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

Seastar Restaurant & Raw Bar

Whitney Grant

Seastar

Seastar

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!

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 Whitney Grant, wine educator and certified sommelier.

Hello Whitney, it&rsquo;s great to have back on with CorkRules.

WG: Hi Robert! Thanks for having me! I&rsquo;m excited to back with you and the CorkRules listeners.

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 intimating, 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, sit back and listen as we review your favorite wine list.

RT: Today we are talking about Seastar. Chef John Howie&rsquo;s restaurant and raw bar is known for its ever-changing seasonal menu featuring various culinary styles, offering signature dishes from the land and the sea. The wine program boasts more than 750 wines winning awards for The Best Wine List in America by Food and Wine Magazine and making the Wine Spectators Best of Award of Excellence for 15 years. &nbsp;

Whitney I can&rsquo;t wait to hear what you think of their extensive wine list.

WG: Extensive doesn&rsquo;t begin to cover it! Robert we could do a whole Cork Rules Season on this wine list, but I can definitely give you some suggestions to make you feel a little less overwhelmed looking at this list.

Also, I want to remind listeners that a quality restaurant like Seastar which is so well known for its wine lists will like have trained staff and sommeliers available to help. Always remember Somms are here to help and we are always delighted to give you recommendations catering to your personal taste and budget.

With such a large list how about we start with wines by the glass?

RT: Sounds like a great place to start.

WG: The Cloudy Bay Sauvignon Blanc from Marlborough New Zealand. This wine has concentrated tropical fruit aromas with nectarine and blossoms. Salinity gives this wine structure, with flavors of passionfruit and vibrant citrus acidity. Marlborough is the major center for wine in New Zealand and Sauvignon Blanc makes up majority of the production.

Lastly, for whites, I would recommend Megan Anne Chardonnay from the Willamette Valley in Oregon, my hometown. This wine is difficult to find but worth it with flavors of lemon zest, pear, and a lovely fruity minerality which I love in a wine.

RT: What would you recommend by the glass for our red wine drinkers?

WG: I would recommend the 2019 Boraso Garnacha &lsquo;Tres Picos&rsquo; Campo de Borja, Spain. This wine is a beautiful cherry red color with concentrated ripe red fruit aromas and subtle floral notes. Rich on the palate with flavors or blackberry, plums, leather and vanilla with lovely silky tannin.

Lastly another Willamette Valley wine close to my heart, the 2019 Stoller Pinot Noir. I hosted my sister&rsquo;s bridal shower at this beautiful winery, so I always enjoy reminiscing anytime I see these wines on a menu. This wine will be earthy, and brambly, with black cherry, fine tannins and red fruit through the finish.

RT: Wine is all about the experience and it is always fun enjoy a glass of wine that takes you back to a fun memory. Taking a look at the Buggles&rsquo; list can you explain the difference between multi-vintage, vintage, and grower/producer?

WG: Non-vintage or multi-vintage are common with sparkling wine and Champagne. Blending serves many purposes, many champagne houses aim to produce a particular style year to year. They achieve this by blending wines from different vineyards, grape varieties, and or vintages.

A vintage champagne means the wine must come from a single year, these wines are only made in the very best years and typically command higher prices.

Now the other distinction on the champagne page is the grower/producer category. Traditionally a Champagne brand or &ldquo;house&rdquo; would purchase grapes from producers across the region and create their own blend or Cuvee in that houses particular style. So, this grower/producer category are just that champagne grown and made into wine by the producer. This category has become extremely popular.

RT: Do you have a suggestion on which bottle of bubbles you&rsquo;d like?

WG: I really enjoy Veuve Cliquot. It&#39;s classic, reasonably priced, approachable, and delicious. You can go wrong with old faithful Veuve!

RT: Taking a look at the next category, what would you suggest from the New World whites?

WG: One of my favorite white varietals is Viognier. It&rsquo;s an aromatic wine but often has a rich creamy texture. I would recommend a bottle of the 2021 Mark Ryan Viognier from the Columbia Valley. Expect honeysuckle, some citrus, and melon with a lush creamy mouthfeel with a hint of vanilla and oak spice.

RT: How about an old-world white?

WG: I would recommend the Santiago Ruiz 2018 Albari&ntilde;o. Grown in the cooler NW corner of Spain, this is a delightfully refreshing white wine. This wine is a beautiful yellow color with a green tint. Expect a fruity nose of pear and citrus with some minty herbal notes and lovely minerality.

RT: Spanish Albari&ntilde;os are fantastic wines. Do you have recommendations for a new-world and old-world red wine?

WG:&nbsp; The New World red I would highly recommend is the 2005 Foley Vineyards Claret. This is a left-bank Bordeaux style blend of 90% Cabernet Sauvignon and 10% Merlot. This wine is a bit more expensive but this older vintage has aged perfectly, This wine has superb balanced with flavors of super concentrated ripe black cherries, leather, delicate tannins and lovely acidity that has allowed this wine to age so nicely. This is a very popular wine with investors and wine collectors and will certainly impress your guests.

For Old-World, I would recommend the 2016 Liedhom Barbera d&rsquo;Asti from Piedmont, Italy. A quality region growing late ripening Barbera grapes. This wine is a beautiful deep garnet color, medium-bodied with aromas of red cherries and plum flavors with a slight hint of black pepper aged in oak barrels for 18 months.

RT: Ok so your night at Seastar is coming to a close and you&rsquo;re looking to end the night with something sweet, is there a dessert wine you&rsquo;d recommend?

WG: I would recommend one of the Tawny Ports there is a 20-year, 30-year, and 40-year Taylor Fladgate Tawny Ports on the menu.

RT: Can you break down the difference between those 3 options?

WG: Yes! First off Taylor Fladgate is one of the most highly respected producer of aged port, so really you can&rsquo;t go wrong with any of these wines. To qualify the wine must be consistent with the characteristics of a typical wine that age. The age o the bottle is an average age rather than the youngest of the wine.

Tawny Port undergoes a long oxidative maturation in barrels with age, primary fruit flavors fade and become raisiny with falvors of walnuts, coffee, chocolate, and caramel and the color continues to darken with age. Lets take a look at the specifics for these 3 wines.

The 20-year tawny port is an amber tawny color, has a complex nose that is spicy, jammy, nutty wit hints of orange flower, rich concentrated flavors with a mellow finish.

The 30-year tawny port is a deep, old gold color, you can expect dried fruits and honey offsetting the rich nutty aromas, lush silky richness with layers of caramel and nuts with an endless finish.

The 40-year tawny port has an old olive gold hue from many years in casks. Decades of evaporation concentrate the density of the wine. Powerful aromas of dried fruit and honey with a touch of spice. Nutmeg, roasted coffee and an intense nuttiness. The long finish is rich, intense with a viscous texture.

A fun way to end the night would be to each order a glass and all share to compare these 3 different wines.

RT: Whitney Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Seastar&rsquo;s spectacular wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try some of these wines myself.

WG: Thanks for having me, Robert, this was an exciting list to review and I hope everyone enjoyed these selections!

RT: 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.

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

End

&nbsp;

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Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Precision is a family-owned winery located in Napa Valley, USA. Founded in 2007 by Stephen G. Krebs, the winery produces small-batch wines using a precision winemaking philosophy. The winery is known for its commitment to quality and attention to detail.

Fine-dining spot featuring New American-Mediterranean fare plus signature cocktails & live music.

Eddy V's Prime Seafood Restaurant

The View

Il Capriccio

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Bellissimo

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Mirabelle Restaurant & Tavern

Mirabelle at Three Village Inn

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

CityGate Grille

Beaulieu Vineyard Merlot Coastal Estates, USA, California NV

Merlot

California, USA

Domaine Patrick Girault

Le Grand Moulin Sancerre 2021

Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre, France

Domaine Patrick Girault

Le Grand Moulin Sancerre NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Sancerre, France

Gouguenheim

Malbec, Mendoza 2019

Mendoza, Argentina

Lignum

Red Blend 2018

Merlot

Sicilia, Italy

Lignum

Lignum Vitis Frappato - Shiraz 2018

Blend

Terre Siciliane, Italy

Meiomi

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Cà Montini

Terre di Valfredda Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

Trentino, Italy

Giocato Sauvignon Blanc, Slovenia, Primorska, Goriška Brda 2020

Sauvignon Blanc

Primorska, Slovenia

Vietti

Moscato d'Asti 2021

Moscato Bianco

Moscato d'Asti, Piedmont, Italy

Pine Ridge

Chenin Blanc - Viognier 2021

Blend

Napa Valley, USA

Mer Soleil

Silver Chardonnay 2019

Chardonnay

California, USA

Penfolds

Koonunga Hill Shiraz - Cabernet 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon

South Australia, Australia

Skouras

Saint George Nemea 2019

Agiorgitiko

Peloponnese, Greece

Penfolds

Koonunga Hill Shiraz, Barossa Valley 2019

Barossa, South Australia, Australia