The Depot, Auburn’s downtown seafood restaurant, has recently received an award from the Wine Spectator for their wine selection.
This restaurant was modeled from an old train station, and with a selection of 108 wines, they received the Award of Excellence. The Depot offers a large array of selections with something to appeal to any patron. This is the second year in a row that The Depot has won this award.
Monica Simpson works with the Public Relations and Marketing for The Depot.
“We wanted to have a diverse, kind of exclusive and balanced representation of wines to match the food,” Monica said.
According to the Wine Spectator website, in order to qualify for a wine spectator award the wine list must include unique choices that go well with the food. They must have appellations and be spelled correctly, as well as have vintage choices. Presentation is also highly important. The website specifies three different awards:
- The Award of Excellence: The list must have at least 90 wine choices. There must also be a theme running between the wines and the menu.
- The Best of Award of Excellence: There are normally 350 plus choices on these wine lists. This award is for a restaurant that cultivates a deep wine persona. Serious wine lovers, take note.
- The Grant Award: This is the highest honor the Wine Spectator bestows. This is considered the “highest level of wine service”. There are normally 1,000 wine selections are more on menus that receive this award. There is a beautiful presentation and a wide array of selections including mature vintage wines.
In 2016 The Depot had a selection of 90 wines and 10 countries represented. By 2017 they’ve added 18 new selections and over 10 represented countries.
For patrons, they have also been expanding on their glass selections with 11 whites by the glass and 10 reds by the glass.
The award has allowed them to grow their base of support as well. Monica said that since receiving the Award of Excellence, the restaurant has patrons from outside of just Auburn. People come from Montgomery or Atlanta to try the wide array of wines offered.
“We also really strive to educate the diners on our wine list, so we have quality driven wines, we have older vintages, we have unique blends that are not readily available on the auburn market,” Monica said.
The Depot strives to create an environment that adds something special to Auburn.
“We really want to create an intentional, yet approachable food and wine experience. We are not fine dining, we are not a restaurant solely for special occasions, we are a restaurant where we want people to gather,” Monica said.
Their food includes a wide array of seafood, thanks to the Executive Chef, and co-owner, Scott Simpson. From their general online menu you can see anything from oysters to mako shark.
“Here at The Depot, we have intentionally developed a balance of surprising as well as complimentary wines to our very unique menu,” Scott said.
Their inviting environment is something unique for Auburn.
“We want to be a place for the community,” Monica said.
Since the selections change frequently, you’ll just need to visit The Depot yourself in order to try their seafood and fine wines.
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