wine list review

Robert Tas and Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, review the wine list at BRAT, a one Michelin star restaurant in the gastronomic quarters of Shoreditch in London. The food is traditional British, but all cooked with open fire, and the wine list offers a delightful selection from France and Spain, but also other European countries like Italy, Greece and Portugal, and the list includes an adventurous selection under the title “Off the Beaten Path, for all those who want to try something new and expand their palate. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2021 Guimaro Cepas Viejas, Ribeira Sacra, Spain

• 2020 Domaine Roulot Meursault Premier Cru Clos des Boucheres, Burgundy

• 2020 Comando G La Breña Premier, Spain

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Robert Tas and with Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, review the wine list at Bocca di Lupo in London. This authentic Italian restaurant has received many accolades for its simple but genuine food. All 20 regions of Italy are represented on the menu, and it is ever-changing to follow the seasons. So, no matter what time of year you come here, the experience will be fresh, adventurous, and new. 

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2015 Perlé Nero Riserva Brut, Trentino, Italy

• 2016 Casanova di Neri Brunello, “Cerretalto”,  Tuscany

• 2018 Freisa Kyè , Vajra, Italy

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

 Sommelier Michaela Quinlan joins Robert to demystify the very French wine list of Dirty French in lower Manhattan and travel around the lesser-known wine regions, including wines of the Savoie, Provence. Dirty French is located on 180 Ludlow Street and is renowned for its timeless classic French cuisine with a contemporary twist.  Michaela talks about the special regions on the list, the must-try wines, and she spots a few hidden value wines that offer a big bang for the buck.

Wines reviewed include

• 2017 Bandol, Domaine Tempier
• 2018 Valentin Morel, Côtes du Jura Les Trouillots
• 2020 Muscadet Sèvre-et-Maine, La Pepiere Clos des Briords

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Grant Wood, wine educator and certified sommelier and Robert Tas review the wine list at Sorrel, an Italian contemporary restaurant located in Pac Heights that has earned a Michelin star thanks to Chef Alexander Hong. Grant spots some sensational sparklers, wines that are perfect for pairing with all things pasta, and some devilshly robust reds to take your dining experience to a whole new level of sumptuous. 

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2021 Ryme “hers” Vermentino from Carneros
• 2019 Idlewild Arneis, Lost Hills Ranch
• 2012 Malvasia by Kante in Venezia-Giulia

Wine educator and certified sommelier Maria Valletta joins Robert Tas for authentic French fare and a French wine list that is, indeed, in French at the Balthazar restaurant in Soho. Maria translates the menu, discovers the extraordinary little–known gems, and shares her knowledge of the industry to help you understand more about varietals and regions. Maria points out a few delicious sparkling wines and Champagne, a hidden gem of a rosé, and a less pricey wine that will still knock your socks off and impress your guests.

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Bandol Rouge“La Migoua” Domaine Tempier
• 2020 Domaine de Beaurenard 
• 2022 Château Haut-La-Péreyre 

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Wine director Alexis Rogers joins Robert Tas to explore and explain the wine list of the Italian restaurant Felice. With nine locations in NYC, this restaurant is proving to be a popular culinary destination and the wine list meets expectations. Alexis recommends stellar wines from Northern Italy, including an exceptional wine to pair with that classic Italian dish, bolognese. 

 Wines reviewed include:

•  2015 le toga Brunello di Montalcino
• 2016 Produttori del Barbaresco Rabaja
• 2020 Grüner Veltliner Federspiel "Klaus“ 

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Certified sommelier and wine educator Grace Hood, and host Robert Tas review the wine list at the iconic 1803 where Grace identifies the wines that pair well with the blended histories of French and Cajun and Caribbean and Spanish cuisine.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2007 Louis Roederer Brut Rose Champagne
• 1986 Château Lynch-Bages, France
• Domaine Frédéric Brouca Côte de Glou 

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

In this episode, sommelier Grace Hood joins Robert Tas to demystify the wine list of the Buddakan, an Asian-fusion restaurant, and explore the wines that complement Asian food. Choosing a wine to work with Asian food always presents a dilemma for the discerning diner, but Grace explains which wines work, what they work with, and why they do.

Wines reviewed include:

•  2020 Riesling Kabinett, Egon Müller Mosel, Germany
• 2016 Jonata Syrah 2016, Central Coast, California
• 2020 Spätlese Reisling from Selbach-Oster Mosel, Germany

 For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

In this episode, host Robert Tas and certified sommelier Michaela Quinlan explore the wine list of the renowned Italian restaurant, Pasquale Jones. Situated on the corner of Mulberry and Kenmare Streets in Manhattan's Little Italy, this establishment offers authentic Italian cuisine and a sophisticated wine list that is sure to please both the palate and the pocket. Michaela shares pairing suggestions and identifies tasting notes on a few select bottles, including orange wines.

Key points include:

• 2017 Molettieri Aglianico, Taurasi, Campania 

• 2020 Jean Claude Lapalu Cote de Brouilly, Beaujolais

• 2013 Cascina Baricchi Riserva Barbaresco, Italy

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

In this episode, host Robert Tas interviews Josh Ardizzoni, certified sommelier and cellar consultant, on the wine list of The Grill. They discuss the exciting side of where champagne is going, those exclusive and beautifully aged bottles and the extraordinary value wines on the list. Josh also points out a few unicorn wines on the list that are guaranteed to delight the most discerning oenophile. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2015 Volnay-Champans, Marquis d’Angerville 

• 1986 Château Rauzan-Ségla, Margaux

• 1995 Château Pontet-Canet from Pauillac, 

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

This episode of Cork Rules explores the wine list of Smith and Wollensky on the Upper East Side of New York City. Certified sommelier Maria Valetta and Robert Tas review a great wine list, explain what verticals are, point out a few value wines that offer exceptional value without compromising quality, and they identify a few outliers on the list for the adventurous wine lover. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Louis Jadot Macon Village, France

• 2019 PAX Gamay, California

• 2018 Aperture Cabernet, Sonoma  Coast

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

CorkRules takes a trip to The Lobster Club in the Seagram Building, New York City where host Robert Tas explores the wine list with sommelier Michaela Quinlan to find the perfect pairings with sweetness and spice, the unique value wines, and the extraordinary bottles list. The Lobster Club is a Japanese Brasserie with an extensive wine list and is renowned for its unique interpretation of Japanese cooking and sushi.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2017 Kruger-Rumpf, Riesling Kabinett, Germany

• 2019 Benjamin Leroux Aligote, Burgundy

• 2015 Domaine les Pallières Les Racines, France

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Certified sommelier Michaela Quinlan joins Robert Tas for the first episode of Cork Rules. In this episode, Michaela explores the extensive, 33-page, award-winning wine list of the seafood restaurant Oceana, including a few fantastic standouts from around the globe. 

Key points include:

• 02:30: The must-try wines on the list

• 03:38: The value wines

• 04:44: The better wines on the list

For more information on today’s episode and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Eddy V’s Prime Seafood restaurant. This vibrant location offers a stand-out menu specializing in steaks and seafood and a classic wine list with a selection of old and new world wines to pair with items on the menu, including scallops and salmon, wines with spice to pair with smokey meats, and wines to  pair with richly sauced seafood and spicy dishes,

Wines reviewed include: 

• 2020 Cave de Lugny, Les Charmes, Burgundy

• 2018 K Vintners Millbrant Syrah, Washington State

• 2019 Bodegas Caro, Amancaya, Mendoza, Argentina

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, and Robert Tas go overseas to the U.K. where they review the wine list at 28-50 Marleybone where the Wine Workshop & Kitchen concept takes the traditional wine bar experience to a whole new level.  They offer over 30 carefully chosen wines, available by the glass, and an extensive list that has been carefully curated to pair with the seasonally changing, modern European menus. Tina spots a few classics on the list, including a unicorn wine for the adventurous oenophile. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2010 Clos Rougeard Le Clos, Loire Valley

• 2019 Didier Dagueneau Silex, Loire Valley

• 2019 Reva Barbera d’Alba, Italy

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Certified sommelier Michaela Quinlan, and Robert Tas review the wine list at The View in Oakdale, New York. A  Wine Spectator Award of Excellence winner, View’s wine list features an excellent selection of Old World and New World favorites. Michaela points out the hidden gems on the list, including a wine that pairs well with bold spices and sushi, a delicious Spanish sparkling wine, and a few stand-out reds.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Frank Family Chardonnay from Carneros, CA

• 2020 Bertrand “Orange Gold”,  Languedoc of France

• 2015 Bodegas Muga ‘Conde de Haro’ Cava Brut, Rioja, Spain

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas navigate the wine list at the Mexican restaurant Viva Garcia where they choose wine to pair well with bold Mexican flavors. The list offers a great selection of Mexican wines from Mexican wine country,  Valle de Guadalupe, in addition to a fine choice of old and new world wines. Maria introduces a flight of rosés, and value Spanish wines. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2018 Raúl Pérez, Ultreia Saint Jacques, Bierzo, Spain

• 2017 Solar Fortune, Syrah, Valle de Guadalupe, B.C., Mexico

• 2020 The Domaine de Triennes, Rosé, Provence, France 

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list of Il Capriccio in Whippany, New Jersey where they serve authentic Italian cuisine featuring local seafood, meats, and vegetables from their local 180-acre organic farm. Michaela shares her expertise in tasting notes and pairings to complement the menu and identifies the exceptional value wines in addition to those little-known gems and sparklers for all occasions. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Case Paolin, Coste Degli Angeli, Manzoni Bianco, Veneto, Italy

• 2014 Odoardi, Giovan Battista, Gaglioppo,  Calabria

• 2013 Bellavista Franciacorta Brut, Italy

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Grace Hood, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Barbrix a wine shop and restaurant hotspot in Los Angeles with a spectacular selection of woman winemakers, orange wine, pet nat wines, and natural wines. Grace identifies must-try wines from the unique selection on offer.  

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Prosa Sparkling Rose, Austria

• 2021 “Ode to Lulu” Rose, Bedrock, California

• 2020 Barbera d’Alba, Sottimano, Pairolero

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.

Samantha Holl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas visit Row 34 in Boston's historic Fort Point neighborhood. Sam points out a few of the best bottles on the list and offers pairing suggestions for a few of the sensational seafood dishes such as the tuna tartare and sesame cucmber in lime, monkish, and champagne and oysters. From natural wines and orange wines to Hungarian hidden treasures, Sam shares tasting notes and a little information on the wine producers to take your wine education up a level. 

Wines reviewed include:

•  2021 Stone Crusher by Donkey and Goat

• 2019 Morick and Villa Tonnay's Hidden Treasures

• 2021 Lomoresco Nero Capitano from Sicily

For more information on today’s episode, and the wines you love to love, visit www.corkrules.com.