2 Fairfield Restaurants Among Wine Spectator's 2023 Award Winners

FAIRFIELD, CT — A pair of Fairfield restaurants were recently honored for their excellent wine lists, in a new survey by Wine Spectator magazine.

Artisan on Old Post Road in Southport received an "Award of Excellence," and Barcelona Wine Bar on Black Rock Turnpike received a "Best of Award of Excellence."

A total of 1,411 restaurants received Best of Award of Excellence honors, and 2,001 restaurants received Award of Excellence recognition.

"The Award of Excellence is given to restaurants offering well-curated lists with approximately 90 selections or more," Cassia Schifter wrote for the magazine. "These lists feature quality producers and wines that diners wouldn’t easily find at local wine stores and drink at home."

As for Best of Award of Excellence winners, those restaurants are on another level.

"These lists include around 350 selections or more, representing a breadth of wine regions and styles, as well as vintage depth through vertical collections of notable wines," she wrote.

The highest level for the magazine are "Grand Award Winners," for "restaurants with world-class wine programs."

For 2023, the magazine's awards program recognized a total of 3,505 dining destinations from all 50 states in the United States, and more than 75 countries around the world.

"In a time of technological innovation, restaurants offer the human experience diners are hungry for — listening to their customers and offering personalized experience," said Marvin Shanken, editor and publisher of Wine Spectator. "This annual issue celebrates the places where wine is at the top of that conversation. I'm pleased to congratulate all 3,505 restaurants for their dedication to wine and wine-loving diners."

To view Wine Spectator's 2023 Restaurant Award Winners, click here.