TEMECULA, CA – TThe Great Oak Steakhouse inside Pechanga Resort Casino and Cork | Fire Kitchen at Temecula Creek Inn have both earned the 2023 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence distinction for the fourth year in a row. This places the resort’s signature restaurants among the top 0.3 percent of all dining establishments in the U.S., according to statistics.
The Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants with a true dedication to wine. Their wine lists must offer at least 90 selections, feature a well-chosen assortment of quality wine producers that would be difficult for diners to find at local stores and drink at home. The wine selections must also match the restaurant’s cuisine in style and pricing, and provide a well-rounded experience to guests. Whether concise or extensive, focused on only a few wine regions or diverse, the winning lists deliver ample choice to satisfy discerning wine lovers. This year, 2,001 restaurants around the world received Wine Spectator’s Award of Excellence.
“Receiving this award speaks volumes about how guests feel about the Great Oak Steakhouse,” said Pamela Pinto, Vice President of Food and Beverage at Pechanga Resort Casino. “Our teams work so hard to deliver the very best in guest experience, and providing the right selections to match our menu at the Great Oak Steakhouse illustrates the attention to detail and care our chefs, restaurant staff and overall food and beverage management take with each aspect of guest service.”
“Our culinary and our front-of-house restaurant teams put their hearts and souls into the food served at Cork | Fire Kitchen, ensuring the dishes pair perfectly with the exquisite wines on our list,” said Diana McMann, Temecula Creek Inn General Manager. “Our guests say Cork | Fire Kitchen is a ‘must-dine’ every time they visit Temecula. From the care we take to plant and harvest fresh ingredients on site, to the decision made to serve a wide selection of local wines to help our area remain sustainable, this award goes back to the thoughtfulness we give to each item on our menu.”
Pechanga Resort Casino’s Great Oak Steakhouse is currently in the midst of a refresh. Before the temporary closure, the restaurant’s wine list featured 203 distinctive wines from well-known regions around the world. Many hail from California, including several from the local Temecula Valley. Other selections include well-known, as well as hard to find, labels from the Pacific Northwest, Europe, Argentina, and New Zealand. When the restaurant reopens later this summer, guests will enjoy an expanded wine and craft cocktail list, as well as elevated cuisine in a modern and inviting setting.
Cork | Fire Kitchen features 119 wines on their extensive list that offers nearly 20 labels from as nearby as the Temecula Valley, and many more from as far away as Australia, France, Argentina, and Austria. Guests may choose to sit inside or outside on one of two patios overlooking the resort’s 27-hole golf course.