ATLANTIC CITY HOTEL & CASINO ROOMS
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Atlantic City's Best Cellars
EDITORIAL REVIEW
Some people just can't enjoy the fine dining experience without a bottle of wine to match their meal. "A bottle of white, a bottle of red, perhaps a bottle of rose instead" is being heard more and more these days. With the continued rise of high-caliber, non-casino dining and all of the things that come with such restaurant openings
(The
Palm, Knife and
Fork, Morton's,
Gallagher's,
Ruth's
Chris, etc.), more and more people are not so much concerned over the menu as the wine list. Atlantic City also has its share of existing gems that are helping the casual diner in their quest for the perfect pairing. Oenophiles rejoice, for there are lists in this city that are among the best anywhere. Have some cheese with this rundown:
AWARD
WINNERS:
Dock's Oyster House (2405 Atlantic Ave., 609-345-0092), Scannicchio's, (119 S. California Ave., 609-348-6378) and the Palm (2801 Pacific Ave., within The Quarter at Tropicana, 609-344-PALM) have all won Wine Spectator awards in recent years for their lists. The Palm has the honor among these to have won the nod from Wine Spectator in its first year of operation, an honor that no matter the name on the door doesn't happen very often. Dock's Oyster House is the only non-casino establishment on Wine Spectator's 2004 list.
LARGEST LIST:
This distinction clearly goes to the Borgata. Their main cellar that supplies the house at last check boasted 1,200 labels and 30,000 individual bottles. The list might read like War and Peace, but there's a bottle or a glass to suit any taste and any budget. Some vintages in Borgata's possession sell for $2,000 a bottle. Good thing they have all that space. All of Borgata's gourmet food outlets have won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, and Specchio won a 2004 Best Award of Excellence.
LARGEST SMALL HOUSE LIST:
Frank Dougherty's new Knife and Fork Inn (Atlantic and Pacific Aves., 609-344-1133) will soon have its full 10,000-bottle cellar completely stocked. They take their wine seriously there, as they have a full-time sommelier and their storage is plainly visible upon walking in the new Pacific Avenue entrance.
MOST "TIDAL" LIST:
Yeah, you read that right - tidal, meaning that the list ebbs and flows like the tides. The term was coined by Paul "Paulie" Sandler, Assistant General Manager of the Palm. Of the average 160 bottles on his list, about 25 can be found at every Palm. The other 135 are entirely his choice. They represent approximately 30 countries, and he rewrites the list every two weeks, adjusting both for sales and season. "Correct wine pairing helps to create the experience for the guest," says Sandler. "My list has a price point for any wallet and a taste for any culture. The wait staff goes to weekly tastings, and their opinions are reflected in the list."
AWARD
WINNERS:Dock's Oyster House (2405 Atlantic Ave., 609-345-0092), Scannicchio's, (119 S. California Ave., 609-348-6378) and the Palm (2801 Pacific Ave., within The Quarter at Tropicana, 609-344-PALM) have all won Wine Spectator awards in recent years for their lists. The Palm has the honor among these to have won the nod from Wine Spectator in its first year of operation, an honor that no matter the name on the door doesn't happen very often. Dock's Oyster House is the only non-casino establishment on Wine Spectator's 2004 list.
LARGEST LIST:
This distinction clearly goes to the Borgata. Their main cellar that supplies the house at last check boasted 1,200 labels and 30,000 individual bottles. The list might read like War and Peace, but there's a bottle or a glass to suit any taste and any budget. Some vintages in Borgata's possession sell for $2,000 a bottle. Good thing they have all that space. All of Borgata's gourmet food outlets have won Wine Spectator's Award of Excellence, and Specchio won a 2004 Best Award of Excellence.
LARGEST SMALL HOUSE LIST:
Frank Dougherty's new Knife and Fork Inn (Atlantic and Pacific Aves., 609-344-1133) will soon have its full 10,000-bottle cellar completely stocked. They take their wine seriously there, as they have a full-time sommelier and their storage is plainly visible upon walking in the new Pacific Avenue entrance.
MOST "TIDAL" LIST:
Yeah, you read that right - tidal, meaning that the list ebbs and flows like the tides. The term was coined by Paul "Paulie" Sandler, Assistant General Manager of the Palm. Of the average 160 bottles on his list, about 25 can be found at every Palm. The other 135 are entirely his choice. They represent approximately 30 countries, and he rewrites the list every two weeks, adjusting both for sales and season. "Correct wine pairing helps to create the experience for the guest," says Sandler. "My list has a price point for any wallet and a taste for any culture. The wait staff goes to weekly tastings, and their opinions are reflected in the list."