Local restaurants win Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards
Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards
Award of Excellence
• 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill
• Toscanini
Best of Award of Excellence
• Beano’s Cabin
• Game Creek Club
• Grouse Mountain Grill
• La Tour Restaurant
• Ludwig’s
• Spago by Wolfgang Puck
• Splendido at the Chateau
• Swiss Chalet
• The 10th
• Zach’s Cabin
BEAVER CREEK — A dozen Vail Valley restaurants have been honored for their outstanding wine programs in Wine Spectator’s 2016 Restaurant Wine List Awards. The full 2016 Dining Guide was revealed in Wine Spectator’s August issue.
“I’m thrilled to congratulate each and every award-winning restaurant,” said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator.
Wine Spectator began its program to recognize the world’s best wine lists in 1981. There are three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award — with 2,414, 1,093 and 88 winners this year in each respective category.
Toscanini in Beaver Creek, with wine director Dana Gerimonte, noted for its Italian wines; and 8100 Mountainside Bar & Grill at the Park Hyatt Beaver Creek, with a list highlighting wines of California and France; earned Award of Excellence honors. According to Wine Spectator, these wine lists, which typically offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.
Quality Wine Establishments
Support Local Journalism
Five other Beaver Creek establishments were given Best of Awards of Excellence, earned by those restaurants with more extensive selections with significant vintage depth and excellent breadth across multiple regions, according to the magazine. Winners included Beaver Creek Resort’s Zach’s Cabin, with wine director Kenneth Teague, named for its selection of wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Italy; and the now-defunct Spago by Wolfgang Puck, with wine director Jason Hunter, formerly at The Ritz-Carlton, Bachelor Gulch.
Additional awards went to Beaver Creek restaurants Beano’s Cabin, with wine director Sean Razee; Splendido at the Chateau, with wine director Patrick Mildrum; and Grouse Mountain Grill in The Pines Lodge, with wine director Rob Farrer; all named for the strength of their wine selections from California and France.
“We are so happy to be recognized by Wine Spectator,” Farrer said. “We hope that can meet the high expectations involved with such recognition and look forward to introducing our customers to what is new and fun in both wine and food.”
In Vail, Best of Awards of Excellence were bestowed upon two restaurants at the Sonnenalp Hotel in Vail Village, with wine director Paul Alexander; Ludwig’s, for its selection of wines from California, France, Burgundy and Bordeaux; and the Swiss Chalet, with noted wines from the above-named regions, as well as Italy, Champagne and Spain.
Rounding out the list of local Best of Award of Excellence winners were Vail Mountain’s Game Creek Club, with wine director Joshua MacLean, selections from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux; and The 10th, with wine director Jody Petit and selections from California, France; and La Tour Restaurant in Vail Village, with wine director Ian Gray; California, Burgundy, France.
Visit restaurants.winespectator.com for complete geographical listings of all award winners. Follow the Restaurant Awards on Twitter and Instagram, or join the conversation by using #WSRestaurantAward.