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Downtown Louisville steakhouse earns Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for wine program
The Apex Times

THE APEX TIMES

Kentucky/The Apex Times/Jul 2, 5:15 PM EDT

Downtown Louisville steakhouse earns Wine Spectator Award of Excellence for wine program

Steakhouse Bourré Bonne, which opened about a year ago, was recognized for a wine list featuring more than 200 selections.

3 min readEditor-approved Apex article

Steakhouse Bourré Bonne, a downtown Louisville steakhouse, has received Wine Spectator recognition for its wine program, according to WLKY. The award comes roughly one year after the restaurant opened its doors, underscoring how quickly the establishment has built what Wine Spectator describes as a top-tier wine list that is intended to complement the menu.

WLKY reported that Steakhouse Bourré Bonne was named among the recipients of Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence. Wine Spectator honors restaurants each year with different levels of recognition, including an Award of Excellence and a higher-tier Grand Award, and WLKY noted that the publication recognized thousands of restaurants globally for their wine service and lists.

Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence is based on criteria that include wine list size, producers, and pairing with the restaurant’s menu, according to WLKY. The program recognizes restaurants that have wine lists with more than 75 wines from quality wine producers, and the wine list must be designed to pair with the restaurant’s offerings.

In Louisville, Steakhouse Bourré Bonne’s award was tied to a wine collection that includes more than 200 wines, WLKY reported. The report said the restaurant’s list features selections from wine regions around the world, including Italy, France, Spain, and Australia, reflecting a range of styles aimed at different diners.

WLKY also quoted the steakhouse’s general manager, Tony Shaw, describing the wine program as part of the restaurant’s overall approach to create a dining experience that feels both elevated and approachable. Shaw said the restaurant’s goal from the outset was to pair an enhanced wine program with its culinary vision while still offering options for a wide range of guests.

Wine Spectator’s 2026 Restaurant Awards included thousands of restaurants worldwide, and WLKY reported that more than 2,000 restaurants received an Award of Excellence this year, alongside other categories. The publication’s awards are based on evaluations of each restaurant’s wine list rather than on meal service ratings alone, according to the reporting included in the WLKY story.

For Louisville, an internationally recognized dining accolade can translate into renewed attention from visitors and travelers who use wine-focused publications when planning meals, particularly during peak tourism periods. For businesses, awards like the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence can also serve as a measurable milestone that the restaurant’s standards are being met consistently across an expanded wine portfolio.

As the recognition circulates, the immediate next step for the restaurant is to continue maintaining the wine list parameters that support the award, including keeping a broad selection available and aligning it with the menu. Wine Spectator’s program evaluates wine lists as they are presented for the awards cycle, so restaurants typically need to keep their programs stable to sustain that level of recognition over time.

Why It Matters

  • The award provides a concrete, independently evaluated standard of restaurant wine program quality for a Louisville business that is still early in its operating timeline.
  • Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence can drive attention from regional and out-of-state diners who plan restaurant visits around wine lists and publication-backed rankings.
  • Maintaining a broad wine selection can affect operational costs and inventory planning, and restaurants must keep lists aligned with evolving menus to preserve the quality that awards depend on.
  • Recognitions of this type can strengthen downtown hospitality branding and support economic activity tied to dining and tourism, particularly when awards are covered by local media.

Sources

Key Facts

  • Steakhouse Bourré Bonne in downtown Louisville received Wine Spectator recognition for its wine collection, according to WLKY.
  • The restaurant was recognized roughly one year after opening, WLKY reported.
  • WLKY said Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence applies to restaurants with wine lists of more than 75 wines from quality producers that pair with the menu.
  • WLKY reported that Steakhouse Bourré Bonne was awarded for a wine list with more than 200 wines.
  • WLKY reported that the wine list includes selections from Italy, France, Spain, and Australia.
  • WLKY said more than 2,000 restaurants received an Award of Excellence in the 2026 awards cycle.