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Larks, Prospect Dinner House earn Wine A-List awards Friday Jan 6, 2017 at 2:00 AM Jan 6, 2017 at 11:09 AM Greg Stiles Mail Tribune @GregMTBusiness No Oregon restaurant wine list reflects the state's vintages quite like Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine, which was named 2017 Wine Program of the Year by the Oregon Wine Press and the Oregon Wine Board in the annual Oregon Wine A-List Awards. Larks, which has locations in Ashland and Medford, topped a list of 124 restaurants around the world that show a deep appreciation, enthusiasm and support for Oregon wines on their wine lists. “It has been truly extraordinary to see the progress that the Oregon wine industry has made,” said Ava DeRosier, longtime director of food and beverage at Larks and Neuman Hotels. "Our staff has the opportunity to continually educate visitors and locals about the amazing things that are happening here." The Wine Program of the Year winner sets the bar for excellence both in depth and breadth of Oregon selections, participation in Oregon Wine Month, and educational opportunities for staff and clientele alike. (Mail Tribune wine columnist Kevin Breck will examine Larks' approach to selecting wine in his Jan. 18 column.) Six regional spotlights along with Washington state, national and international restaurants were honored, as well. Prospect Dinner House at the Historic Prospect Hotel was singled out for its 45-item wine list that includes 44 Oregon selections. Prospect Hotel and Dinner House owners Fred and Karen Wickman largely have followed their own palate in building an Oregon Wine A-List for three years running. When the Wickmans bought the hotel in 2005, the wine list was primarily international with a handful of Oregon selections. "We knew Oregon made great wines," Fred Wickman said. "People don't come here to drink wine from California, Chile or wherever." Prospect Dinner House carries labels from a dozen or more Southern Oregon wineries with an eye on turning over the list every two years. "It actually takes a fair amount of work, but it's fun to go to tasting rooms and wineries," he said. "We go with what we like and round out the list with varietals, tempranillo, viognier, pinots, cab sauvs, merlot and cab franc. I like cab sauv myself, so we usually have five or six cab sauvs, but it's a pretty broad-band listing of what's available." Although the list covers Southern Oregon, Fred Wickman said his establishment's limited capacity keeps from replicating the attention in other parts of the state. "Our representation of quality is good, but we'll never get the top, top notch where there is wine from all over the state; our wine cellar just isn't that big." The one non-Oregon wine he carries is an inexpensive sparkling wine for anniversary celebrations. The 2017 Oregon Wine A-List Award winners can be found online at www.oregonwinealist.com. Southern Oregon restaurants mentioned include: Wine Program of the Year Larks Home Kitchen Cuisine, Inn at the Commons, Medford, and Ashland Springs Hotel Regional Spotlight Winner Prospect Dinner House Southern Oregon A-List Award Winners Alchemy Restaurant & Bar, Ashland; Bella Union, Jacksonville; Caldera Restaurant & Brewery, Ashland; Jacksonville Inn; Kaleidoscope Pizza, Medford; The Peerless, Ashland; Pomodori Bistro & Wine Bar, Medford; Porters, Medford; The Regency Grill, Medford; Smithfields Restaurant & Bar, Ashland; The Steamboat Inn, Idleyld Park. — Reach reporter Greg Stiles at 541-776-4463 or [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter at www.twitter.com/GregMTBusiness, on Facebook at www.facebook.com/greg.stiles.31.