Some of NSW’s best wine lists have been recognised at the NSW Wine Awards, held by the state’s Wine Industry Association forming part of the 2016 Savour Australia Hostplus Awards for Excellence.
The awards recognise restaurants that promote local wine and excel in the provision of wine service.
Jonah’s Restaurant & Boutique Hotel in Whale Beach picked up the award for Best Metropolitan Wine List featuring NSW wines, while Legends Grill – The Vintage at Chateau Elan, Pokolbin, took home the award for Best Regional Wine List featuring NSW wines.
Butcher and the Farmer, Forest Lodge, won Best Restaurant Wine List – Small/Comprehensive, while Barrel Bar & Dining, Cremorne, received an honourable mention for its Small Bar Wine List.
Restaurant & Catering Australia (R&CA) CEO John Hart said “Great food and wine go hand in hand. When the right wine is matched with superb food, the experience is exceptional. Consumers are becoming increasingly savvy and well informed about their wine choices. Smart operators have always looked to include local wines on their wine lists for the total dining experience.
Stewart White, R&CA’s chair of judges added, “There is always something forensically intriguing in what a wine list says about a restaurant. From the simplest to the weightiest of wine lists, they reveal a restaurant’s mindset at a number of levels.”
R&CA’s 2016 Industry Benchmarking Report revealed half of operators design their wine list menu based on consumer demand, with a further 45 percent indicating price and ability to source wine from the local region as important contributing factors to their wine lists. Over 71 percent of operators believe it’s essential to profile Australian wines on their wine list.
Click here for the full list of finalists and winners, and here to see the winners of the 2016 R&CA Awards for Excellence.