The Club at Ruby Hill, an elegant private club owned by Arcis Golf overlooking Northern Californiaâs lush Livermore Valley wine country, has been honored with the âAward of Meritâ for 2016 by the International Wine Society. The annual competition is sanctioned by the Club Managers Association of America (CMAA).
âIt is exciting that The Club at Ruby Hill is placed on the CMAA awards list, which includes some of the most prestigious private clubs in the country,â said Michael L. Rood, General Manager of The Club at Ruby Hill, which also is home to a Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course.
The awards were presented in February at the International Wine Society Business Meeting at the 2017 World Conference and Club Business Expo in Orlando, Fla. The objective of the Wine Program Awards is to annually recognize the best club wine programs and laud CMAA member clubs that establish and maintain fine wine programs for their membership.
The awards signify the quality and assurance of an eminent wine program. The Award of Merit is attained by receiving a score of 80-89 on a 100-point scale used in the judging. (An Award of Distinction goes to clubs with a score of 90 or higher.)
The Club at Ruby Hillâs wine award follows a $2.5 million clubhouse renovation in 2016 that transformed the private clubâs Tuscan ambience, while creating more space to meet the varied interests of an active membership. The clubâs new âwine cave,â called The Cellar, and one of the two new dining rooms, The Estate Room, a secluded âwine roomâ concept with dinner seating for up to 12, pay homage to the clubâs setting in the countryâs preeminent wine region.
The Cellarâs intimate, âundergroundâ setting is designed with vaulted ceilings, tasting and dining alcoves, hand-carved wood tables, and ruggedly regal leather chairs. Wine cases showcase the numerous exclusive âavailable only hereâ selections that appeal Ruby Hillâs knowledgeable membership, which includes 11 prestigious local vintners.
âIt has been a pleasure to create such a great selection of wine for our members to enjoy,â Rood said. âOur wine list continues to become more selective and refined with each new release. We are extremely excited to continue to shape new culinary and wine experiences for our members and their guests,â Rood added.