This is the second time that The Buyer and Star Wine List have come together to host the UK Wine List of the Year Awards.
The UK Wine List Awards takes place on February 21 at The Winemakers Club in London
The UK Wine List Awards is an opportunity to reward the front of house teams at some of the country’s leading restaurant, bar and hospitality venues for the work they are doing with their wine lists and making wine a key part of their overall offer.
But to do so they also rely on the commitment and adventurous spirit of the suppliers they work with to go out and find wines that will be suitable for their venues, and attract the attention of their customers. Which very much sums up the approach that Matteo Lupi takes towards the wines that he has built up as part of his Matteo Lupi Wines import business.
Lupi that now has over 20 years experience working either for or helping to supply fine dining restaurants and building up strong, focused lists that work for each venue. A former head sommelier himself (Clos Maggiores and Morton’s Club) Lupi also spent over 10 years heading up the sales side of Roberson Wine where he was able to work with leading operators all over the country.
It is that experience that has enabled Matteo Lupi Wines to gain such a strong foothold in the premium on-trade, which makes him the ideal partner for the UK Wine List Awards, and the Best Medium-Sized List (those with 200 to 600 bins) in particular.
Matteo Lupi on wine lists
Matteo Lupi has experience as a sommelier and sales director before setting up his own importer business
Here’s why he is so keen to be involved: ”Most of the detailed work in the preparation of running a restaurant goes unnoticed. The service part which is enjoyed by the clients is just the tip of the iceberg. This is a great opportunity to celebrate and reward the hard work that goes behind a great wine list.”
So what does he see as being a good medium-sized wine list? “My business specialises in mature wines, because of the nature of what I supply, my clients generally are those with more in-depth lists. Restaurateurs who manage smaller wine list have to work very hard to produce a balanced list,” he says. “However, with larger lists there is an extra layer of complexity. When you have hundreds of listings, several wines every week will inevitably become ‘obsolete’, large lists require daily attention. I think it is only fair to recognise the effort that goes into it.”
So what does Lupi think makes a great wine list? “Small or large, a great wine list has to have balance, identity and has to make sense within the whole concept of the restaurant. I feel smaller lists have to focus precisely on the food served in the restaurant, whereas larger list are ‘allowed’ a bit more ‘slack’ if you like. My personal preference is towards larger lists that have hidden gems within.
“It is, though, a very difficult question. In a market like the UK which is so well served with wines from around the world, generally speaking medium to large size UK wine lists are very ‘complete’ in terms of offerings and UK wine buyers are also among the first to spot new trends. In recent years we have seen some restaurants pricing the wines more keenly. Everyone has to make the bottom line work but would be great to see that trend expanding a little more.”
Lupi also reflects on what it has been like as a wine supplier over the last two years of Covid-19. “As primarily a restaurant supplier, the past couple of years have been interesting to say the least. Since the end of lockdown last year the business has gone back to pre-covid levels. It’s great to see the trade has bounced back and I feel very positive about 2022.”
2022 Finalists and Awards
(Click below to watch the 2021 awards ceremony for the first UK Wine List Awards)
Matteo Lupi joins the other partners taking part in the awards that include: Wines of Germany; New Zealand Winegrowers; Louis.M. Martini; and Austrian Wine.
Judging Panel
The judging panel, chaired by Ruth Spivey, UK ambassador for Star Wine List, is made up of the following award-winning sommeliers:
- Salvatore Castano, Best Sommelier of Europe & Africa 2021
- Arvid Rosengren, 2016 Best Sommelier of the Word
- Raimonds Tomsons, wine director of Barents Wine Collectors & Co-Founder at WineTeach
- Rajat Parr, sommelier and winemaker.
Here are all the categories and the shortlists for the 2022 awards.
International Categories
Grand Prix
The best wine list with more than 600 references.
Finalists:
- Core by Clare Smyth, London
- La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
- Les 110 de Taillevent, London
- Noble Rot, London
- Noble Rot Soho, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best Austrian Wine List
The category is sponsored by Austrian Wine
Finalists:
- Newcomer Wines, London
- Pollen Street Social, London
- The Black Bull, Sedbergh
- Trivet, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best By the Glass List
Finalists:
- Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons, Great Milton
- Les 110 de Taillevent, London
- Moor Hall, Aughton
- Noble Rot, London
- Noble Rot Soho, London
- Wild Corner, London
Best Sparkling Wine List
Finalists:
- Alain Ducasse at The Dorchester, London
- Chiltern Firehouse, London
- La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
- Les 110 de Taillevent, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Special Jury Prize
Recognises a venue that has done something extra with their wine list, such as the direction, the style or the value.
Finalists:
- Bar Crispin, London
- Core by Clare Smyth, London
- La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
- Levan, London
- Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd, London
- The Black Bull, Sedbergh
- Trivet, London
Best Short List
Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.
Finalists:
- Fare Bar + Canteen, London
- Hunan, London
- Levan, London
- Planque, London
- Wild Corner, London
Best Medium-Sized List
Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.
The category is presented by Matteo Lupi Wines
Finalists:
- Brat, London
- Cabotte, London
- Newcomer Wines, London
- Noizé, London
- Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd, London
- The Five Fields Restaurant, London
- Trivet, London
UK Categories
The UK Categories are held especially for the UK event.
Best German Wine List
The category is presented by Wines of Germany
Finalists:
- Chez Bruce, London
- Core by Clare Smyth, London
- Noble Rot, London
- Noble Rot Soho, London
- Pollen Street Social, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best California Wine List
Recognises the best list with Californian wines.
The category is presented by Louis M. Martini
Finalists:
- Chiltern Firehouse, London
- China Tang at The Dorchester, London
- Core by Clare Smyth, London
- Pollen Street Social, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best New Zealand Wine List
The category is presented by New Zealand Wine
Finalists:
- China Tang at The Dorchester, London
- City Social, London
- Hide, London
- Pollen Street Social, London
- Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
- The UK Wine List of the Year Awards take place on February 21 at The Winemakers Club in London – our thanks go to its team for hosting the event and sharing its venue with us.
