And the Nominees Are...

Every Spring the Restaurant Association Metropolitan Washington hosts restaurant awards called the Rammys. It's like the Emmy's to TV or the Oscars to the movie industry. Each year there are numerous parties held leading up to the big gala where the winners are announced. Well last night was the revealing party! Nominees in categories such as Best Restauranteur, Restaurant Employee of the Year, Best Bar Scene, and of course Best Wine Program were revealed at last night's party at The Hamilton. It's quite an honor to be nominated and even more so to win!

Obviously, I wanted to highlight the Best Wine Program nominees:

Ripple - It's no secret this is one of my favorite wine bars in the city. I've written about it many times and continue to love their program because of the diversity of their selection and knowledge of their staff. Most of their wine selection includes organic, sustainable and biodynamic wines. The list is ever-changing which keeps people coming back. Well deserved and Good Luck!

Adour at the St Regis - Classy, Classy, Classy. Yes, it deserves all uppercase C's! Always voted as a top restaurant in DC, Adour serves sophisticated food alongside their 6,500 bottles of wine! The wine list consist s of 700 different wines and is led by Wine Director, Brent Kroll. This collection holds wines from all over the world and even some locally ones like Boxwood!

Marcel's - Owned and operated by Robert Wiedmaier, who is widely known around DC. He also operates restaurants in Maryland and Virginia. The wine program at Marcel's is extensive. Focusing on mostly French wines to pair with Wiedmaier's French fare. The wine list is pages long and includes options like magnums and half bottles. This program is led by Sommelier Moez Ben Achour.

Ashby Inn - Located in the rural town of Paris, VA, Ashby Inn and Restaurant is known for their farm to table menu and extensive wine list. Focusing on local food and local wine, The Ashby sells 84 different Virginia labels including Linden, Barboursville and Boxwood. This wine program is led by Sommelier Neal Wavra.

Dino Restaurant and Enoteca - Dino is a rustic, Italian restaurant in NW DC. The wine list is not just a list, it's an education. The wine "book" is 39 pages long! It details everything about the wine selection, mostly Italian. Ideal for those novice wine drinkers or those who want to learn more about the selection. Don't let it scare you away though, Dean is great at answering your questions as well.