LOS ANGELES, June 14 — Diners for whom the wine list is as important as the menu may want to check out Wine Enthusiast’s picks for the top 100 best wine restaurants in America 2019, which this year includes more than a dozen newcomers.

In keeping with the publication’s philosophy on wines, winners represent a wine and dining experience that is accessible and unpretentious, innovative culinary talent, world-class producers and cutting-edge trends.

"This list isn’t a ranking, nor is there a matrix of number of bottles, prices or types of food. Instead, it is a selection of restaurants where wine is shared and celebrated, and where, in our experiences, the selection, food, service and atmosphere are all exceptional,” editors say.

Along with spotlighting the country’s rising stars, the list makes a concerted effort to feature secondary markets.

Newcomers to the list this year include Niche Niche and Racines in New York; Theodore Rex in Houston; Folk in Nashville; Atelier Crenn in San Francisco; and Oriole in Chicago.

Winners are grouped by region: Central, South, Northeast and West.

The full list can be found here. — AFP-Relaxnews