The following materials are REQUIRED for entry into the program:

• Your current wine list.
• Your current dinner menu.
• Your cover letter explaining your restaurant's wine program. The cover letter must be on your restaurant letterhead with phone and fax number, and must be in English.
• Your nonrefundable entry fee of $200, payable by credit card or check in $U.S. made to M. Shanken Communications. This processing fee will be retained whether or not you win an award.
• Your listing form (sent to you after receipt of your materials)

Note: Wine lists from cruise lines, sporting arenas and private clubs are ineligible.

Upon receipt of your materials, you will be sent via fax a Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards Listing Form. You must provide us with a working fax number on your letterhead so that we can get the listing form to you. This form must be completed and returned as soon as possible. The Listing Form cannot be sent to you in advance of your entry — it will be generated after receipt of your materials. Please be patient, as there are over 3,500 restaurants in the program, and it takes time to process all of the renewals and new entries. It is not unusual for you to be faxed your listing form weeks after sending your materials. Entries without this form will not be judged.

Entries are accepted beginning December 1, 2005 and must be received by (not postmarked by) February 1, 2006. There are no exceptions. Faxed or emailed entries are not accepted.

Wine lists must provide vintages and appellations for all selections — including wines by-the-glass. Spelling is also taken into consideration, as is the overall presentation and appearance of the list. The submitted wine list must be an exact copy of what is currently in use in your restaurant. Lists entered for judging must accurately reflect what your customers will see and have access to. Once past these initial requirements, lists are then judged for one of our three awards.

The basic award is the Award of Excellence. With this award we are looking to recognize a commitment to a fine wine list, with a sufficient selection of better producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Award of Excellence lists typically offer at least 80 selections.

Our middle award, the Best of Award of Excellence, was created to give special recognition to those restaurants that clearly exceed our basic category. These lists display vintage depth, vertical offerings of several top wines, excellent breadth from major wine growing regions and typically 400 or more selections.

Our highest award is the Grand Award, which is given to those restaurants that show an uncompromising, passionate devotion to quality. These lists show serious depth of mature vintages, outstanding breadth in their vertical offerings, excellent harmony with the menu, superior organization and presentation and 1,250 or more selections.

All award winners will be notified by mail in May, and then listed in the August 31 issue of Wine Spectator. Award certificates are mailed in September. Our website, www.winespectator.com, will be updated with the new winners when the August 31 issue is made public.

All new entries should be addressed to:
Wine Spectator
Restaurant Awards Program
387 Park Avenue South
New York, NY 10016
Attn.: New Entries

For queries, fax (212) 481-0724, call (212) 481-8610, ext. 781, or email restaurantawards@mshanken.com. Because of the volume of entries we receive, email is the best way to contact us.