Hey guys!

Guess where I had dinner last night? Babbo Ristorante in NYC! If you&#39;re a foodie like me, I&#39;m sure you&#39;ve heard of this amazing Italian classic Let me give you the lowdown on this place and why you absolutely need to check it out.

First things first, let&#39;s talk about the history of Babbo. Back in 1998, renowned chef Mario Batali opened this gem in the heart of Greenwich Village. It quickly became one of the hottest spots in the city, attracting food lovers from all over the world. Fast forward to today, and the restaurant is now under the expert management of chef-owner Mark Ladner, who has taken Babbo to new culinary heights.

<a href="https://www.corkrules.com/babbo/episodes/252">Check out CorkRules Podcast #218</a>&nbsp;by our very own Maria Valetta aka @mariathewineblonde.

Food: (4.5/5) - Now, let&#39;s dive into the food. The menu at Babbo is a celebration of classic Italian cuisine with a modern twist. They offer a wide variety of dishes, ranging from antipasti like the famous Grilled Octopus with Borlotti Beans to mouthwatering homemade pasta dishes like the unforgettable Black Spaghetti with Rock Shrimp and Spicy Calabrese. Chef Ladner&#39;s expertise really shines through in every bite, and you can taste the love and dedication put into each dish.

Wine: (4/5) - But it&#39;s not just the food that makes Babbo stand out; their wine program is equally impressive. Head sommelier Jeff Kellogg has curated an exceptional but overwhelming wine list, featuring a fantastic selection of Italian wines as well as some hidden gems from around the world. Whether you&#39;re a wine connoisseur or just enjoy a good glass of vino, you&#39;ll find something to suit your taste here. The knowledgeable staff is more than happy to help you find the perfect pairing for your meal, making the dining experience even more enjoyable.

Service: (4/5) And speaking of the staff, let&#39;s talk about the service at Babbo. From the moment you step through the doors, you&#39;re greeted with warm smiles and attentive hospitality. The staff is incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about the food and wine they serve, and they go above and beyond to ensure that every guest feels well taken care of. It&#39;s the kind of service that makes you feel like a VIP.

Vibe: (4/5) Finally, let&#39;s talk ambiance. If you&#39;re looking for a cozy and intimate setting for date night, Babbo is the place to be. The restaurant has a charming rustic decor, with warm lighting and exposed brick walls that exude a welcoming atmosphere. The energy is lively and vibrant, making it the perfect spot for a celebratory dinner or a romantic date night. And if you&#39;re looking to host a private event, Babbo also offers a private dining room that can accommodate larger parties.

Babbo is one the quintessential restaurants in NYC and is simply outstanding. From the incredible food to the exceptional service, this place has it all. Whether you&#39;re a fan of Italian cuisine or just looking for a memorable dining experience, Babbo is definitely worth a visit. So go ahead and make a reservation and prepare to indulge in the best of Italian flavors. You won&#39;t be disappointed!

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

Back in 1998, renowned chef Mario Batali opened this gem in the heart of Greenwich Village. It quickly became one of the hottest spots in the city, attracting food lovers from all over the world. Fast forward to today, and the restaurant is now under the expert management of chef-owner Mark Ladner, who has taken Babbo to new culinary heights.

Babbo Ristorante in NYC! An Italian Classic!

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

Carbone

Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Carbone, a high-end Italian restaurant that retains the glamor of mid-20th-century Italian restaurants. 

Wine List Review of Carbone, 

Maria Valetta

Carbone Las Vegas 

&nbsp;

RT): Hi Everyone, welcome back to CorkRules! The wine podcast that&rsquo;s here to help YOU navigate all your favorite restaurant wine lists so you can 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 on Instagram. Welcome back Maria

MV: Hi Robert, it&rsquo;s great to be here for another episode today we are talking about Carbone Las Vegas a spot we go to often for celebrations!

RT: Laughs&hellip; that&rsquo;s right.. Carbone&rsquo;s Las vegas outpost is known for its HEFTY portions of Italian-American favorites, served in a swanky setting. Located within the Aria Casino and Resort, this restaurant is such a hot spot you can often see crowds of people waiting outside to get in for their reservation. Timeless Italian classics are elevated with table-side presentations in the glamorous dining room that takes its d&eacute;cor inspiration from the rat pack era. Maria I can&rsquo;t wait to see what you think of their extensive wine list.

MV: I really love how well Carbone does elevated Italian-American cuisine..- it reminds me of the way I grew up and the kind of food we ate&hellip; especially for our early Sunday suppers with Nonna. Now I thought the NYC wine list was all that&hellip; but the Vegas location &hellip; just as impressive! Lots of Italian of course but also some great French finds, and California is just as well represented&hellip;I mean,&nbsp; it is an Italian American restaurant after all.

RT: Well of course.. so walk us through your favorites starting with the by-the-glass list.. something we didn&rsquo;t have access to for our NY episode

MV: That&rsquo;s right&hellip; Okay so definitely start with their negroni&hellip; it&rsquo;s the best! And then order a glass of the Lunae, Colli di Luni, Liguria&nbsp;2021&nbsp;Vermentino. For me, the vermentinos from Liguria have a little more floral essence that I find really lovely. Try it with the baked clams, Ceasar salad..veggie dishes, and fresh fish

If you want a fuller-bodied white try the Brewer-Clifton, Chardonnay, Sta. Rita Hills&nbsp;2019&nbsp;

$25 but this is not an oaky chard as winemaker Greg brewer uses only neutral barrels here.

Red standouts for me are the Barbaresco, Musso, Rio Sordo, Piedmont&nbsp;2018&nbsp;

$29 which is full of Ripe cherry black tar, and dark plums. And the&nbsp; , Masi, Costasera&nbsp;Amarone della Valpolicella 2017&nbsp; $33 which has coffee and cocoa notes along with red and black fruit and a higher alcohol level. (15%!!!) But both are great options for richly flavored meat dishes.

RT: Beautiful wines.. Given how great the wines by the glass are I can&rsquo;t wait to see your selections for bottles. Does anything stand out that&rsquo;s on the more affordable side?

MV: If you like Pinot noir, then try the Tornatore, Pietrarizzo, Etna Rosso&nbsp;2019&nbsp;[Bin - 33513]

$102 made from the nerelo mascallese grape, this Sicilian red has a delicate structure and a spiced herbal fruit flavor. If you like Sangiovese but not the price tag that sometimes comes with it at times,, try this one.. the Badia a Coltibuono, Sangioveto&nbsp;2015&nbsp;a smaller production release that&#39;s only made in select years and Aged in French oak for about 12-16 months

RT: How about if I&rsquo;m having the dover sole Picatta?

MV: Ah yes..so I went with value reds first because it&rsquo;s so fitting here, but the dover sole is spectacular the picatta is butter on butter plus capers and lemon&hellip;they have this funky little gem that I think is priced reasonably because no one is going to know what it is -But I would go for it&hellip; the Clos Uroulat&nbsp;2017&nbsp;Jurancon sec&nbsp; this French estate is run by a father-daughter team and they practice biodynamic farming It is a blend of two local grape varieties - Gros Manseng and Courbu aged 10 months in oak, giving it a rich golden color. Big and fleshy they say it&rsquo;s an intense wine.. I like intense don&rsquo;t you?

RT: I do&hellip; and Hey I&rsquo;m always up for trying new wines. Especially with a fair price tag! Now you said this is your celebration spot, so which wines do we order for special occasions here?

MV: So if you love a good Pinot.. hands down the Cirq, Russian River Valley&nbsp;Pinot Noir 2018&nbsp;[Bin - 35378] is going to one you&rsquo;ll fall in love with!&nbsp; $581 Cirq is the new project from Michel Browne.. ya know the co-founder of the famed Kosta Brown estate so you now you know this is going to be a good bottle. We are actually on their mailing list! The wines although expensive, are fantastic!

MV: Another beauty, the Antinori, Guado Al Tasso, Bolgheri&nbsp;2019&nbsp;[Bin - 35287] a super Tuscan maybe not as recognizable as some of the others but I&rsquo;ve been drinking this one since before it was famous&hellip; before the hefty price tag. Cab sauv dominated with some merlot and an increasing amount of more Cab franc every year due to global warming in the vineyard.

$338

And 2 more Tuscan gems, the Fontodi, Flaccianello della Pieve&nbsp;2007&nbsp;[Bin - 18917] the old world grape Sangiovese&nbsp; is the star here but handled with new world winemaking techniques.

$468 2007 is great older vintage but if you prefer your wines with less age on them try the Biondi Santi&nbsp;2016 Brunello di Montalcino. Iconic producer.. this could easily steal the attention of everyone at the table. [Bin - 35187]

RT: Any celebratory white that we should take note of?

MV: HA! there I go again right to red.. let me see ah yes&hellip; the Gaja, Gaia &amp; Rey&nbsp;2017 a gorgeous chardonnay from Gaja the italian producer that consistently has the highest priced wines..but the quality matches the price tag.&nbsp; I&rsquo;d love a chance to try this knock-out white with the whole Bronzino or even the Veal parmesan at Carbone..

RT: And there you go! The wine list at Carbone a la Maria! 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.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

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

Domaine Oudin is a small family-owned winery located in the heart of Chablis. They are known for producing high-quality, terroir-driven Chardonnay wines that are elegant, complex, and age-worthy.

Burgers, steaks & other classic American dishes served in a warm, sleek space with a piano bar.

Krasi

Sazon

La Boca

Coppa

Helm Oyster Bar & Bistro

Helm Oyster Bar and Bistro

Ledger Restaurant & Bar

Ledger

Row 34

The Ordinary

The Fig

Harvest

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

Marin Joe's Restaurant

Available Wines
Total Wines - 9

Arrowood

Sonoma Estates Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

Sonoma County, USA

Francis Coppola, Directors Cabernet Sauvignon, Sonoma County 2019

California, USA

Folie a Deux Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2016

Napa Valley, USA

Rutherford Hill

Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 2018

California, USA

Tamber Bey

Deux Chevaux Vineyard Cabernet Sauvignon 2015

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Napa Cellars

Cabernet Sauvignon 2019

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Athenaeum

Napa Valley Cabernet Sauvignon 2017

Cabernet Sauvignon

Napa Valley, USA

Groth Cabernet Sauvignon, USA, California, Napa 2017

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Chimney Rock

Cabernet Sauvignon 2018

Cabernet Sauvignon

Stags Leap District, USA