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CANADA'S BEST NEW RESTAURANTS 2003

CANADA'S BEST NEW WINE LISTS 2003

Using menus, wine lists and their own formidable skills, our panel of renowned Canadian wine experts evaluated the wine selections from the 42 restaurants we visited this year. Their judgments confirmed that great wine and food are an inseparable pairing: The three best new wine lists all belong to places that cracked our Restaurant top 10.

The best new wine list belongs to Bymark (Toronto), lauded for its focus and breadth, variety of prices and producers, and ability to match Mark McEwan’s sublime food. In a close race, Celestin (Toronto) lands in second, scoring points for its outstanding selection of French wines. Not surprisingly, Beckta Dining & Wine (Ottawa) – owned by a sommelier – rounds out the top three, with nods to its broad selection (including rare, cult wines) and creative touches, like offering glasses of its own Niagara house blends.

We found much to praise on wine lists across the country. Brunoise (Montreal) adopts a practice popularized by Babbo in New York, serving a rotating selection of wines by the "quartino" (about 250 ml, or 1/3 of a bottle) – a size that’s perfect for pairing and sharing. At Mission Hill Family Estate’s Terrace (Kelowna), the winery charges a very modest $10 markup – a steal – over retail prices to enjoy any of its vintages at the table. The best of the Okanagan is also showcased at Vintropolis Tapas Bar (Kelowna), which excels in by-the-glass offerings and comparative tasting flights from local producers. We also like the excellent single-glass selection at Elixir (Vancouver) – solo sipping, anyone?

Intro | Wine List Panellists

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