Corkbuzz

Corkbuzz

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules! 

A podcast where we will review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I’m your host Robert Tas along with Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier. Hello Grace, it’s great to have you!

GH: Hey hey Robert happy to be here as always

RT Before we jump in, let’s talk about those wine lists. We created CorkRules to help demystify wine list’s because we know from experience, that sometimes when we get that list handed to us, well… 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: Ok Grace so I know you’ve been very excited about this episode, b/c today we’re finally talking about the legendary New York city wine bar Corkbuzz.  

GH: You are so right Robert! I was so excited when I learned Corkbuzz was next on our list. I have been a fan of Corkbuzz for years, mainly b/c it was one of the first really noteworthy wine spots to be owned and operated by a lady sommelier, Laura Maniec! She's a LEGEND in the industry - one of the only female master sommeliers in the world, and a leader in our industry. 

RT: Amazing. Love highlighting the women of the wine industry. I can’t wait to hear your thoughts about it. What makes Corkbuzz so unique Grace?

GH: So since Corkbuzz is run by sommeliers, they are really passionate about wine education. This is a place where you really can spread your wings and open yourself up to lots of different types of wines you haven't had before. They have a massive wine by-the-glass list as well as a variety of wine flights! They do have a lovely food menu as well, with one who section just dedicated to charcuterie boards, which people are all about these days. 

RT: I love it – so how are we going to navigate their wine list?

GH: To be honest I know we mainly review bottles on this podcast, but since Corkbuzz is so unique and they have such an incredible wines by-the-glass, I’d love to highlight some of those options! You'll be able to try to make incredible wines that you probably wouldn't order by the bottle. So this is the place to be curious and adventurous! 

RT: I love it. You know we’re all about wine education here on CorkRules.

GH: And since this is going to be kind of a unique episode, I'm going to highlight some of the special things they have on the wines by the glass and then also give my own personal takes on wines that I would try if I was hanging at Corkbuzz. If that’s ok with you guys!

RT: Let’s go for it. Take us away Miss Sommelier.

GH: Starting at sparkling b/c that's where we usually do. I'm interested in trying the sparkling Beaujolais which is Burgundian Gamay noir. Could also be down with this yummy sparkling Chenin blanc from the Languedoc in the south of France. Both really unique small production cremants! Haven't seen either of these on wine lists in the states. 

RT: Oh, yum those sound amazing. What would you do for whites then?

GH: In the whites, starting with lighter ones, I'm def going to be trying this central coast picpoul from the Bonny Dune vineyard. You don’t really see the picpoul grape outside of France so I'm super curious about it. Then they have this super rare Italian white grape called Mataossu which almost went extinct a while back! Yes, you heard right - grapes can be endangered just like animal or other plant species. I don't know the last time I had Matassou was, it's also called lumassina sometimes just FYI. And then another really interesting white to try would be, and please forgive my pronunciation on this, the Tsitsqa Tsolikouri, which is from Georgia! See this is why I love places like Corkbuzz - they're bringing in wine from all over the world, reintroducing historic wine regions to the modern marketplace. 

RT: Endangered grapes! Sounds like we should have David Attenborough narrating this episode haha

GH: haha I would love to hear David Attenborough talk about wine!

RT: Now I’m not surprised at all to see that they have orange wine on the menu at Corkbuzz.  This seems like it would definitely be the place to try orange wines.

GH: Totally have to give a quick shout-out on the orange/rose list - if you want to try a domestic orange wine. They have one from one of my favorite regions, you guessed it, the Willamette valley. It’s a white blend from the day wines vineyards, and in this bottle, we've got a killer mix of Riesling, muller-thurgau, gewurztraminer and pinot gris, which all grow fabulously in the cloudy drizzly pacific northwest. I've had coferments of these grapes before from a friend who has a tiny production vineyard in Willamette, and it is not like your average orange wine. Since it's made from grapes that have a little bit of residual sugar, it has these really lovely fruity floral aromatics, compared to some other orange wines that tend to skew more sour, ya know? Don't sleep on this Oregon orange baby!

RT: Oregon Orange, love the play on words. Where to next?

GH : All right we've arrived at reds! Now I know a lot about wine, like a lot a lot. I've been in the game professionally for 15 years, but even I will never know every single thing in the wine world. It would be impossible! For starters, there are around 8000 species of vinis vinifera in the world! But this is why I love this industry b/c you will never ever stop learning. And with this in mind, I was super curious about this 2019 Colombera & Garella Vispavola 'from Piedmont, Italy. I've never even heard of that grape before! And turns out I am not alone Vispavola is a red Italian grape that is usually found in blends, so that would be a really interesting wine to try for sure. Another one that piqued my curiosity was the piquepoul noir from the south of France grown right on the Mediterranean. I'm a big fan of piquepoul white so I'd love to try that one. 

RT: Too many grapes not enough time.  Amazing Grace. Great choices as always. Thank you for helping us navigate the wine list at Corkbuzz.

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: Info@CorkRules.com 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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