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Winning Wine Lists

Raise a glass to the winners of the AA Wine Awards 2009

AA Restaurant Guide Over 1,800 AA Rosetted restaurants were invited to submit their wine lists for our 2009-10 Wine Awards. We looked for a real passion for wine, a fair-pricing policy, and an interesting coverage.

Obviously we wanted to see high-quality wines, with diversity across grapes and countries and style, and the best individual growers and vintages. But the list should also be well presented, ideally with some helpful notes, and, to reflect the demand from diners, a good choice of wines by the glass.

The final shortlist of around 160 establishments is highlighted in the AA Restaurant Guide. From the shortlist three national winners were chosen - The Old Bridge Hotel, England; The Cross at Kingussie, Scotland; and The Bell at Skenfrith, Wales. See why they were chosen below:

England and overall winner

The Old Bridge Hotel, Huntingdon the Old Bridge Hotel
Huntingdon, Cambrisgeshire
The Old Bridge Hotel is a charming 18th-century townhouse situated on the banks of the river Ouse in the Cambridgeshire market town of Huntingdon. The brilliant wine list offers a monthly changing selection of 24 fine wines in addition to the House selection, which is available to be tasted at any time thanks for the state-of-the-art 'Enomatic' system, which preserves and dispenses the wines individually. There is an emphasis on quality of selection as well as value. In December 2008 a wine shop opened in the hotel as a result of the success of the restaurant's wine list, offering some of the world's rarest wines produced in small quantities. More about The Old Bridge Hotel

Scotland

Cross at Kingussie, Kingussie The Cross at Kingussie
Kingussie
Situated in a beautiful riverside setting, The Cross at Kingussie is a family-run five star Restaurant with Rooms which combines quality with simplicity, and good food with a warm welcome The wine list is fully deserving of its accolade, changing frequently as old vintages are drunk and new wines are introduced, and continues to develop in line with the proprietor's own tastes, featuring wines that can justifiably be enthused about. In addition to wines, The Cross at Kingussie offers a tempting selection of cognac, armagnac, calvados, eaux de vie and a choice of around 40 malts including some rare bottles and a range of local whiskies from the nearby Dalwhinnie and Speyside distilleries. More about The Cross at Kingussie

Wales

The Bell at Skenfrith The Bell at Skenfrith
Skenfrith
The Bell at Skenfrith prides itself on both the range and quality of wines it offers. The wines from the ever-expanding wine list are sourced predominantly from quality producers rather than big names, ensuring that great wines van be offered at affordable prices. Choices of white wine grape varieties such as viognier, chenin, verdicchio and pinot grigio are a refreshing diversion to the ever popular chardonnay and sauvignon; while red wines range from svelte pinot noirs to the contrasting rich pepper and spice of the syrah or shiraz, both great partners to strong red meats and game dishes. There is also an excellent range of champagnes, both vintage and non-vintage. More about The Bell at Skenfrith

 

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