Hey guys!
We have a fun write-up this week. We’re taking a closer look at cork, spending time with Aldo Sohm, and highlighting a producer in the Northern Rhône making some of our favorite Syrah in the world. Hope you guys enjoy 🥂
A Closer Look at Cork 🌳
How wine’s traditional closure does the job best
Lately, I’ve been thinking a lot about corks, something I usually give maybe ten seconds of attention to while opening a bottle of wine. The more I’ve learned, though, the more I’ve realized how essential cork really is. It’s the single thing standing between a bottle of wine and a bottle of vinegar, and it does that job incredibly well.
Pictured: Wine Corks. Image by CityChanger
Natural cork works because it’s basically a miracle material. It’s harvested from the bark of the cork oak tree, which grows primarily in Mediterranean countries like Portugal, Spain, and parts of southern France, and can be stripped and regrown multiple times over its lifetime.
Pictured: Cork Tree. Image by Lodi Winegrape Commission
Cork is elastic, so it compresses to fit the neck of the bottle and then expands to form a tight seal. It’s largely impermeable, meaning liquid and air don’t freely pass through. And at the same time, it’s breathable in just the right way, allowing tiny amounts of oxygen to enter over time, helping wine evolve and mature rather than spoil. That delicate balance is a big reason cork has endured for centuries, even with all the modern alternatives. It’s hard to overstate how important this material really is.
Pictured: My Growing Cork Collection
This all came up recently because I did a bit of housekeeping and realized I’ve accumulated way too many corks in my apartment. The good news is that natural cork is biodegradable and recyclable, but it shouldn’t go in your regular recycling bin. Instead, it needs to be collected through specific programs or dropped off at participating retailers, where it can be repurposed into things like flooring, insulation, or even shoes. Synthetic and plastic corks are a different story and usually can’t be recycled the same way, so separating them matters.
Pictured: ReCORK Recycling Process. Image by ReCORK
If interested, ReCORK is a phenomenal organization focused on cork recycling, and they even have an interactive map to help you find a drop-off spot if you’re sitting on a small mountain of corks at home.
Who is Aldo Sohm? 🍷
From Austria to Le Bernardin, a closer look on Aldo Sohm
A few weeks ago, I had the privilege of linking up with Aldo Sohm, the longtime Sommelier of Le Bernardin and the founder of Aldo Sohm Wine Bar. Widely regarded as one of the world’s leading sommeliers, Aldo pairs an incredibly deep technical understanding of wine with a genuine curiosity and generosity, qualities that have helped shape modern wine culture in New York and far beyond.
Pictured: Aldo Sohm. Image by Aldo Sohm
Born and raised in Austria, Aldo first became interested in wine at 19 years old. His early career was defined by rigorous sommelier training and intense competition, earning him the title of Best Sommelier in Austria multiple times. In 2007, he was named Best Sommelier in America, a milestone that led him to represent the United States on the global stage and begin his long-standing role at the iconic three Michelin-starred restaurant, Le Bernardin.
Pictured: Aldo Sohm. Image by Robb Report
Beyond the restaurant floor, Aldo’s influence extends into education, media, and production. He has collaborated closely with wine glassmakers, partnered on wine projects, and is a published author several times over, most recently with Wine Simple: Perfect Pairings. Spending time with Aldo, it’s immediately clear why he’s held in such high regard. His energy is magnetic, and it’s incredibly inspiring to see someone who’s been in wine for so long remain so curious, engaged, and excited to share his perspective with others. Huge thanks again to Aldo for his team for the time.
Pictured: Aldo and Me
We posted a food and wine pairing with Aldo in case you missed it!
Producer Highlight ⭐
One of our favorite parts of wine is the discovery: we’re constantly being put on to new regions, producers, and cuvées from our friends. We’ll never be able to try EVERY wine, but we want to take a moment to mention some producers that excite us!
Maison Stephan 🍷
Location: Côte Rôtie, Rhône Valley, France 🇫🇷
Pictured: Northern Rhône. Image by Fernando Beteta
Maison Stephan is a benchmark for natural winemaking in Côte-Rôtie. Led by Jean-Michel Stephan, this domaine has helped redefine what Syrah from the Northern Rhône can be. Coming from a multigenerational farming family, Jean-Michel was shaped early by agriculture rather than conventional tradition. After years working in Beaujolais and studying winemaking, he planted his own vines in the late 1980s, harvesting for the first time in 1991 and bottling under his own name by the mid-1990s.
Pictured: Jean-Michel Stephan and son, Romain. Image by Living Wine
From the jump, Jean-Michel committed to organic farming and additive-free winemaking, choices that were highly unconventional in Côte-Rôtie at the time. Over the decades, he’s refined a his zero-sulfur style that emphasizes purity and energy rather than power or polish. His vineyards have been farmed biodynamically since the late 1990s and they sit on steep terraces across several classic sectors of the appellation. Each parcel is vinified separately, using gentle extraction and minimal intervention to allow site specificity and vintage to lead the way.
Pictured: Maison Stephan Wines. Image by Marée Haute
In 2017, Jean-Michel’s son Romain Stephan joined the domaine, ushering in the next chapter under the name Maison Stephan and expanding farming beyond Côte-Rôtie into nearby villages of the Northern Rhône. Together, they continue to build on their long-standing philosophy of sustainable farming and pure winemaking. The resulting wines are unlike any North Rhône wines out there.
Pictured: Maison Stephan Wines at La Tablée New York 2024
Syrah has always been one of my favorite grapes. At its best, it can smell like olive brine, tapenade, even wintergreen, aromas you’d never expect to come from just fermented grapes. If that sounds ridiculous, just pick up a bottle of Maison Stephan and see for yourself. These are some of the most expressive Syrahs I’ve had in recent memory, and they perfectly capture what keeps me fascinated by wine in the first place. His entry level wines are fantastic, but his higher level bottlings are the real deal. They come in at a bit of a higher price point, but I can guarantee you its a worth splurge. You can find some here if interested.
Wine Club Updates 🍷 📦
January’s shipment is heading out soon and looking forward to hearing your feedback! If you have any questions or run into any issues with your order, feel free to reach out to [email protected] and they’ll help you out!
Not a member yet? You can sign up here
Upcoming Events 🎉
Ungrafted Farming Conference (Zoom Conference) 💻
There’s a really exciting online conference happening on January 22nd called the Ungrafted Farming Conference. It’s a nonprofit gathering bringing together an incredible group of winemakers and thinkers for a day of conversations about how we grow grapes, care for the land, and imagine the future of wine. Featuring Icy Liu (Ungrafted), Tomoko Kuriyama-Bott (Chanterêves), Paul Wasserman (Becky Wasserman & Co.), and many more. Sign up here.
La Paulée Burgundy Wine Festival 🇫🇷
La Paulée is back for 2026. If you’re not familiar, it’s the biggest celebration of Burgundy wines in North America. Over a few packed days, they host an incredible lineup of events; think tastings, winemaker dinners, and a whole range of side happenings that bring the Burgundy world together.
This year there are two editions: one in San Francisco and one in New York. They’re also running a great 35 Under 35 promotion, offering 35% off main events for anyone under 35. Definitely worth taking advantage of if you’ve ever wanted to experience La Paulée. You can use code SVB35 for the discount!
That’s a wrap for today. Wine fair season in Europe is approaching quickly, looking forward to seeing some of you there!
Thank so much for reading, and as always, drink responsibly! 🥂