If wining and dining are important parts of your travels (and they should be!), be sure to consult the upcoming issue of Wine Spectator. For culinary adventures near and far, Wine Spectator's fine-tuned roster of the World's Best Wine Lists is a valuable resource - the 3,795 winners span all 50 states and more than 70 countries. Four U.S. dining spots—A Voce (Manhattan), Acquerello (San Francisco), Commander's Palace (New Orleans) and Sierra Mar at the Post Ranch Inn (Big Sur) have joined an elite group of 71 other restaurants that currently hold Grand Awards as the world’s top wine destinations for diners. Restaurants with the prestigious Grand Award designation generally offer 1,500 or more selections and have also passed a rigorous inspection that evaluates the overall quality of their wine program, cellars, service, ambiance and cuisine.
The legendary Commander's Palace in New Orleans is included in Wine Spectator's elite group of Grand Award recipients. I've been there and this romantic restaurant is definitely a must-visit on a trip to NOLA. 
Wine Spectator also recognized 2,842 restaurants this year with the entry-level Award of Excellence and another 878 restaurants earned the mid-tier Best of Award of Excellence. The complete list of award winners is featured in the Aug. 31 issue of
Wine Spectator, available on newsstands July 24. The issue also features detailed industry analysis and full profiles of this year’s new Grand Award winners. All of the restaurants can be found on
Wine Spectator's Restaurant Search along with details about their wine selection, cuisine, prices and key staff. Pack your bags and raise a glass!
