THE Cardamom Café at Jetwing Lighthouse, known as the gateway to the South of Sri Lanka, has received the country’s first ever Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, only given to restaurants that feature outstanding selections of wine, appropriate to the restaurant’s cuisine, and which appeal to a wide range of wine lovers.

Located on the outskirts of the storied city of Galle, Jetwing Lighthouse is the pinnacle of the great architect Geoffrey Bawa’s accomplishments in resort design. To him, the warmth of Sri Lankan hospitality had to be evident in the open spaces; complemented by the interior ambience which was inspired from various periods in the city’s history. Upon entering, visitors remain in awe of a battle unfolding in front of their own eyes, woven in copper and brass, seemingly snatched from ages long past — the battle of Randeniya, between the Dutch and the Sinhalese, sculpted by renowned artist Laki Senanayake.

The character of the hotel is evident in every aspect, and even more so through the many culinary experiences at the Cinnamon Room, Nihal’s and the recently lauded Cardamom Café, which becomes the first restaurant in Sri Lanka to be recognized by the most influential source of wine in the world — Wine Spectator (www.winespectator.com).

This also functions as recognition of Jetwing’s unparalleled commitment in offering a carefully curated and diverse selection of wine selection of wines from all wine producing countries in the world to the discerning guests. The property will thus be featured in the August print issue of Wine Spectator, in their Annual Restaurant Awards Guide.

Launched in 1996, Wine Spectator has become the go-to resource for all wine-related subjects. Featuring a database of more than 250,000 wine ratings, tasting reports, news and features, the Restaurant Wine List Awards have become a prestigious listing of their own with very strict requirements.

As officially described, basic requirements are that “the list must present complete, accurate wine information. It must include vintages and appellations for all selections, including wines available by the glass. Complete producer names and correct spellings are mandatory, while the overall presentation and appearance of the list is also taken into consideration”.

For the Award of Excellence, lists should offer “a well-chosen selection of quality producers, along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Typically, these lists offer at least 90 selections”.

This article first appeared in digitaledge Daily, on September 2, 2015.