Collection ’86 Earns New Honors

At Yaamava’ Resort & Casino, 2026 marks a milestone year—40 years since opening our doors in 1986, a moment that continues to inspire the craftsmanship, hospitality, and elevated experiences we create for our guests. It’s this heritage that gave rise to Collection ’86, a curated portfolio of rare and exceptional wines and spirits whose name pays homage to the year it all began.

As we celebrate this anniversary, we’re proud to share that Collection ’86—featured at Pines Modern Steakhouse, Y Lounge, and our VIP gaming areas—has earned new international recognition.

Star Wine List, the global guide to the world’s best wine programs, has awarded Collection ’86 a Silver Star in the 2026 International Open Star Wine List of the Year competition, honoring excellence across three major categories:

• Best Long List
• Best Sparkling List
• Best Italian List

These awards reflect the depth, intentionality, and sommelier-driven curation behind the wine lists that bring Collection ’86 to life across Yaamava’s signature venues.

A Global Recognition of Craft and Curation

The Star Wine List International Open Awards celebrate wine programs that demonstrate exceptional structure, thoughtful selection, and a clear point of view. Earning a Silver Star across multiple categories places Collection ’86 among an elite group of global programs recognized for both breadth and specialization.

Best Long List

A testament to the range and depth of our cellar, featuring benchmark producers, rare allocations, and verticals that showcase decades of winemaking excellence.

Best Sparkling List

A celebration of global sparkling traditions—from grower Champagne to prestige cuvées and méthode traditionnelle expressions from emerging regions.

Best Italian List

A curated journey through Italy’s most iconic and dynamic wine regions, honoring both heritage producers and rising innovators.

A Growing Legacy of Award-Winning Excellence

This year’s Star Wine List recognition adds to a distinguished list of accolades earned by the wine and spirits programs at The Pines Modern Steakhouse and across Yaamava’ Resort & Casino.

World of Fine Wine Awards

• World’s Best Wine List – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• Three-Star Accreditation (2023 & 2025)
• 2024 Regional Best Spirits List – The Pines Modern Steakhouse

Wine Spectator Awards

• Best of Award of Excellence (2022, 2023, 2024, 2025) A consistent acknowledgment of our commitment to cellar excellence and guest experience.

DiRōNA Awards

• Award of Excellence (2024)
• DiRōNA Awarded Restaurant – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• 2025 World’s Best Wine Lists, 3-Star – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• WOFW’s 3-Star Award is the highest level of recognition in their World’s Best Wine Lists Awards program. The 3-star rating is awarded to wine lists that demonstrate extraordinary quality, breadth, depth, and originality. It’s not just about having a large selection—it’s about how well the list is curated, how it complements the dining experience, and how it reflects deep knowledge and passion for wine. Receiving a 3-star award places a venue among the elite global wine destinations, signaling to guests and industry professionals that the establishment offers one of the finest wine experiences in the world
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• 2025 Best Spirits List, North America – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• The WOFW’s World’s Best Wine Lists acknowledges the exciting quality and range of spirits from all around the world, and their ability to heighten the beginning or end of a memorably special meal. The category of Best Spirits List recognizes those establishments that go beyond the rest in their spirits selection. Despite the different origins, raw materials, and production techniques of spirits and wine, the spirits sections of lists are judged by the same criteria of breadth, depth, height, balance, selection, accuracy, originality, suitability, design, and value.
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• The Pines earned this recognition through its exceptional spirits program, which blends premium selections with a refined, guest-focused experience. Judges praised its thoughtful curation, balance of innovation and tradition, and integration with the restaurant’s broader culinary experience (WBWL winners' stories: The Pines Modern Steakhouse).
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• 2025 Wine Spectator, Best of Award of Excellence – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• The Wine Spectator Award of Excellence recognizes restaurants with exceptional wine lists that offer a diverse selection of quality wines, enhancing the dining experience.
• The “Best of” designation is given to restaurants with more extensive wine lists that show greater depth and breadth.
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• 2025 DiRoNA Award of Excellence – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• The 2025 DiRoNA (Distinguished Restaurants of North America) Award of Excellence is a prestigious honor recognizing restaurants that exemplify the highest standards of fine dining across the continent. Fewer than 1,100 restaurants have received this award since its inception in 1990, making it a rare and respected distinction.
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• Top 100 Whiskey Destination, 2025-2026
• In April 2025, The Council of Whiskey Masters (Los Angeles, CA), a leader in certification programs for Scotch and Bourbon, designated Yaamava’ Resort & Casino at San Manuel as a Top 100 Whiskey Destination.
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• Star Wine List, White Star – The Pines Modern Steakhouse
• The Pines is now listed by Star Wine List as a White Star. Star Wine List is the guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants, selected by wine professionals. After its launch in Stockholm in 2017, the List has expanded to more than 40 countries around the world, with city guides to New York, Hong Kong, and Paris just to name a few. Learn more about the Star Wine List at www.starwinelist.com.
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• USA Today Readers’ Choice, 10 Best 2025 – Best Casino Restaurant
• The Pines Modern Steakhouse has now won this title for the 3rd year in a row.
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These recognitions reflect the dedication of our culinary, beverage, and hospitality teams—each committed to elevating the guest experience through thoughtful curation and exceptional service.

Where Collection ’86 Comes to Life

While Collection ’86 was conceptualized during Yaamava’s 30th anniversary and refined over the years, its purpose has always been clear: to bring rare, remarkable, and meaningful bottles to our guests.

Today, it is proudly featured in:

Pines Modern Steakhouse

An award-winning dining destination where the wine list is crafted to complement world-class cuisine.

Y Lounge

A refined, high-limit environment offering premium spirits, elevated cocktails, and curated wine selections.

VIP Gaming Areas

Exclusive spaces where guests enjoy access to rare pours, limited releases, and sommelier-selected treasures.

Honoring 40 Years of Heritage and Hospitality

As Yaamava’ celebrates its 40th anniversary, these awards serve as a powerful reminder of how far we’ve come—and how thoughtfully we continue to evolve. Collection ’86 stands not as a decades-old institution, but as a modern expression of our history, our values, and our commitment to excellence.

The Silver Star honors reaffirm what defines us: Exceptional wine lists aren’t just assembled—they’re crafted with intention, passion, and a deep respect for the guest experience.

And at Yaamava’, that craft continues.