L'ecole Restaurant Steps Up Wine List Earning Best Of Award

L'Ecole, the Restaurant at the French Culinary Institute, just received the 'Best of Award of Excellence' from Wine Spectator. The restaurant was upgraded from the 'Award of Excellence' and also received a notation for being a list with great value. Alexis Kahn, Associate Director - Wine Studies, Advanced Studies and Recreational Division at the French Culinary Institute has worked diligently to upgrade the wine list at L'Ecole, selecting high caliber wines offered at an incredible value. Below are some highlights that offer great value from L'Ecole's wine list and some of Alexis Kahn's favorite selections.

Best of Award of Excellence
788 winners
Created to give special recognition to restaurants that clearly exceed the requirements of the Award of Excellence. These lists typically offer 400 or more selections, along with superior presentation, and display either vintage depth, with several vertical offerings of top wines, or excellent breadth across several wine regions.

L'Ecole's aperitifs start at $8 (Lillet, Aperol), craft beers start at $6 (Atwater Brewery, Stoudts, Keegan Ales, Fire Island Brewing Company, Lagunitas), wines by the glass start at $8 and glasses of dessert wine start at $6. All of L'Ecole's staff picks are currently under $100 a bottle and perfect for summer - bottles of ros�s are $40 and under.

L'Ecole features Boutique/Grower Champagnes for under $125 (Bruno Paillard for $115, Egly-Ouriet for $104, Guy Charlemagne for $100) and has more than 10 other sparkling wine options for under $50/bottle.


Alexis's favorite good value whites:

Condes de Albarei, Salneval, R�ax Baixas, Spain 2008/ 32 (Albari�o)

Domaine Tupinier-Bautista, Les Vell�es, Premier Cru, Mercurey, Burgundy, France 2007/ 62 (Chardonnay)

Domaine du Closel - Ch�teau des Vaults, La Jalousie, Savenni�res, Loire Valley, France 2006/52 (Chenin Blanc)

Epiphany, Camp Four Vineyard, Santa Barbara County, California 2007/ 46 (Grenache Blanc)

Hexamer, Meddersheimer Rheingrafenberg, Nahe, Germany 2008/44 (Riesling)



Alexis's favorite good value reds:

Poderi Elia, Barbera D'Alba, Superiore, Piedmont, Italy 2006/ 38 (Barbera)

Henry Fessy, R�gni�, Burgundy, France 2008/ 30 (Gamay/Grand Cru Beaujolais)

Gilles Ferran, Les Sabli�res, C�tes-du-Rh�ne, Rh�ne Valley, France 2008/ 38 (Grenache-based)

Benvenuto de la Serna, Mil Piedras, Valle de Uco, Mendoza, Argentina 2007/ 32 (Malbec)

Fran�oise & Denis Clair, Clos Genet, Santenay, Burgundy, France 2006/ 68 (Pinot Noir)