&nbsp;

Paola Bea is a legendary figure in the world of Italian wine, particularly in Umbria. The family is renowned for their commitment to natural winemaking and has been instrumental in establishing the reputation of Sagrantino di Montefalco as one of Italy&#39;s most distinctive wines.

The Paola Bea estate, located near the town of Montefalco, has been in the family for generations. However, it was under Paola&#39;s stewardship that it gained international recognition. The vineyards are farmed organically without any chemical intervention and minimal mechanization.

Paola Bea wines are known for their intense character and depth of flavor. They reflect not only the unique terroir but also Paola&#39;s dedication to traditional winemaking methods such as long maceration periods and aging in large oak barrels.

His approach results in wines that are expressive, complex, and have a strong sense of place &ndash; characteristics highly valued by wine enthusiasts worldwide. Whether you&#39;re tasting the acclaimed Sagrantino or lesser-known blends like San Valentino Palo Bea, you can expect an authentic representation of Umbrian viticulture at its finest from this esteemed producer.

Review of San Valentino Palo Bea

San Valentino is a highly esteemed winery located in the Emilia-Romagna region of Italy. Known for its dedication to organic and biodynamic farming practices, this producer has carved out a niche for itself as an innovative and sustainable wine creator. The vineyard was established by Umberto Cesari in 1965, who passionately believed in the potential of Sangiovese grapes from Romagna.

Color:

The San Valentino Palo Bea presents a rich, deep ruby red color that is almost opaque. This intense hue hints at the concentration and complexity within each bottle.

Nose:

On the nose, this wine offers an enticing blend of ripe black fruits like cherries and plums mingled with earthy undertones of leather and tobacco. There are also delightful notes of spices such as clove and cinnamon which add depth to its aromatic profile.

Tannins:

The tannins in San Valentino Palo Bea are well-structured yet supple, providing a robust backbone without overwhelming the palate. They contribute to its full-bodied nature while ensuring longevity for cellaring.

Taste:

Upon tasting, one can expect an explosion of flavors echoing those on the nose - ripe dark fruits layered with spice and earthy nuances. The finish is long-lasting with hints of sweet vanilla oak from barrel aging.

Critic Score &amp; Reviews:

San Valentino Palo Bea consistently receives high scores from critics around the world due to its exceptional quality. It frequently garners ratings above 90 points from renowned publications like Wine Spectator and Decanter Magazine. Reviewers often praise it for its balance between fruit intensity, tannic structure, acidity levels, making it both approachable now but capable of aging gracefully over time.

Food Pairing:

Given its robust character and complex flavor profile, San Valentino Palo Bea pairs wonderfully with hearty dishes such as grilled red meats, game, and rich pasta dishes. It also complements aged cheeses like Parmigiano-Reggiano or Pecorino Romano.

San Valentino Palo Bea is a testament to the winemaking prowess of its producer. Its full-bodied nature coupled with complex flavors and aromas make it an excellent choice for those seeking a high-quality Italian wine that showcases the potential of Sangiovese grapes from Emilia-Romagna.

Paola Bea is a legendary figure in the world of Italian wine, particularly in Umbria. The family is renowned for their commitment to natural winemaking and has been instrumental in establishing the reputation of Sagrantino di Montefalco as one of Italy's most distinctive wines.

San Valentino Paolo Bea an Italian treasure

Bordeaux is a name synonymous with some of the world's most prestigious red wines, but its white wines, particularly Bordeaux Blanc, often fly under the radar. While the reds of this region have garnered international fame, Bordeaux Blanc wines, crafted primarily from Sauvignon Blanc, Sémillon, and Muscadelle grapes, are some of the wine world's best-kept secrets. These wines offer an elegant balance of freshness, complexity, and aging potential that can rival the finest whites from anywhere in the world.

Bordeaux Blanc: An Underappreciated Gem of the Wine World

As the sun shines brighter and the days grow longer, our palates yearn for refreshing beverages that embody the essence of summer. For those new to the world of wine, choosing between cider, orange wine, and rosé can be a delightful journey. Each offers unique flavors and experiences perfect for warm weather sipping. In this article, we’ll explore three standout choices: Wolffer Dry Cider No. 139, Cune Viña Rosado 2023, and Spiritus Terrae Malvasia Orange 2021.

Savoring Summer: The Best Rosé Drink Choices from Cider-Orange-Rosé for Beginners

Navigating the wine list at a restaurant can be a daunting task, as many wine lovers have experienced. In our previous article on the tension of ordering wine at restaurants, we discussed this issue and shared some tips to help ease the process. However, one CorkRules user has recently encountered a situation that highlights just how challenging it can be.

The Switch? – #restaurantfail #winelistfail

Memorial Day weekend signals the official kick-off to summer, and what better way to celebrate than a backyard barbecue with friends and family? But for the wine lovers out there, the usual pairing of burgers and beer can feel a little, well, uninspired.

Fear not, fellow geeks! Let's ditch the predictable and dive into three exciting wine options that will have you sipping and savoring alongside the sizzling BBQ.

Memorial Day BBQ Bash: 3 Wines to Geek Out Over (While Grilling)

What is the right price for a bottle of wine at a restaurant? Wine pricing at restaurants is a hot topic of late but has many complexities. Let's dig into it and better understand the issues and some potential solutions.

The tension around wine pricing at restaurants?

Châteauneuf-du-Pape, a name that resonates with prestige and quality in the world of wine. This illustrious appellation is steeped in history dating back centuries and has been producing some of France's most celebrated wines for generations.



Nestled within the southern region of Rhône Valley, France lies Châteauneuf-du-Pape - translated as "the Pope's new castle". The area earned its moniker during the 14th century when it served as a summer residence for Popes who sought refuge from political turmoil in Rome.

The Rich History of Châteauneuf-du-Pape highlighting some great value wines

In the world of wine and food, we often find ourselves ensnared by ratings, stars, points – an endless parade of numbers that dictate our choices. We chase after high-rated wines or Michelin-starred restaurants with fervor only to be met with experiences that seldom live up to their lofty reputations. But amidst this whirlwind pursuit for perfection lies a simple truth - what truly makes wine and food special are not scores or accolades but pure experiences crafted from love.

The Serendipity of Experiences in Wine and Food

The world of sparkling wine is a vast one. While champagne has long been the reigning king, there's another contender that’s not only equally delicious but also offers great value for money - Cremant.

Cremant vs Champagne: The real deal for bubbles.

Omakase is experiencing a surge in popularity, let’s dig into what it is and of course what wines to drink.



 Omakase, a term that translates to "I'll leave it up to you" in Japanese, is rapidly gaining popularity in the culinary world. This dining experience places your meal entirely in the hands of the chef, who meticulously crafts each course based on seasonal ingredients and their personal creative flair. It's not just about seafood; while sushi often features prominently due to its status as a cornerstone of Japanese cuisine, an omakase menu can include anything from Wagyu beef to seasonal vegetables.

Omakase and Wine Pairing: A Booming Gastronomic Journey

Grace Hood

Bavel

RT: Hello and Welcome to CorkRules!&nbsp;

A podcast where&nbsp;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: Hi Robert! Happy to be back.&nbsp;

RT Before we jump in, let&rsquo;s talk about those wine lists. We created CorkRules to help demystify wine lists 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;Today we will be reviewing the Los Angeles Middle Eastern hot spot, Bavel. Grace what are your initial thoughts on Bavel?

GH: Well I don&rsquo;t know about you Robert, but I love Middle Eastern food. The flavors the spices the aromas. No matter where in the world you&rsquo;re enjoying it, you feel like you&rsquo;re dining in some far off place, sitting on a floor poof about to dive into a layered rich textured decadent dish.

RT: Totally. I love all those flavor combinations. Now what did you think of their wine selections?

GH: So they have a pretty approachable list. Just two pages with an expansive selection of both new and old world wines. On the first page it&rsquo;s broken down by style &ndash; aperitif, which has a selection of sparkling, - lighter, which they have some aromatic whites and lighter style reds &ndash; and then heavier which is going to be your full-bodied whites and big tannic reds. On the second page is their reserve section which is going to be your higher end bottles. There&rsquo;s definitely a variety of styles and price points so there&rsquo;s something for everyone here for sure.

RT: Love it. Lots of options means happy wine drinkers. So should we start with some sparkling?

GH: I don&rsquo;t see why not! Haha! If you wanted a traditional easy drinking non-vintage champagne, you could go with the Liebert Fils, or if you&rsquo;re looking for an interesting older vintage, you could do the 2008 Clos Cazals. They also have a sparkling Spanish on the menu, the 2020 Anima Mundi. 

RT: Yum, those all sound pretty tasty. Now, what about some whites. I can see some mineral driven whites really pairing with some of these Middle Eastern dishes.&nbsp;

MV: You&rsquo;re totally right. Middle Eastern food uses a lot of herbs, which are a perfect complement to white wines. For instance, parsley and cilantro&nbsp; are very common herbs used in Middle Eastern cooking. You&rsquo;ll want to pair with an herbaceaous, dry white like this 2016 Gruner Veltliner Peter Malberg from Austria, or this 2018 Pouilly Fume from Didier Dageaneau out of the Loire valley of France.

RT: Yum sounds super refreshing. Now when I think Middle Eastern, I definitely think cumin. What kind of wines would pair with that savory spice?

GH: Cumin is one of my favorite spices. It&rsquo;s used in a few different types of international cuisine, but you definitely see a lot of it in Middle Eastern cooking. For cumin, you&rsquo;re definitely going to want to pay attention to the main element of the dish, like the protein or dairy, to see what kind of wine to pair. If we&rsquo;re going to with a meat dish that uses cumin, then a savory light to medium-bodied red will pair really well, like this 2011 Syrah from Pierre Gonon from the Saint Joseph region in the Northern Rhone. Or you could go with another 2011 &ndash; this Volnay from Michel Lafarge would be a beautiful pairing for cumin.&nbsp;

RT: Delicious. I&rsquo;m already hungry. What about some of those vegetarian dishes in Middle Eastern cuisine? Like falafel or taboulleh?

GH: Great question Robert. Falafel and tabouleh both have those lemony garlic and onion elements to them, and they&rsquo;ll pair really well with citrusy rounder whites, like this 2020 Herri Mina Petit Courbu white blend from the southwest region of France, or the 2017 Pouilly Fuiss&eacute; from Denis Jeandeau. 

RT: Those sound like great choices. Now you know we always want to highlight some value bottles as well as some special occasion selections. What would you recommend on the Bavel list.&nbsp;

GH: You got it. For a value white, I would go with this 2015 Portuguese white blend from Herdade do Mouchao. And then for a special occasion white, I would be really interested to see how this 1970 White Bordeaux from Chateau Haut-Brion would be drinking

RT: Oh wow a 52-year-old white? That would be a really unique white experience. Now, what about a value red and special occasion red?

GH: My value red pick will have to be the 2020 Beaujolais Gamay Noir from Paul Henri Thillardon, and then my pick for special occasion red would be the 2008 Barolo from Cavalier Lorenzo Accomasso.

RT: Awesome Grace. Thank you so much for all your great suggestions and helping us navigate the Bavel wine list.

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@</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">CorkRules</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">.</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">c</a><a href="mailto:Info@corkrules.Com">om</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.

&nbsp;

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

&nbsp;

And finally, drink what you love and please make sure you drink responsibly.

&nbsp;

Thank you.

&nbsp;

End

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BRAT

Bocca di Lupe

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Alba Restaurant

Alba

10 Greek Street

L'Auberge Chez Francois

Andrew Edmunds

Salt Seafood and Oyster Bar

Matteos Ristorante Italiano

Matteo's

Olema is a boutique winery located in the heart of Sonoma County, USA. The winery is dedicated to crafting high-quality wines that showcase the region's unique terroir and varietals. Their wines reflect the essence of Sonoma County and are made with a commitment to sustainability and minimal intervention.

Dante

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La Mercerie

Bar Primi

Kirby’s Steakhouse

The Grill

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

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