A LAKE District hotel has received a prestigious three star accolade by The Word of Fine Wine for the first time

The Samling Hotel in Ambleside is one of just 90 restaurants in the UK to gain the ranking. It comes after intensive work and a significant investment of time by general manager Oliver Smith and head sommelier Robert Patla.

With more than 4,000 candidate restaurants globally and four intensive rounds of judging, the three star award is the highest the journal offers. The rigorous judging process looked at The Samling’s wine list in terms of creativity, relevance to the cuisine, personality, selection and

price point.

To gain the award, the sommelier team has worked consistently over the last year to source a full price spectrum of wines as well as some of the world’s very best rare and limited release vintages.

The hotel’s most notable recent additions have been a 2014 Screaming Eagle from the Napa Valley in California and a 1999 Hill of Grace Australian Shiraz from the Eden Valley in South Australia. It also holds a number of English wines, carrying the full collection of Nyetimber wines.

Commenting on the accolade, general manager Oliver Smith said: “To be awarded three stars by the World of Fine Wine is truly an honour. We’ve worked really hard over the last year to take our wine list to the next level and it is wonderful to have that recognised by such a prestigious accolade."