Wine Spectator's "Best Restaurants for Wine" Issue

With 48 restaurants in DC making their list, I was dissappointed to see that Dino in Cleveland Park wasn't on there. I guess maybe because although Dino's wine list is extensive and formidable, they don't necessarily offer the "thematic match to the menu in both price and style" that is part of the qualifications.

A lot of chain restaurants made it...

Has anyone else seen the issue? Any other favorite spots that you know of that didn't "make the list"?

I'm assuming the answer will be "no" because WS wants us to all buy the issue, but is there any way to link the lists here? Thanks!

No, unfortunately it looks like you have to pay to subscribe to the online version, even if you're already subscribe to the paper version. The subscription was given to me as a Christmas gift, I wouldn't consider paying for it myself, and I'm definitely not going to pay to subscribe online!

If anyone wants to ask me about a certain restaurant though, I'd be happy to see if it's in there and report back.

Not 100% certain on this, but I think restaurants have to "apply" for the honor and submit answers to a questionnaire about how many bottles are on hand at one time and how many different wines (such as 300 different wines constituting 1800 bottles or such). Then WS screens them for awards. There is probably a fee involved in submitting an application. Zely & Ritz in Raleigh has been on the list for several years--a smaller wine list but carefully chosen by Nancy Agasi. Perhaps Dino's did not apply to be recognized.

It is "pay, to play" and in my opinion a waste of time. And WS's staff has admitted publicly that very little screening goes on.

The Parkallen, a Lebanese restaurant in Edmonton, has made it onto the list in previous years. They tout the distinction on their website, though I think there was a Freudian slip:

Parkallen features the Wine Loft, one of Canada's largest private wine cellars. The Wine Loft cellars contain over 12,000 bottles and has won an Award of Excellence from Wine Speculator magazine.

(Emphasis mine)

The wine list on their website doesn't do them justice. Parkallen has vintages of Musar dating back decades and a deep vertical of Mouton Rothschild on a "special" list available by request.

It is "pay, to play" and in my opinion a waste of time. And WS's staff has admitted publicly that very little screening goes on.

Dan, I agree completely. My post was intended more as a commentary on WS's tendency to disregard not only many good wines, but apparently restaurants as well. Although I guess this crowd already knows that and my point is probably redundant.

As soon as I saw Morton's and Ruth Chris listed under virtually every state, and only three restaurants in all of South Africa, and a restaurant listed to which I had been and received mediocre at best info from the wine waiter, well - I knew that this was not a list that I would ever seriously consult when choosing where to dine.

I remember the "alcohol acquisition" manager at the restaurant I worked in saying that to receive the WS "Award of Excellence," a restaurant submits a potential wine list and around $250/year. It doesn't seem like anyone gets turned down as long as the check clears.

JC, here is the exact criteria:

Restaurant Awards information
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------

2008 New Entry Guidelines & Information
The following materials are required for entry into the program:

Your current wine list
Your current dinner menu
Your cover letter explaining your restaurant's wine program: The cover letter must be on your restaurant's letterhead with telephone and fax number and must be in English.
Your nonrefundable entry fee of $250, payable by credit card or check in $U.S., to M. Shanken Communications. This processing fee will be retained whether or not you win an award.
Your listing form (sent to you after receipt of your materials)
Note: Wine lists from cruise lines, sporting arenas and private clubs are ineligible.

Upon receipt of your materials, we will fax you a Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Listing Form. You must provide us with a working fax number on your letterhead so that we can get the listing form to you. You must complete and return this form as soon as possible. The listing form cannot be sent to you in advance of your entry—it will be generated after receipt of your materials. Please be patient, as there are nearly 4,000 restaurants in the program, and it takes time to process all of the renewals and new entries. It is not unusual for you to be faxed your listing form weeks after sending your materials. Entries without this form will not be judged.

Entries are accepted beginning Jan. 1, 2008, and must be received by (not postmarked by) Feb. 1, 2008. There are no exceptions. Neither faxed nor e-mailed entries will be accepted.

Wine lists must provide vintages and appellations for all selections—including wines by the glass. Spelling is also taken into consideration, as is the overall presentation and appearance of the list. The submitted wine list must be an exact copy of what is currently in use in your restaurant. Lists entered for judging must accurately reflect what your customers will see and have access to. Once past these initial requirements, lists are then judged for one of our three awards.

All award winners will be notified by mail in May, and then listed in the Aug. 31 issue of Wine Spectator. Award certificates are mailed in August. Our Web site's Restaurant Awards database, at http://www.winespectator.com/restaurants, will be updated with the new winners when the Aug. 31 issue is made public.

All new entries should be addressed to:

Wine Spectator
Restaurant Awards Program
Attn.: New Entries
387 Park Ave. South
New York, NY 10016

For queries, e-mail restaurantawards@mshanken.com, fax (212) 481-0724 or call (212) 481-8610, ext. 781. Because of the volume of entries we receive, e-mail is the best way to contact us.

Awards Are Given on Three Levels:
Award of Excellence
3,131 current winners
Our basic award, for lists that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Typically, these lists offer at least 100 selections.

Best of Award of Excellence
748 current winners
Our second-tier award, created to give special recognition to restaurants that clearly exceed the requirements of the Award of Excellence. These lists typically offer 500 or more selections, along with superior presentation, and display either vintage depth, with several vertical offerings of top wines, or excellent breadth across several wine regions.

Grand Award
76 current winners
Our highest award, given to restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to the quality of their wine program. These restaurants typically offer 1,500 selections or more, and feature serious breadth of top producers, outstanding depth in mature vintages, a selection of large-format bottles, excellent harmony with the menu and superior organization, presentation and wine service.

[James Roscoe]

Well done Randy. Has anyone ever attempted to send in bogus reports? Has the Spek ever retracted an award?

I've heard anecdotes about fake restaurants and individuals accidentally sending in draft lists with numerous misspellings and still receiving the award. I did a quick internet search, but I cannot seem to find any verification for these stories.

Also an interesting tidbit, the magazine and application state that the WS cannot visit every award-winning restaurant, so they encourage readers and others to alert them to discrepancies and disappointments. So I'm assuming that sentence means they're getting the $250, but we're supposed to do the dirty work? Or maybe I'm being too cynical?

So I'm assuming that sentence means they're getting the $250, but we're supposed to do the dirty work? Or maybe I'm being too cynical?

Maybe a little. We all like to pick on WS -- an easy target. Do the math. With the almost 4,000 awards, it would take one person 11 years to go to each restaurant at a one-a-day pace. I doubt WS devotes a team of reviewers to go out and personally oversee each award. They very well may do that for the Grand Award restaurants since there are only 76. I don't know.

In any case, I looked at the restaurants here in WA. Canlis in Seattle received a Grand Award, and it is certainly deserving of it. There are 14 Best of Award of Excellence in WA. I have dined at nine of them. Of the nine, I would only question one. I'd have to say they did a pretty good job in my region of the country.

[Robin Garr]

In any case, I looked at the restaurants here in WA.

Do you have the mag, Bucksnort? I wonder if you (or anyone with access) would mind sending me a copy of the Kentucky "winners." I'd like to evaluate it against my own knowledge, but I don't really want to throw five bucks into Marvin's coffers ...

I will if you'll share your fair opinion with us. Look in your email.

Despite all I dislike about WS and did let the subscription expire, I have to give the devil his due. Over the years we have been to many of the restaurants listed, all over the US; and have never, repeat never, been disappointed with food, wine, or service. Prices were also in the range listed.

Well it isn't a broad survey, but a few years back I did try 5 new restaurants based on the latest WS isssue: 3 in Wisconsin and 2 in Illinois. Two had horrible winelists, 2 were average and one was excellent. I'm pretty sure that I would have found the excellent one on my own.

Oddly eoungh when I mentioned to the owner of the restaurant with the great list that I saw his place listed, he told me that in his opinion the list no longer meant anything.

Are there some great lists getting the top awards? Sure, but they are mostly known quantities. I've been to many places with excellent lists that aren't mentioned. The whole process seems almost random.

What is 250 x 4,000?

It only takes one bad one to ruin it for everyone.

I stopped paying attention to the list years ago after a business trip. The first night I headed out by myself to a place I found on the list knowning that I had dinner commitments the rest of the trip and may not have another chance for a decent glass of wine. Turns out the list led me to a place that had a very poor wine service. No wines by the glass. The list was small, almost all domestic and over priced. The glassware was horrible.

The next night, at a place not on the list, everything was better. Decided after that trip that I could do better research on my own.