Looking for a great glass of wine? These RI restaurants top the list.

Gail Ciampa, Providence Journal
·4 min read

The annual Wine Spectator awards have been announced and 18 Rhode Island restaurants have been cited for their excellent wine lists.

Eight restaurants earned the Best of Award of Excellence ranking that reflects a list of extensive selections with significant vintage depth and excellent breadth across multiple regions. It is signified by two wine glasses.

Ten restaurants claimed the Award of Excellence for their well-chosen assortment of quality producers. It is signified by one wine glass.

New to the list this year is Double Barrel Steak by David Burke. It opened at The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences in Richmond this March. There are familiar faces on the list, including The Capital Grille, which has owned a spot since 1997.

The Capital Grille has been recognized for its wine list by Wine Spectator since 1997.
The Capital Grille has been recognized for its wine list by Wine Spectator since 1997.

What are the Wine Spectator Awards?

Launched in 1981, the Restaurant Awards are managed and published by the wine industry magazine. They are assigned on three levels: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award, with 2,001; 1,411; and 93 winners this year in each respective category.

Rhode Island had no Grand Award restaurants, signified by three wine glasses, for extraordinary wine lists. In fact, New England boasts only two. They are Boston's Grill 23, a steakhouse, and Topper's at The Wauwinet, a Victorian inn on Nantucket.

This year’s awards named 3,505 dining destinations from all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Restaurants apply for the awards, submitting information about their wine lists.

Restaurants offer the human experience diners are hungry for, said Marvin R. Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. “This annual issue celebrates the places where wine is at the top of that conversation."

The Restaurant Awards issue, which features chef and restaurateur Thomas Keller on the cover, is on newsstands where magazines are sold.

Ocean House has the view and two glasses from Wine Spectator.
Ocean House has the view and two glasses from Wine Spectator.

Camille's

Camille’s, 71 Bradford St., Providence, has 240 selections with strengths in California and Italian wines. George Kilborn is the wine director.

The Capital Grille

The Capital Grille, 10 Memorial Blvd., Providence, has 320 selections with strength noted in California wines.

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Cara

Cara, The Chanler at Cliff Walk, 117 Memorial Blvd., Newport, with 570 selections. They were acknowledged for wines from California and France and rated expensive.

Chapel Grille

Chapel Grille, 3000 Chapel View Blvd., Cranston, has 225 selections with strength in California, French and Italian wines.

Coast at The Ocean House

Coast at The Ocean House, 1 Bluff Ave., Watch Hill, with 1,450 selections and, strengths in wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, France, and Italy. They earned two wine glasses.

The Coast Guard House

The Coast Guard House, 40 Ocean Road, Narragansett, has 390 selections with French and California wines cited as strengths. Wine director is Elisa Wybraniec.

The Dining Room at Castle Hill

The Dining Room at Castle Hill, 590 Ocean Drive, Newport, with 850 selections. They were cited for strengths in wines from California, Burgundy, Bordeaux, Italy and Champagne and rated as expensive. The restaurant earned two wine glasses.

Double Barrel Steak by David Burke

Double Barrel Steak by David Burke, The Preserve Sporting Club & Residences, 87 Kingstown Road, Richmond. The wine strengths cited are California, France and Italy.

La Masseria

La Masseria, 223 Main St., East Greenwich, with 240 selections and Italian wines cited as the strength.

Matunuck Oyster Bar

Matunuck Oyster Bar, 629 Succotash Road, Wakefield, with 290 selections rated as inexpensive, with strengths in French and California wines for two wine glasses.

Mill's Tavern

Mill's Tavern, 101 North Main St., Providence, has 250 selections with California wines cited as the strength, earning the restaurant two wine glasses.

Restaurant 1879 at the Atlantic Inn

Restaurant 1879 at the Atlantic Inn, 35 High St., Block Island, with 485 selections and California and France cited as strengths. The wines were rated as expensive. The restaurant has two wine glasses.

The Restaurant at The Weekapaug Inn

The Restaurant at The Weekapaug Inn, 25 Spray Rock Road, Westerly, has 165 selections with California and French selections cited.

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Sarto

Sarto, 86 Dorrance St., Providence, has 150 selections with California and Italian selections cited for strengths.

Stoneacre Brasserie

Stoneacre Brasserie, 28 Washington Square, Newport, has 250 selections with French wines cited.

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille, 970 Douglas Pike, Smithfield, with 465 selections and California and Italy cited as strengths. Owner Leonard Mello is also the wine director. Both the Smithfield and Warwick restaurants earned two glasses.

Tavolo Wine Bar & Tuscan Grille, 2099 Post Road, Warwick, has 445 selections with wines from California and Italy.

Glasses on a dining table against a window at the White Horse Tavern. which has been on the Wine Spectator list since 2013.
Glasses on a dining table against a window at the White Horse Tavern. which has been on the Wine Spectator list since 2013.

The White Horse Tavern

The White Horse Tavern, 26 Marlborough St., Newport, with 255 selections and strengths cited as California and French wines. They earned two wine glasses.

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This article originally appeared on The Providence Journal: Best restaurants for wine in RI. These dining spots pour a a great glass