Wine Spectator August 31, 2022

Visit WineSpectator.com/083122 to find links to all of the following resources. FREE RESOURCES FOR WINESPECTATOR.COM READERS RESTAURANTS.WINESPECTATOR.COM Our free online Restaurant Search has been upgraded so you can easily browse all our winners, with maps. Or look for the perfect dining spot in any location based on wine strengths, cuisine type, pricing and more. Plus, find all our dining articles in one convenient location—restaurant guides, sommelier and chef interviews, news and more. PRIVATE GUIDE TO DINING Our free, twice-monthly email newsletter spotlights the best restaurants for wine lovers, from bucket-list destinations to perfect pizza places. Sign up! SOMMELIER TALKS Meet the people behind the world’s great wine lists, get pairing advice and find out which wines excite them most. FOLLOW THE RESTAURANT AWARDS ON SOCIAL MEDIA Keep up with Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards program on…

Wine Spectator’s Restaurant Awards program has been going strong for more than 40 years. These awards not only guide our readers to dining establishments with impressive wine lists and outstanding service, but also serve to honor restaurants for their achievements and commitment to maintaining pristine cellars. Few restaurateurs or chefs embody this spirit more than our cover subject, Charlie Palmer. His passion for wine and deep involvement in all aspects of operations at his venues is apparent across his restaurant group, including five Wine Spectator Restaurant Award winners among them. The crown jewel is Grand Award-winning Aureole in Las Vegas, which features a four-story wine tower and 2,700-count list with deep collections from the world’s most important wine regions. Dry Creek Kitchen in Healdsburg, Calf., and Charlie Palmer Steak locations in…

Wine Spectator’s Grand Award, founded in 1981, recognizes outstanding restaurants with extraordinary wine programs. We honor 97 restaurants with our Grand Award this year; listed here, they represent 16 countries and 14 states plus the District of Columbia. For more information about these distinguished restaurants, turn to the Restaurant Awards listings beginning on page 75; comprehensive coverage is also available at WineSpectator.com/Restaurants. UNITED STATES CALIFORNIA Acquerello Grand Award since 2012 Restaurant Gary Danko Grand Award since 2001 Saison Grand Award since 2014 Spruce Grand Award since 2015 The French Laundry Grand Award since 2007 La Toque Grand Award since 2014 Murray Circle Restaurant Grand Award since 2016 The Plumed Horse Grand Award since 2015 Press Restaurant Grand Award since 2022 Restaurant 301 at the Hotel Carter Grand Award since 1998 Sierra Mar Grand Award since 2012 SingleThread Farms Grand Award since 2021 The Village Pub Grand Award since 2013 Capo Grand Award since 2015 Spago Beverly Hills Grand Award since 2010 Wally’s Grand Award…

Here’s to the Little Guys I think that when travelers go to Napa, Sonoma and Mendocino, they’re looking for a wine experience to take home with them. That makes it hard for the smaller wineries to draw them in. Gas prices, fertilizers, employee [salaries], etc., have all increased, making it hard on the boutique places. Not to mention rules and regulations that have to be kept up with. So cheers to the small family-owned wineries scraping by to make it in a corporate world by doing what they love. Jackie CorrieLa Center, Wash. Phinney Feedback I thoroughly enjoyed the article delving into the many facets of Dave Phinney’s businesses (cover, June 15 & 30). He envisioned some innovative opportunities, pursued them, and his creative endeavors were rewarded. Ken WestbrookSan Diego To Market to Market I have enjoyed your…

Join a series of Instagram conversations between Wine Spectator editors and respected leaders in the worlds of wine and hospitality, spanning current events, business news and personal thoughts. Now In Our IGTV Archives JUNE 8 Dave Phinney, winemaker, Orin Swift Cellars JUNE 1 The Chicks, music band and founders of Gaslighter Wine Co. MAY 18 Gianluca Bisol, president, Bisol Winery MAY 11 Ikimi Dubose-Woodson, co-founder, The Roots Fund MAY 4 Drew Bledsoe, founder and owner, Bledsoe Wine Estates APRIL 27 Samantha Rudd, owner, Rudd Estate APRIL 20 Giovanni Mazzei, export director, Castello di Fonterutoli APRIL 13 Rebekah Wineburg, winemaker, Quintessa APRIL 6 Morgan Twain-Peterson, owner and winemaker, Bedrock Wine Co. MARCH 30 Ludovic du Plessis, president, Champagne Telmont WATCH ON INSTAGRAM Scan the QR code to start watching on our IGTV channel, or visit instagram.com/wine_spectator/channel…

“There are some interesting similarities between wine and crypto,” explains David Garrett of Club dVin. “They are both really intimidating to outsiders.” Garrett should know. As cofounder of Club dVin, he’s among the pioneers bridging the gap between these two worlds. Club dVin’s NFTs (non-fungible tokens) will be called “Tasting Tokens,” a type of what they consider a “loyalty currency” that can be viewed as a visual digital gallery on Instagram. The NFTs can allow wineries to know when their wines are consumed and are connected to “digital corks” that promise to offer curated experiences. Garrett says those interested in Club d’Vin tend to be “wine native, crypto curious.” But, he adds, “there’s also a group that’s crypto native and wine curious.” Club d’Vin is just one of more than a…