“For wine lovers, a good bottle is an essential component of a great meal, and, by extension, a good wine list is an essential component of a great restaurant,” says Wine Spectator executive editor Tom Matthews and publisher Marvin Shanken in their editorial of the annual Restaurant Awards issue that just landed on my desk. This guide lists over 3,700 restaurants that have been awarded one of the magazine’s three awards that have existed for 30 years. There are letters to the editor with stories about how this award is used; from business traveller to vacationer, many wine lovers use it to find a great wine destination wherever their travels might take them.

About the Award Levels

To qualify for an award, a wine list must present complete, accurate information, including vintages and appellations for all selections. Complete producer names and correct spellings are mandatory, and the overall presentation of the list is also considered. Lists that meet these requirements are judged for one of the three awards.

Award of Excellence: 2,880 winners

The 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: 788 winners

The magazine’s second-tier award, created to give special recognition to restaurants that clearly exceed the requirements of the Award of Excellence; many are close to the Grand Award level. These lists display either vintage depth, with vertical offerings of several top producers from major regions, or excellent breadth spread over several wine-growing regions. These wine lists typically offer 400 or more selections, along with superior presentation; some offer more than 1,000 selections.

Grand Award: only 75 winners worldwide

Wine Spectator’s highest award, given to restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to the quality of their wine programme. 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 organisation, presentation and wine service.

N74

On my recent visit to California, Lascelles Wine and Spirits team members Debra Taylor, Lisa Bell and I dined at the new Grand Award winner, RN74 in San Francisco. Brand Jamaica goes a long way, as we had the honour of being hosted by one of the owners, Rajat Parr, who created a special menu and selected some great wines for us. Rajat’s idea was to create a restaurant that serves great wines in proper glasses, decanting as needed, but doing everything possible to avoid the pretensions. RN74 is the main road running through the Côte d’Or in Burgundy, France; the opening list for the restaurant had 2,500 wines focused on Burgundy.

The Caribbean

The 30th annual compilation of the world’s best wine list features over 3,000 winners from every state in America and over 700 winners from 60 other countries; Bermuda and the Caribbean islands account for 50 winners.

Bermuda is home to six winners, with two at the level of Best of Award of Excellence: Little Venice Restaurant and Wine Bar and Waterloo Inn Restaurant. Anguilla has four winners, one of these copping the Grand Award — Blanchard’s Restaurant. Aruba has five winners. Bahamas has one winner, a Grand Award winner — Graycliff. BVI has one, Dominican Republic has two winners of which Deli Swiss is at the level of Best of Award of Excellence. Grand Cayman has 13 winners of which three are at the level of Best of Award of Excellence — Blue by Eric Ripert, Luca and Ragazzi. The Netherlands Antilles, Nevis, Tobago and Turks & Caicos islands have one winner each. St Martin has two winners with Le Reserve at the level of Best of Award of Excellence. The US Virgin Islands are home to 12 winners.

Jamaica has no restaurant on this list as yet. The plan is to fix that shortly.