A selection of “rare, boutique and vintage wines” has earned national recognition for one of Wilmington’s longstanding dining gems.

Domaine Hudson has been awarded a 2019 Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence for its outstanding wine program, making it the only city eatery receiving the award this year.

The Washington Street institution’s co-owner Mike Ross says the award reflects a “consistent commitment” to offering delicious wine pairings with the restaurant’s cuisine.

“A great deal of thought and planning goes into developing a wine list of the quality we have at Domaine Hudson,” said his partner Beth Ross.

Mike and Beth Ross purchased Domaine Hudson in 2011 from founder Tom Hudson and the restaurant’s focus on wine has been recognized by the Wine Spectator for seven years running, in addition to other accolades.

Wine Spectator began its program to recognize the world’s best wine lists in 1981. The publication’s editor, Marvin R. Shanken, said it was a priority to highlight local restaurants around the country. “Both novice wine lovers and seasoned sommeliers alike actively seek and frequent restaurants with exciting, well-curated wine lists,” he said.

The Wine Spectator award recognizes restaurants whose wine lists feature a well-chosen assortment of quality producers along with a thematic match to the menu in both price and style. Domaine Hudson’s Best of Award of Excellence celebrates spots offering “more extensive selections with significant vintage depth and excellent breadth across multiple regions.”

The complete list of award winners is available at Restaurants.WineSpectator.com,