A WEYMOUTH restaurant is raising a glass after its wine list was ranked one of the best in the country.

Perry's Restaurant on Trinity Road has been awarded for a Notable Wine List in the prestigious AA Wine Awards, less than a year after new owners Matt and Liz Whishaw took over the reins.

The award puts Perry's in the top 150 nationwide in one of the most respected restaurant guides in the industry.

Matt Whishaw said: "We're very excited. Liz and myself took over last year and we both have a background in the wine trade.

"We've put together what we think is a really exciting wine list and presented it in an interesting and different way.

"We really focused on value for money. We feel it's an innovative and good value wine list and we're delighted the AA agree with us.

"Having only been here for 11 months it's a real feather in our caps"

Matt and Liz have kept some consistency at Perry's, such as retaining head chef Andy Pike who has now been there 16 years. But in the short time they have been there the couple have completely revamped their wine offerings using their vast experience.

The couple came to Weymouth from Wickham in Hampshire, where they managed a hotel, and before that had spent years in the wine industry in London and Australia.

Mr Whishaw said: "One of the thing we wanted to do was to have wine dinners.

"We are getting very good feedback from our diners and we'd like to do more tasting events and wine-related activities.

"We are trying to make them more aware but we are taking it one step at a time.'