Sommeliers' Top 11 Chicago Wine Lists, Mapped Wine may not be as trendy as craft beer these days, but many Chicago restaurants can still build a great list. Eater asked four of Chicago's most acclaimed sommeliers for their favorites—Michael Muser (Grace, a 2014 Food & Wine Sommelier of the Year), Alpana Singh (The Boarding House), Jon McDaniel (Henri, The Gage) and Richard Hanauer (RPM Steak). Their picks for the top 11 wine lists in Chicago are below. If you ask sommeliers about their favorite wine lists in Chicago, nearly all of them will mention Andrew Zimmerman's Near West Side restaurant. Alpana Singh is one of the many admirers. Hanauer absolutely gushes about the wine list at TRU. "These are the romantic wines that have no rivals. Though the list is studded with interesting and approachable wines, one goes to enjoy the finest wines ever made." 3 The Purple Pig The wine list at the perpetually-busy Bannos restaurant on Michigan Avenue is highlighted by many, including Michael Muser.

He casts a spotlight on the wines from Friuli, Italy, on "a focused list of completely Italian (wines)." 4 Del Frisco's Double Eagle Steakhouse McDaniel loves the "big, massive, rich reds" at the steakhouse he says offers more depth of Cabernets than any other. "If I had an expense account and some clients from Nebraska I needed to impress, Del Frisco's would get my boss's money every time." 5 Telegraph Wine Bar Out in Logan Square, sommeliers describe the Telegraph list as an outstanding selection of wines that's somehow kept affordable. "The entire list is filled with great tasting wines that come from obscure grapes and regions," says Hanauer. "Telegraph has become the greatest collection of these wines in the city." Vera's selection is a favorite of the former Check, Please host Alpana Singh. Most-known for its amazing selection of sherry, Elizabeth Mendez's selection of Spanish wines is no joke either. When The Bristol opened in 2008, it was more casual and the beverage menu focused on beer.

They now offer one of the best wine selections in Chicago. "The Bristol has a wine list that's serious but not snobby," McDaniel says. "You can find great little wines you may never have heard of for a great price."best red wine prices in india Michael Muser is thoroughly impressed with the wine list at Carrie and Michael Nahabedian's second restaurant. wine gift box with accessoriesHe highlights the "outstanding grower champagne selection" first and foremost.best tasting cheap sweet wine McDaniel says Les Nomades features the best selection of French wines in Chicago. the best wine tours in italy

"Amazing Champagne, Burgundy, Bordeaux, older vintages of some classic gems, (and a) really interesting and deep dessert wine selection." Hanauer exalts master sommelier Singh's artisan wine selection at her Wells Street palace. best wine places in france"Whether it be an upcoming appellation, an odd producer, or an extraordinary vintage, every wine on the menu is impressive for its own reason."best red wine uk 2013 While you may not think of Embeya as a wine haven, McDaniel says chef Thai Dang's Asian flavors pair perfectly with slightly sweet, aromatic wines. "Embeya has the best selection of riesling in the city, with over 50 selections from around the world." All of Chicago’s Past James Beard Award Winners, Mapped 8 Off-Menu Secret Cocktails to Try in Chicago The 10 Hottest Taco Spots in Chicago, 2017 Edition

Where to Eat Brunch in Chicago Right Now, April 2017 © 2017 Vox Media, Inc. In recent decades, the Second City has ascended to the top tier of innovation and excellence in American dining, powered by imagination in the kitchen from chefs like Michael Kornick, Paul Kahan, Grant Achatz and, of course, the late Charlie Trotter. Today's scene is as vibrant as ever, with world-class wine lists and cuisine, both fine and fun, from steak to Italian to the less conventional. If you're in town for Wine Spectator's Chicago Grand Tour on May 9—or just catching Lake Michigan in springtime—here are some restaurants you can't go wrong trying. To check out more wine and food destinations, see Wine Spectator’s more than 3,500 Restaurant Award–winning picks, including our 83 Restaurant Award winners in Illinois' Chicago metro area and the 85 Grand Award recipients worldwide that hold our highest honor. Do you have a favorite you’d like to see on this list? We want to hear from you!

676 N. St. Clair St. Open Dinner, Tuesday to Saturday Tru has become known for its signature "Coral Caviar," a decadent plating of 10 different caviar scoops presented in a molded piece of coral. The dish, along with other menu options such as spiced Cervena venison and aromatic mussel velouté, is a perfect representation of the push and pull between tradition and modernity that frames the entire dining and wine experience at Tru, orchestrated by executive chef Anthony Martin. The wine program, led by wine director David Murr, boasts a 1,400-bottle Grand Award–winning list, with strengths in Burgundy, the Rhône, California, Bordeaux and Italy. 18 S. Michigan Ave.lunch, Monday to Friday Best of Award of Excellence Steps from Millennium Park and along Chicago’s Cultural Mile, Acanto provides a refined yet approachable Italian dining experience. Beverage director Jon McDaniel, who also manages the wine programs at Acanto's four sister restaurants, oversees a wine list spanning 20 regions in Italy for pairing with executive chef Christopher Gawronski's classic Italian dishes.

Stop by on "Three Liter Thursdays" for by-the-glass specials poured from 3-liter bottles. 444 N. Wabash Ave. Open Lunch and dinner, daily For a classic steak-house experience in this classic city, head to Benny’s Chop House, located just off of Grant Park, Chicago's "front yard." With 1,700 selections, the restaurant’s Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine list is strong in California, Bordeaux, Burgundy, Italy and Spain, and curated to pair well with the restaurant’s 100 percent USDA prime beef cuts or high-end surf offerings like Dover sole and Ora King salmon. Benny’s adds ambience with live jazz during the evenings from Wednesday to Saturday. Chicago Athletic Association, 12 S. Michigan Ave., Second Floor Overlooking Millennium Park and the Art Institute of Chicago at the historic Chicago Athletic Hotel, Cherry Circle Room is a cozy retreat from the city’s hustle and bustle. Settle into a plush leather booth or sit at the expansive bar, and browse chef Peter Coenen’s menu of house specialties such as veal cavatelli, natural-aged lacquered duck, and axe-handle prime rib steak.

With an abundance of sparkling options, including more than six dozen grower Champagnes and a hearty selection of grande marque Champagnes as well, wine director Andrew Algren’s list is well-suited for festivities. The 1,175-selection list also offers depth in Burgundy, California, Italy and Germany, earning it a Best of Award of Excellence in 2016. 1200 W. Randolph St. City Winery Chicago's focus is, naturally, wine, so it comes as no surprise that executive chef Andres Barrera's menu—largely comprising shareable plates such as crispy risotto balls and braised duck tacos—is designed around the Best of Award of Excellence–winning list. Visiting the West Loop restaurant is sort of like a choose-your-own-adventure experience: Have a casual meal in the main dining room, enjoy a secluded private dinner surrounded by wine barrels, or rock out in the concert venue on the premises, where full food and drink service is available. Regardless of where you hang out, you'll be treated to a selection of 555 wines, including more than 20 City Winery offerings vinified in-house.

58 E. Oak St. Led by executive chef Javier Fuentes, Del Frisco’s Double Eagle Steak House Chicago turns out a range of steak styles and cuts, as well as succulent seafood. Wine director Amy Lutchen oversees the 1,650-bottle Best of Award of Excellence–winning list, which has strengths in California, Bordeaux, Italy, Burgundy, Spain, the Rhône, Washington, Oregon and Australia. 222 E. Ontario St. Since executive chef Roland Liccioni and his wife, general manager Mary Beth Liccioni, acquired Les Nomades in 1993, it has evolved from a private club into a welcoming bastion of civilized French dining. Liccioni's prix fixe menu offers four courses, with dishes like smoked salmon tartare roulade and Alaskan king crab leg with Meyer lemon puree to start, and a duo of slow-roasted veal and lamb loin with eggplant for the main. The Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine list is extensive, with 1,000 selections and strengths in Burgundy, Bordeaux, California, the Rhône and Champagne.

980 N. Michigan Ave., Second Floor Under the guidance of James Beard Award winner and Top Chef Master Tony Mantuano, executive chef Joe Flamm crafts modern cuisine that has kept Spiaggia at the forefront of Italian fine dining in Chicago. Pastas are handmade, service is solicitous, the views of Lake Michigan are gorgeous, and the Italy-focused, Best of Award of Excellence–winning wine list is a delight to peruse. Managed by beverage director Rachael Lowe, the 750-selection program is particularly strong in bottles from Piedmont and Tuscany. After dinner, choose from several Italian dessert wines, as well as grappas and amari. 615 W. Randolph St. Originally a wine bar, Award of Excellence winner Avec keeps wine at its core. Wine director and owner Eduard Seitan oversees the program, which features 110 selections focused on France, Spain, Italy and Portugal. Inspired by the wine list, the cuisine is Mediterranean with a Midwestern spin, using ingredients sourced from local purveyors.

A unique array of French, Italian and Belgian beers bolsters the impressive beverage program. 619 W. Randolph St. Executive chef and owner Paul Kahan, a recent winner of the James Beard Award, grew up in Chicago at a time when fine dining meant crowded steak houses awash in maroon leatherette. His own Blackbird is more sleek and modern, and as hip as the West Randolph neighborhood it anchors, delivering hearty food with verve. Kahan's cuisine is an urbane, seasonal take on the earthy flavors of the Midwest, while the wine list has a particularly strong focus on France and California. Kahan also owns favorite Chicago spots like Nico Osteria, the Violet Hour, the Publican and Big Star. 2824 W. Armitage Ave. In Chicago's Logan Square neighborhood, Osteria Langhe offers a traditional taste of Piedmont. Reflecting the menu—which is full of favorites from the northern Italian region, including house-made pasta with meat sauce and prosciutto-wrapped rabbit loin with truffle jus—the Award of Excellence–winning wine list is Piemontese through and through.