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WINE LIST MOST IMPROVED IN UK & IRELAND

November 2008

It’s official! The newly revised Wine List at The Nurse’s Cottage Restaurant with Rooms in the New Forest National Park has taken one of the top Commendations in the Condé Nast Johansens Champagne Taittinger Wine List of the Year Awards. Up against many much larger businesses in the UK and Ireland, the Sway restaurant impressed the judging panel of leading food and wine experts to be named Most Improved Wine List of the Year. Judges commented favourably on the List’s "contemporary style and layout with lots of interesting information as well as range of wines…it has improved dramatically in terms of choice, interest and layout whilst still retaining all the personality and quirky hallmarks”. The previous year’s List featured 68 bins, while the new one runs to 84 different wines, with a Baker’s Dozen being served by the glass. The selection is dominated by France but 17 other countries also feature, notably Chile and Australia, and altogether 55 grapes are listed – from Aglianico to Zinfandel. Chef/Proprietor Tony Barnfield, who collected the Award in London with Head Chef Nick Elliott, said: “We are naturally delighted to have been recognised in this way. We believe that Wine Lists should be more than just a list of wines, there should be sufficient information there for any restaurant guest to make a suitable choice. Every wine has its own tasting notes – plus the odd aside – which hopefully will encourage an occasional adventurous streak. We will try to advise whenever possible but passionately believe that, like food, wine is very much a matter of personal taste and no one wine can please everyone nor match every menu choice. The secret is to know what you like but experiment from time to time: that in itself can be highly enjoyable.”

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