The Spectacle of Area Wine Lists
The August 31, 2007, issue of Wine Spectator (already on the stands) brought good news to 10 area restaurants, all winners of the magazine’s coveted best wine list awards. Once again, the Wine Cask (813 Anacapa St., 966-9463) led the pack as one of 76 international Grand Award winners “given to restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to the quality of their wine programs,” not to mention a minimum of 1,500 selections. Two establishments at fine resorts won the middle prize, the Best of Award of Excellence-the recently reopened Plow & Angel (900 San Ysidro Ln., 565-1700) at San Ysidro Ranch and Mir³ (8301 Hollister Ave., 968-0100) at Bacara. Seven other restaurants earned an Award of Excellence, meaning they have wine lists “that offer a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style”: Bouchon (9 W. Victoria St., 730-1160), Chuck’s of Hawaii (3888 State St., 687-4417), The Harbor (210 Stearns Wharf, 963-3311), Holdren’s (512 State St., 965-3363), Lucky’s (1279 Coast Village Rd., Montecito, 565-7540), Olio e Limone Ristorante (17 W. Victoria St., 899-2699), and (1325 State St., 966-9676).
