We are very excited this year about the possibilities with our extensive and growing wine program!  Recently, we have submitted our wine list into consideration for the next level of award with Wine Spectator Magazine. For those of you that are unaware, Wine Spectator, is one of the best publications in the United States focused strictly on wines and it runs a highly competitive restaurant award program all across the country. Butler’s, the upscale dining venue for The Essex Resort and Spa and the crown jewel of culinary achievements for our students at New England Culinary Institute, has received the first level of award, the Award of Excellence, for the past 5 years running.

This award is only given to top restaurants that have demonstrated a commitment to their personal wine programs, having great understanding and training surrounding wines from all around the world. While we have been honored to receive this award, we have been working hard towards a goal of ours and the next level  of awards, The Best Of Award.  There are only a few hundred restaurants in the United States who have earned this honor, and only 2 or 3 are here in Vermont.  We have been working whole heartedly to get that next level.  We have expanded our offerings to almost 800 labels (one of the largest in the whole state of Vermont!). We also have excellent vertical strength in many areas (verticals are a term used for a wine that has vintage depth…a single bottle label that we have multiple vintages of), and have representation from every major wine producing area in the world.

By Chris Benjamin