Charlotte’s 14 best restaurant wine lists, according to Wine Spectator awards
The next time you’re looking to impress a date with an impressive wine list at a Charlotte restaurant, look no further: Wine Spectator’s annual Restaurant awards are out, and 14 of our city’s spots made the list.
“American restaurants are back in business, as patrons are eagerly returning to dining rooms across the nation,” Marvin R. Shanken, Editor and Publisher of Wine Spectator, said in a statement. “In this year’s Restaurant Awards issue, we reflect on how restaurateurs navigated this incredibly difficult period, and look ahead, with every indication that the coming year will be one of the most promising in decades for an industry we all love. It’s been a long road back, and it feels wonderful to celebrate restaurants and all they bring to the world of wine.”
Since 1981, Wine Spectator has been recognizing the world’s best wine lists. There are three awards given: the Award of Excellence, the Best of Award of Excellence and the Grand Award.
In Charlotte, a majority of the winners are at steakhouses in uptown and SouthPark, with a few exceptions.
Here are Charlotte’s winners:
Barcelona Wine Bar
101 W. Worthington Ave. Charlotte, North Carolina 28203
Neighborhood: South End
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: Spain
- Corkage Fee: $20
- Selections: 430
- Inventory: 3,830
- Cuisine: Spanish, Tapas
BLT Steak
The Ritz-Carlton, Charlotte
110 N. College St., Charlotte , North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, France
- Corkage Fee: $35
- Selections: 160
- Inventory: 700
- Cuisine: American, Steakhouse
The Capital Grille
201 N. Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California
- Corkage Fee: $25
- Selections: 410
- Inventory: 4,000
- Cuisine: Steakhouse
Chima Steakhouse
139 S. Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California
- Corkage Fee: $35
- Selections: 200
- Inventory: 2,000
- Cuisine: Brazilian, Steakhouse
Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steakhouse
4725 Piedmont Row Drive, Charlotte, North Carolina 28210
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, France, Italy, Spain
- Corkage Fee: $25
- Selections: 1,115
- Inventory: 6,840
- Cuisine: Steakhouse
Eddie V’s Prime Seafood
101 S. Tryon St. Charlotte , North Carolina 28280
Neighborhood: Uptown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California
- Corkage Fee: $25
- Selections: 300
- Inventory: 5,000
- Cuisine: Seafood, Steakhouse
Mama Ricotta’s
601 S. Kings Drive Charlotte, North Carolina 28204
Neighborhood: Midtown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: Italy, California
- Corkage Fee: $25
- Selections: 120
- Inventory: 700
- Cuisine: Italian
McNinch House Restaurant
511 N. Church St. Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths, California, France, Italy
- Corkage Fee: $35
- Selections: 360
- Inventory: 1,440
- Cuisine: American, Regional
“Our guests appreciate our extensive wine list and know our wine steward Anthony Wesley is always available to expertly guide them towards wines that balance with the food’s ingredients while also accounting for personal preferences,” owner Ellen Davis said in a statement.
Morton’s, The Steakhouse
227 W. Trade St. Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California
Corkage Fee: $50
Inventory: 1,500
Selections: 275
- Cuisine: Steakhouse
The Palm Charlotte
6705-B Phillips Place Court Charlotte, North Carolina 28210
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, Italy
- Corkage Fee: $35
- Selections: 200
- Inventory: 2,000
- Cuisine: Steakhouse
Peppervine
4620 Piedmont Row Dr. Suite 170 B Charlotte, North Carolina 28210
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, France, Oregon, Italy
- Corkage Fee: $30
- Selections: 485
- Inventory: 2,200
- Cuisine: American, Seasonal
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
6000 Fairview Road Charlotte, North Carolina 28210
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, France, Italy
- Selections: 575
- Inventory: 2,075
- Cuisine: Steakhouse
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
222 S. Tryon St. Charlotte, North Carolina 28202
Neighborhood: Uptown
Best of Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California, France
- Selections: 560
- Inventory: 2,100
- Cuisine: American, Steakhouse
Village Tavern
4201 Congress St. The Rotunda Charlotte, North Carolina 28209
Neighborhood: SouthPark
Award of Excellence
- Wine Strengths: California
- Selections: 65
- Inventory: 680
- Cuisine: American
Wine Spectator
Want information on the best wine lists in your other favorite cities? Visit Restaurants.WineSpectator.com, where you can find winners by location, name, proximity, award level, cuisine and pricing.
- Twitter: @wsrestoawards
- Instagram: @wsrestaurantawards
This story was originally published July 12, 2021 at 1:17 PM.
