wine pairings

 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.

Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier and Robert Tas review the bold and eclectic wine list at Hav & Mar, a restaurant that serves Swedish and Ethiopian cuisine and a delicious selection of wines. Tina discovers the gems on the list, ranging from Austrian orange wine to the most prestigious Barolos and Hungarian Tokaj and offers advice on what to pair with the exotic menu.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2021 Castello di Verduno Basadone

• NV Krug Grand Cuvee, Champagne

• 2019 Kiralyudvar Tokaj Sec, Hungary

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

Robert Tas talks wine with Maria Valetta, wine educator, and certified sommelier, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde on Instagram. If you have ever wondered what to wine to pair with Southern Fried Chicken or St. Louis Ribs, this is the episode for you. Maria reviews an English sparkling wine, an award-winning cabernet franc, and an insanely delicious Burgundy. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Chalk Hill Sonoma Coast, Chardonnay, California

• 2018 Ridge Lytton Springs Dry Creek

• 2016 The Mascot, Napa Valley

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 dare to review the wine list at Hell’s Kitchen, a Chef Gordon Ramsay restaurant in Caesar’s Palace, Las Vegas.  Among many of the stellar wines, Maria suggests are a bottle of bubbles from the UK and a beautiful example of an all-chardonnay sparkling wine made in the champagne method, a Burgundy made in the Champage style, a value wine from Australia that showcases a little-known varietal, and a wine from the king of pinot noir vines.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2017 Domaine Tempier, Bandol, France

• 2017 Foley Johnson, Rutherford, Cabernet Sauvignon, Napa Valley 

• 2014 Three Sticks Gap’s Crown Pinot, Napa Valley

 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 1770 House in East Hampton. They have received the annual Wine Spectator Award of Excellence consecutively since 2007, and they offer high-end half bottles and magnums in addition to an extensive list of wines from around the world. As she reviews the list, Michaela identifies wines with bright acidity, lime zest, tropical fruit, minerality, with notes of saline on the almond finish; dried apricot, candied fruit, honey, and caramel, or how about a wine that features notes of plumb, fig, and ripe blackberries with notes of licorice and cola on the finish? To help you choose from this range of delicious choices, Michaela offers pairing suggestions that will help ensure the meal you choose pairs beautifully with the wine. 

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Domaine La Sufferene Rose, France

• 2013 Felsina Vin Santo, Tuscany

• 2018 Oremus “Mandolas” Dry Furmint, Hungary

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

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas talk shellfish, seafood, and, of course, wine to pair with the fresh seafood, enjoy immensely and remember. In this episode, they visit the Helm Oyster Bar in Portland, Maine. Sam introduces a spectacular biodynamic bottle of bubbles from the Montlouis-sur-Loire region in France, a Sicilian rose, and a few reds for the red lovers. If silky tannins, slight spice along with herbal aromas or hints of pepper, along with violets and herbs sound enticing, this review has the wine for you. 

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Domaine Usseglio Cuvée Girard

• 2018 Domaine Pierre Gelin “Les Hervelets”, Burgundy

• 2020 Olivier Tricon Chablis

 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, also known as Maria The Wine Blonde on Instagram, and Robert Tas explore the wine list at Brera, on the Las Vegas strip where they offer over 200 wines with a focus on Italian wines from all the best wine producing regions to pair with the delicious Italian cuisine. 

Wines reviewed include:

•  2019 Nero D’Avola Crisera Luna Nuova, Sicilia, Italy 

• 2020 Aglianico San Salvatore, “Vetere”, Campania, Italy 

• 2010 Borgogno, Barolo “Cannubi”, Piemonte, Italy 

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 visit Delfina, a wholly “Cali-Itali” restaurant that bridges that offers a beautiful amalgamation between the old-world and the new. This cozy and intimate restaurant offers a casual dining experience with fine-dining quality.  This location does not disappoint and neither does the wine list. Grant recommends wines to pair well with items on the menu and suggest a few stellar cocktails to kick off your Delfina experience.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019  Weissburgunder ‘Praesulis’ by Gump Hof in Alto Adige
• 2021 Carignan from Railsback Freres
• 2016 Barbera by Guiseppe Mascarello

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 take a trip to Boston’s North End where they review the wine list at Bricco where guests enjoy Italian cuisine and a unique wine experience from the enoteca (wine bar) with an exceptional selection of all-Italian wines. Bricco is renowned for their great wine collection and signature cocktails all to be enjoyed in an intimate and cozy atmosphere.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Super Tuscan Brancaia “Tre”, Tuscany

• 2020 Vesevo Falanghina, Campania

• 2019 Pojer y Sandri Muller Thurgau, Alto Adige

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

Samantha Hohl, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head downtown to Salem, Massachusetts where they review the wine list at Ledger. This restaurant is located in a beautiful building (circa 1818) and the menu includes traditional 19th-century dishes, cocktails, and techniques. The wine director has brought in wine from all over the world to provide an interesting list of old and new world wines. Sam identifies the special bottles on the list, and from bubbles to pair with fresh oysters to a bold red to pair with duck, Sam finds the wines to complement the dish. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2018 Domaine Piccard Daley-Lavaux “Grand Cru Villette”, France

• 2021 Abbazia di Novacella, Italy

• 2016 Yves Gangloff Condrieu, France

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.

Michaela Quinlan, certified sommelier, and Robert Tas review the wine list at Tresca in Boston’s North End. This restaurant wins yearly recognition from Trip Advisor’s Travelers’ Choice and Open Table’s Diners’ Choice. Their  Italian dominant wine list also features crowd-pleasing New World favorites and Michaela takes us on a tour of Italy’s wine regions as she points out stellar wines from various vineyards. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Surrau Limizzani Vermentino, Sardinia

• 2019 Tenuta di Ghizzano, Tuscany

• 2016 Tenuta Sant’Antonio Amarone della Valpoicella, Veneto

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.

Tina Johansson, WSET Diploma Graduate and Michelin restaurant sommelier, and Robert Tas take a trip to The Surf Club at Miami Beach, a Kellers' flagship restaurant and one that celebrates and upholds the glamor of the   '50s and '60s hotspots. The Surf Club offers a list of traditional wines with a lot of the big, famous names that always deliver, and Tina identifies the bottles on the list that pair well with delicious dishes on the menu. 

 Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Henri Germain Meursault, Burgundy

• 2020 Clos de la Roilette Fleurie, Beaujolais

• 2016 Trimbach Clos Ste Hune, Alsace

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

Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas head south to Charleston to review the wine list at The Ordinary, where Sam finds a spectacular selection of wines including a pet nat from Slovenia, a spectacular skin contact wine, and one that is a must-pair with oysters. In addition to her wine tasting expertise, Sam shares a little background knowledge on the wine producers and vineyards, which always makes the bottle you choose more interesting and memorable.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2020 Mortellito, "Tuttu", Sicily

• 2021 Gonc “Canvas”, Slovenia

• 2020 Anjou à Françoise, Loire Valley

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

Samantha Hohl, wine educator and certified sommelier, and Robert Tas take a trip to South Charleston to review the wine list at The Fig where southern dishes with a unique twist are prepared with seasonal ingredients and creativity. Sam checks through the list where she identifies a small producer with 40-year-old vines who focuses on minimal intervention, she spots a producer who farms their vines organically and biodynamically, and she recommends a special bottle of which only 1200 cases are produced.

Wines reviewed include:

• 2021 Pinot Noir, Mac Forbes, Yarra Valley, Australia

• 2018 Domaine de l’Ecu Muscadet “Granite”, France

• 2017 Domaine du Collier "La Ripaille" Saumur Rouge

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 head downtown to review the wine list at Miami hotspot, Zucca. Known as one of the best Italian restaurants in Miami, Zucca has received numerous accolades for its authentic Italian cuisine, award-winning wine cellar, and gracious hospitality. Tina travels north and south as she dives into the list and finds some real gems, including structured Italian reds; fresh, fun whites, volcanic wines and sparkling wines, and special bottles that won’t break the bank but will be fondly remembered. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2018 Tornatore Pietrarizzo, Sicily

• 2010 Annamaria Clementi Franciacorta Riserva, Ca’ del Bosco

• 2018 Burlotto Langhe Rosso Mores, Piemonte

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 Jeune et Jolie in San Diego. This restaurant offers diners a choice of a 4-course menu in which guests make their selections, but ultimately enjoy fine dining California style, or the more casual, "Le Menu du Bar” an à la carte menu available for walk-in guests at our bar and lounge. Whether you prefer casual or formal, the wine list offers a quality selection of bottles to choose from. Grace lets her inner Francophile loose as she reviews a fabulous selection of French wines from bubbles to white Bordeaux and beautiful, bold reds. 

 Wines reviewed include:

 2015 Blanc de Noir Marie Courtin, France

• 2018 Meursault from Buisson Battault, France

• 2012 Grand Cru Pauillac from Pontet Canet, France

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 visit Ancora. If seafood is on your mind, this is the restaurant for you. Ancora is focused on seafood and is influenced by Italy.

You could even go as far as to say this restaurant pays homage to the bounty of the ocean, and the wine list has been specifically curated to work with the seafood dishes. Grant talks bubbles and whites, and a few great reds that go with seafood.

Wines reviewed include:

●  2016 Caraccioli Brut Cuvee

●  2021 Do Ferreiro from Val do Salnes in Rias Baixas

●  2021 Arnot-Roberts rose of Touriga Nacional

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 explore a fabulous selection of Italian wines at Carisma. Known as one of Toronto’s best Italian restaurants, Carisma offers an extensive wines-by-the-glass list. The list focuses on Italian wines from various regions but also offers favorites from the New World. If you are looking for a beautiful wine to enjoy as an aperitif or to pair with shellfish and fried seafood, or if you are a fan of bold, savory reds, Michaela has identified a fine selection of wines to pair well with the delicious Italian dishes on the menu. 

Wines reviewed include:

• 2019 Feudi di San Gregorio,  Fiano Di Avellino, Campania

• 2011 Tenuta Cavelier Pepe Opera, Taurasi

• 2013 Lungarotti Rubesco Riserva, Vigna Monticchio, Umbria 

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