Top Table Restaurants’ Top Wine Festival Awards – Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi Named Sommelier of the Year
Vancouver, B.C. – Blue Water Cafe’s Andrea Vescovi was named the “2009 Sommelier of the Year” today at a ceremony convened by the British Columbia Restaurant and Food Services Association and the International Sommelier Guild of Canada during the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival.
The Wine Director at Blue Water Cafe since 2001, Andrea has worked to build the restaurant’s diverse cellar, widely recognized as one of Canada’s finest. Along with Assistant Wine Director and the 2007 Sommelier of the Year, Chris Van Nus, Andrea strives to convey to each guest both a sense of taste and of occasion.
“With such a versatile menu from Chef Pabst, we have the opportunity to offer many different varietals and styles of wine. When selecting a wine for our list we make a conscious effort to uphold our culinary philosophy that the best food and wine should inspire, balance and complement one another.”
Top Table proprietor Jack Evrensel commented, “I’m very proud of Andrea — he’s very talented and imparts his own serenity to the dining room. Andrea has a nuanced palate and deep wine knowledge, but it’s his ability to gently translate both that creates memorable experiences for our guests.”
Andrea will also be honoured at the annual Vancouver Magazine Restaurant Awards on April 14th.
Top Table Tops Wine List Awards
Vancouver, BC – Top Table Restaurants’ standing as an industry frontrunner was also reaffirmed today during the Wine Festival. Araxi, Blue Water Cafe, CinCin and West repeated past successes when each restaurant was called to the podium in recognition of establishing four of Western Canada’s top wine programs.
Blue Water Cafe and West were two of the four restaurants awarded the Platinum Award, which was introduced last year to recognize an elite echelon of restaurant wine programs. CinCin and Araxi are among a distinguished group of nine restaurants that won the Gold designation.
“It’s a great feeling when our work is recognized. It’s a tribute to my colleagues as individuals,” said West Wine Director Owen Knowlton, “but also to our continuous collaboration.”
CinCin Wine Director Michael Mameli agreed, adding, “These awards are all about the team. We have diverse tastes, and differing menus to match, but we all benefit from working closely together, and we like to think that our guests do too.”
A panel of expert judges reviewed wine list submissions throughout British Columbia and Alberta, evaluating presentation and format, harmony with the menu, balanced varietal and style selections, and vintage depth. Each restaurant’s in-house wine program–comprising staff knowledge, storage, presentation and glassware–was also adjudicated.
Top Table’s wine libraries are also perennial recipients of the ‘Best of’ Award of Excellence from Wine Spectator, and each recently received recognition from Wine Enthusiast.
Araxi, Whistler
Wine Director, Samantha Rahn
Assistant Wine Director, Pat Allan
www.araxi.com
Blue Water Cafe, Yaletown
Wine Director, Andrea Vescovi
Assistant Wine Director, Chris Van Nus
www.bluewatercafe.net
CinCin, Robson Street
Wine Director, Michael Mameli
Assistant Wine Director, Jamie Lauder
www.cincin.net
West, Granville Rise
Wine Director, Owen Knowlton
Assistant Wine Director, Corey Bauldry
www.westrestaurant.com
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Media contact:
Shelley McArthur
Communications Director
Top Table Restaurant Group
Araxi | Blue Water Cafe | CinCin | West
604 836 8005 | shelley@toptable.ca
www.toptable.ca