As a young restaurant we continue to enjoy the challenges of guiding the evolution of our wine program. The relentless commitment to excellence by our kitchen demands that we nurture the growth of a purposeful and wisely selected wine list to complement our food.

The classic regions and producers of both new world and old world create the framework of any well-designed wine list. We believe the sourcing out of boutique wineries, uncommon varietals and obscure quality bottles brings personality and variety into a truly exciting selection. Particular attention has been paid to the depth of our selection of half bottles, in an effort to create even more wine and food-pairing options.

While the collecting of wines is an arduous task in itself, the acquired wines demand respectful care and storage. We have created a visually stunning "Wall of Wine" and govern its tenants with a custom-designed temperature control system. This ensures that the condition of our selection -and our guests' satisfaction- are not compromised.

Our wine list has been developed with approachability always in mind. Although many prestigious labels reside within our compilation, the focus of its maturity has been towards diversity of origin and ease of use. We are confident that our list has enough depth and range to appeal to the wide range of guests who dine with us. We hope you will enjoy what we believe to be an inspired and fun selection of beautiful wines.

Respectfully,

Jay Jones
Bar Manager, Wine Director

Please contact us at info@westrestaurant.com if you would like a copy of the wine list forwarded to you.

  

Jay David Jones
Bar Manager, Wine Director

Growing up with a father who is a true food and wine lover, laid the foundation for Jay's early appreciation of fine dining. Early memories from his childhood include those of his father buying wine from Napa and a visit to the famed French Laundry. After high school he attended Art College in Seattle.

In 1999 Jay decided to move to Whistler, falling in love with the ski-town after spending time there in the summer visiting friends. Although he applied for several positions - at this time, he really had his heart set on working at Araxi - Whistler's premier fine dining restaurant. A thorough interview later and Jay found himself bartending behind the finest wood in town. Now he truly began to embrace food and wine at a world-class level. Aiding with Araxi's award winning wine inventory sparked his enthusiasm for wine.
A year later he took the opportunity to open West in Vancouver for the same owner. A smaller dining room with a stellar chef recently returned from Europe promised to be something different and Jay wanted to be a part of it. He joined the Dubrulle Culinary Institute to take an advanced course in wine and spirits, and was soon offered the reigns to the wine list and is now proud to be the director of one of the finest wine lists in the city.

Since opening West has won three awards from the Vancouver Playhouse International Wine Festival and most recently the Wine Spectator Award of Excellence. Jay has also been recognised for his abilities with mixology and service. Last year he was awarded the PR Canada 'Classic Bartender Award' chosen from the best bartenders in the city and in the 2002 Vancouver Restaurant Awards, Jay was selected as one of the 'Premier Crew', honoured for being the top five hospitality service professionals in Vancouver.