For the second consecutive year, Pacific Prime Restaurant at The Beach Club Resort in Parksville has earned an award of excellence from the Wine Spectator.
Just because they won last year, the team at The Beach Club was not automatically handed the award this year, explained Beach Club general manager Arthur Wong.
“You have to keep up the standard,” said Wong. “It (the wine list) can’t stay stagnant. It can’t have holes. It has to cover the whole spectrum available.”
Pacific Prime offers about 140 different labels of wine. It’s one of only five restaurants on Vancouver Island to earn this Wine Spectator award distinction. The others are in Victoria (three) and Tofino.
Wong was quick to credit his team at The Beach Club for their efforts.
“It’s a lot of hard work,” he said. “It (the award) is kudos for a job well done. It’s taken my team a lot of hard work and dedication to create a wine list and maintain it.”
According to its website, Wine Spectator’s restaurant awards recognize restaurants whose wine lists offer interesting selections, are appropriate to their cuisine and appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.
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 our three awards.
There are 2,414 award of excellence winners worldwide this year. According to Wine Spectator, for this level of award, wine lists, which typically offer at least 90 selections, feature a “well-chosen assortment of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style.
“Whether compact or extensive, focused or diverse, these lists deliver sufficient choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers.”
