California Chardonnay: it&#39;s a name synonymous with sunshine, buttery richness, and maybe even a splash of white wine envy (looking at you, Bridget Jones). But how did this grape, originally hailing from France, become a Californian icon? Buckle up, because we&#39;re diving into the world of CA Chard, from its unexpected origins to the reasons it continues to reign supreme on wine lists.

California Chardonnay&#39;s rise to fame is a fascinating tale involving a few key ingredients: a chance upset, ideal growing conditions, and evolving winemaking styles.

The Judgement of Paris (1976): This blind tasting, where Californian Chardonnays triumphed over prestigious French Burgundies, sent shockwaves through the wine world. It proved that California could compete with, and even surpass, established wine regions. This win put Californian Chardonnay on the map and sparked international interest.

Sunshine State Advantage: California&#39;s sunny climate proved ideal for Chardonnay grapes. The warm days and cool nights allowed the grapes to develop ripe fruit flavors while retaining refreshing acidity, a key factor in a well-balanced wine. This happy marriage of climate and grape variety made California Chardonnays a crowd-pleaser.

From Buttery to Bold (and Beyond): Early California Chardonnays often leaned heavily on oak aging, resulting in a rich, buttery style. While popular initially, this style eventually faced a backlash. Winemakers began exploring different techniques, like using less oak or stainless steel tanks, to showcase the grape&#39;s natural fruit flavors and create a wider range of Chardonnay expressions. Today, you can find California Chardonnays in a spectrum of styles, from unoaked and crisp to rich and barrel-aged.

This combination of a pivotal tasting, ideal growing conditions, and a willingness to experiment with winemaking styles all contributed to California Chardonnay&#39;s rise to superstardom.

Here are three California bottles won&#39;t disappoint.

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Anthill-Farms-Chardonnay-Russian-River-Valley-Peugh-Vineyard-2021-w42758470w">1. Anthill Farms - Chardonnay Russian River Valley Peugh Vineyard 2021:</a>&nbsp;- $49.99

<ul>
	<li>Winery:&nbsp;Three passionate friends with grit (and maybe a little dirt under their fingernails) started Anthill Farms. They learned the ropes at prestigious wineries before chasing their dream.</li>
	<li>Flavor Profile:&nbsp;Imagine a crisp walk through a summer orchard, with juicy pear, tangerine, and hints of honeysuckle. The subtle oak adds a touch of vanilla bean for a luxurious finish.</li>
	<li>Food Pairing:&nbsp;This wine craves seafood. Think grilled lobster with lemon butter or creamy Dungeness crab cakes.</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Beringer-Chardonnay-Napa-Valley-Private-Reserve-2022-w046619545">2. Beringer - Chardonnay Napa Valley Private Reserve 2022:</a>&nbsp;- $35.99

<ul>
	<li>Winery:&nbsp;Beringer boasts a rich history dating back to the 1870s. They&#39;re Napa Valley royalty, known for crafting bold, yet balanced wines.</li>
	<li>Flavor Profile:&nbsp;This Chardonnay is all sunshine and smiles. Expect notes of pineapple, mango, and a hint of minerality. The oak influence is present but adds a touch of spice and toasty brioche, not overwhelming sweetness.</li>
	<li>Food Pairing:&nbsp;Beringer&#39;s Private Reserve is a versatile crowd-pleaser. Enjoy it with roasted chicken with creamy herb stuffing, or go lighter with goat cheese salad and grilled peaches.</li>
</ul>

<a href="https://www.grapesthewineco.com/wines/Pride-Chardonnay-2017-w7207869y8">3. Pride - Chardonnay 2017 </a>- $46.99 

(Note: Due to the vintage being 2017, this wine might be challenging to find)

<ul>
	<li>Winery:&nbsp;shrouded in a bit of mystery, Pride focuses on small-production, high-quality Chardonnay and Cabernet Sauvignon.</li>
	<li>Flavor Profile:&nbsp;With some bottle age, this Chardonnay is likely to be evolving into something truly special. Expect richer flavors of stone fruit, honey, and a touch of butterscotch. Look for hints of spice and toast from oak aging.</li>
	<li>Food Pairing:&nbsp;This Chardonnay can stand up to heartier dishes. Think creamy mushroom risotto, roasted pork tenderloin with caramelized onions, or even a decadent cheese board.</li>
</ul>

&nbsp;

California Chardonnay: it's a name synonymous with sunshine, buttery richness, and maybe even a splash of white wine envy (looking at you, Bridget Jones). But how did this grape, originally hailing from France, become a Californian icon? Buckle up, because we're diving into the world of CA Chard, from its unexpected origins to the reasons it continues to reign supreme on wine lists.

Buckle up, because we're diving into the world of CA Chard!

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

Pammy’s

Sam Hohl

Pammy's

Pammy&rsquo;s

RT: Hello and welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where we review a wine list from your favorite restaurants. I&rsquo;m your host Robert Tas along with Samatha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier

Hello Sam, great to have you back for another great wine list.

SH: Hello Robert!

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 wine lists can be intimidating, and even a little daunting.

Our aim is to help prepare you to navigate that list, find those hidden gems, 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.

RT: Overview

Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts Pammy&rsquo;s is an inviting spot offering their unique spins on Italian-American food.

RT: Where to start

I&rsquo;m so excited to delve into this list focusing on natural wines from American and Italian producers. Natural wine can cause some confusion, since many people think it&rsquo;s a cloudy kombucha-like product. But natural wines mean wines that are produced with the integrity of the land and the purity of the wine in mind. On this curated list we&rsquo;ll see grapes that maybe you&rsquo;ve never heard of before, and there&rsquo;s plenty of opportunity to fall in love with something new.

RT: Set up

&nbsp;The way the wine list is arranged in a way that makes navigating some of these new options easier. It&rsquo;s set up by type of wine, like white and red, but then categorizes their offerings by adjectives, which is such a fun way to explore a new wine! For example, under their white section, they have a section called &ldquo;Textured and Mineral,&rdquo; and a section under their red selections called &ldquo;Earth and Fruit.&rdquo; These sections can help identify what you like about a wine that isn&rsquo;t necessarily a grape.

RT: Set up

A white wine that caught my eye was the 2019 Lapetus Substratta. This&nbsp; wine is made primarily from the Louise Swenson grape which was created by Elmer Swenson. He was a grape breeder in the midwest who focused on creating varietals that would succeed in cold climates. Lapetus wine in Vermont utilizes this cold climate grape, and the environment, land and the winemaking are all viewed as essential parts of the end result. This bottle is going to have notes of melon, pineapple and lemon. It&rsquo;s smooth on the palate with a bright finish. The baby beets with greek yogurt would provide a lovely earthiness and creaminess next to this wine.

RT: Red

If you&rsquo;re looking for a unique red, try the 2018 ODB Trousseau Noir from Forlorn Hope. Forlorn Hope creates wines that honor the characteristics of their estate, and take great pride in organically farming their vineyards and crafting their wines without the use of chemical additives. Their Trousseau vines also have an interesting story - the vines had been absent from the Foothills for nearly a century after prohibition. After some vines were found at an abandoned research station run by UC Davis the vines were brought back to the university and among them was Trousseau. Forlorn Hope brought the vines back to their vinyard after this long absence and are creating the ODB Trousseau. This red is super fun to drink. Even with its light body, it has some excellent grippiness, along with notes of strawberry, cranberry and dried herbs. This light red would be great paired with the lamb chop with buttered apple couscous.

RT: Value Bottle

If you&rsquo;re searching for a delicious value bottle then consider trying the 2019 Cardedu Bucce from Sardinia. The Cardedu vineyards are located on the Southeast part of the island near the coast. &ldquo;Bucce&rdquo; means skins, a nod to the fact that it&rsquo;s technically an orange wine. The white grape blend sees a few days of fermentation time with their skins, giving this wine its golden-hued color. It has delicate floral notes, and a delicious citrus tang. It also has some nice salinity from that coastal influence. It would be easily enjoyed alongside the Rhode Island squid.

RT Celebratory

A bottle that&rsquo;s going to bring the celebration would be the 2005 Barbaresco Riserva Montefico. You may already be a lover of the Nebbiolo grape, but this bottle here will be a real treat. By law in Italy, Barbaresco Riserva must be aged for fifty months, and nine of those months must be in oak. This aging reveals so many complex aromas and flavors, layers of richness and structured tannins. It&rsquo;s lush and dense, boasting blackfruit and raspberry, along with notes of tobacco and leather. 2005 was a wonderful year for Barbaresco wines and this bottle wants you to know it. Enjoy with Pammy&rsquo;s Lumache pasta with bolognese sauce.

Sam, Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate Pammy&rsquo;s wine list. I can&rsquo;t wait to go try your great suggestions.&nbsp;&nbsp;

To our audience, thank you all for joining us here on CorkRules.

If you would like Sam 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.&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

Thank you.

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

&nbsp;

BRAT

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Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

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Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Vintage Crush is a family-owned winery located in the heart of Ontario's wine country. Founded in 1995 by John Smith, the winery produces a range of premium wines that reflect the unique character of the region.

Steakhouse chain serving beef, seafood & cocktails in swanky surrounds with live music.

Viva Garcia

Brera Osteria

Buddy V's

Yardbird

CHICA Las Vegas

Chica

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Hell's Kitchen, Las Vegas

Brera

Jasmine

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

Sullivan's Steakhouse

Campo Viejo

Tempranillo NV

Tempranillo

Rioja, Spain

Saved

California NV

California, USA

Mohua

Sauvignon Blanc NV

Sauvignon Blanc

Marlborough, New Zealand

Esperto

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Gris

Delle Venezie, Italy

Kris

Pinot Grigio NV

Pinot Grigio

Delle Venezie, Italy

Mark West

California Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA

Ruffino

Aziano Chianti Classico NV

Sangiovese

Chianti, Tuscany, Italy

Louis Jadot

Beaujolais-Villages Gamay NV

Gamay

Beaujolais-Villages, France

E. Guigal

Cotes-du-Rhone Blanc NV

Viognier

Cotes du Rhone, Rhone, France

Chateau Ste. Michelle

Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

Washington, USA

The Eyrie Vineyards

Original Vines Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Oregon, USA

Alexana

Revana Vineyard Estate Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

Oregon, USA

Chardonnay

Meiomi, California NV

California, USA

Alexander Valley Vineyards

Estate Cabernet Sauvignon NV

Cabernet Sauvignon

California, USA

Meiomi

Pinot Noir NV

Pinot Noir

California, USA