Yes, we keep hearing that people are drinking less, and mocktails are having a moment. But for those still interested in the dolce vita, wine hasn’t exactly lost its charm. A good glass can still make a steak sing, a branzino hum and an ordinary dinner feel like it’s wearing linen.
Good news for us: Sixteen restaurants in Sarasota and Manatee counties have earned spots on Wine Spectator’s 2026 Restaurant Awards list, the magazine’s annual guide to restaurants with standout wine programs.
The awards date back to 1981, when the magazine introduced the Grand Award to recognize restaurants with extraordinary wine lists at a moment when American wine culture was gaining momentum. By 1985, the program had expanded into the three-tier system still used today: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and Grand Award. This year, Wine Spectator recognized 4,012 restaurants around the world…