sized winery with a focus on sustainable practices and a commitment to quality.

Colorfully decorated Italian restaurant with an extensive menu of classic entrees, panini & pizza.

Delfina Restaurant

Delfina

AFICI

Afici

Ancora

Muller & Lux

The Morris

Spruce

Chez Panisse

Bar Sprezzatura

Sprezzatura

Rich Table

The Progress

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

Villaggio Iccara

Meadowcroft

Louvau Vineyard Zinfandel 2018

Zinfandel

California, USA

Meadowcroft

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

Mount Veeder, USA

Details

Sauvignon Blanc 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Sonoma County

Meadowcroft

Pinot Noir 2021

Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast, USA

Rootdown

Es Okay Pinot Gris 2021

Pinot Gris

Mendocino County, USA

Meadowcroft

French Colombard 2021

Colombard

Russian River Valley, USA

Meadowcroft

River Trace Red Blend 2019

Blend

Chalk Hill, USA

Meadowcroft

Cru de la Ruche Malbec 2020

Malbec

Suisun Valley, USA

Meadowcroft

Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Meadowcroft

Anniversary Cuvee Red Blend 2021

Blend

California, USA

Meadowcroft

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Meadowcroft

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Sonoma Coast, USA

Meadowcroft

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Montsecano

Migrante Malbec - Pinot Noir NV

Blend

Casablanca Valley, Chile

Thomas Henry

Chardonnay NV

Chardonnay

Sonoma County, USA