Home>Blog>Heritance Aarah’s Ralu and Baani honoured for award-winning wine programmes
02 July 2026
Heritance Aarah’s Ralu and Baani honoured for award-winning wine programmes
Ralu Overwater Restaurant and Baani at Heritance Aarah have both been recognised with the 2026 Wine Spectator Award of Excellence, highlighting the strength of their wine programmes and their integration with contemporary dining experiences.
For chefs, sommeliers and food and beverage professionals, the awards underline the growing importance of wine curation and pairing as essential components of fine dining, where carefully selected wine lists are designed to complement both cuisine and guest experience.
Established in 1981, the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards recognise excellence in restaurant wine programmes across three categories: Award of Excellence, Best of Award of Excellence and Grand Award. In 2026, 4,012 restaurants worldwide received recognition, with 2,083 earning the Award of Excellence.
The accolade is presented to restaurants whose wine lists feature at least 75 selections, offering diversity in producers, styles and price points while maintaining a strong relationship with the menu.
At Heritance Aarah, the wine programmes at Ralu and Baani together feature 175 premium labels sourced from 12 of the world's leading wine-producing countries, with vintages ranging from 1990 to 2025.
The collections have been developed to reflect the individual culinary identities of each venue. At Ralu Overwater Restaurant, Mediterranean-inspired cuisine is supported by wines selected to complement the flavours and character of French and Italian Riviera-style dining.
Meanwhile, Baani presents a daily changing five-course tasting menu featuring modern global cuisine, with its wine programme designed to enhance contemporary techniques, refined flavours and personalised dining experiences.
For culinary professionals, the recognition demonstrates the importance of close collaboration between chefs and sommeliers. Effective wine pairing extends beyond matching flavours, requiring careful consideration of texture, acidity, body, balance and the overall progression of a menu.
The resort has also invested in professional wine storage and presentation. The collections are maintained in Vinocave and Tecno temperature-controlled cellars to preserve quality and maturity, while wines are served in Spiegelau crystal stemware to optimise presentation and tasting.
Among the standout bottles at Ralu are Armand de Brignac "Ace of Spades" Gold, Chavy-Chouet Meursault Premier Cru Les Charmes and Tenuta San Guido Sassicaia, while Baani's cellar includes Louis Roederer Cristal Millésime Brut, Chavy-Chouet Puligny-Montrachet Les Enseignières and Château Mouton Rothschild Grand Cru Classé.
General Manager Upul Gedarakumbura said the awards reflect the resort’s commitment to combining cuisine, wine and hospitality.
“These awards reflect the care, knowledge and passion behind our wine programmes, as well as our commitment to creating dining experiences where cuisine, wine and setting come together beautifully,” he said.
For chefs and sommeliers working in the Maldives, the double recognition illustrates how investment in cellar management, wine education and thoughtful food pairing continues to shape world-class dining experiences. As guest expectations evolve, successful restaurant concepts increasingly depend on the seamless integration of culinary excellence and beverage expertise.
