The Buyer | Who won what in the 2022 UK Wine List of the Year Awards

The Vineyard at Stockcross and Les 110 de Taillevent were the stand-out venues in the UK Wine List of the Year Awards 2022 held at The Winemakers Club in London.

There will be much bigger awards ceremonies held in 2022 in far grander venues, but jt felt very special for the 80 plus people who were at yesterday’s UK Wine List of the Year Awards to raise a collective glass not just to the winners, but to everyone in the drinks, wine and hospitality sectors at an occasion that meant more than the awards that were being presented.

There was very much a collective spirit amongst all the restaurant teams, sommeliers and wine buyers who came together, mostly, for the first time since the pandemic struck two years ago.

Star Wine List’s Krister Bengtsson welcomes the finalists to the event. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

It was a time to celebrate the great talent there is across the UK restaurant and bar scene, and give them the chance to relax, meet old friends and raise a a combined glass to better times ahead.

This was the second UK Wine List of the Year Awards, co-hosted by The Buyer and Star Wine List, which also runs similar, separate events in other key wine markets and cities around the world.

Richard Siddle, co-founder of The Buyer, says: “This is what hosting these kinds of awards are all about. The chance to shine the light on those who usually hide away from the limelight, quietly doing their work day in, night out, but who make such an important difference to how restaurants and bars are appreciated and recognised in the UK.”

Krister Bengtsson, founder of Star Wine List, adds: “It is great to be able to bring so many talented people together in one room. The UK wine scene sets such a standard for the rest of the world and we are so pleased to be able to bring the awards here and work with The Buyer to support, reward and celebrate with the best wine restaurants in the country.”

Star judges

Salvatore Calabrese explains how the judging was carried out as well as giving a precis on each of the winning restaurants. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

What makes these awards stand out is the quality of the judging panel made up of award-winning sommeliers who have the skills and experience to be able to decipher lists and determine the ones that are truly serving the needs of their customer.

The panel for the UK awards was chaired by Ruth Spivey, UK ambassador of Star Wine List, and made up of:

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.

“We were all so impressed by the standard of the lists we were asked to judge. It made for some very difficult decisions and I was introduced to some venues that I had not seen before and now really want to go and visit. It was a real pleasure to be asked to be involved in such a well organised and presented awards,” says Castano.

Partners

Finalists had the chance to taste wines from each of the partner sponsors before and after the awards. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

The UK Wine List Awards was made possible thanks to the support of our category partners who were able to attend the event and show a range of their wines that illustrate what they can offer sommeliers and their lists. Our thanks go to:

Austrian Wine
New Zealand Growers
Wines of Germany
Louis M. Martini
Matteo Lupi Wines

We would also like to thank the team at the Winemakers Club for hosting the awards their unique setting amongst the cellars and arches under the bridge in London.

The Results

Here are the finalists and winners in each of the categories in the 2022 UK Wine List of the Year awards.

International Categories (Part of all Star Wine List awards)

The winners in the international categories are all qualified to the international final of Star Wine List of The Year that will be held in June.

International Categories

Grand Prix
The best wine list with more than 600 references.

Grand Prix winners: Les 110 de Taillevent. Photograph Thomas Skovsende.

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

Winner: Les 100 de Taillevent

“One of the most incredible lists I’ve ever seen,” says jury member Salvatore Castano, Best Sommelier of Europe and Africa 2021.

Best Austrian Wine List

The category is sponsored by Austrian Wine

Finalists:

Newcomer Wines picked up the Best Austrian Wine list award sponsored by Austrian Wine. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

Newcomer Wines, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Black Bull, Sedbergh
Trivet, London
Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury

Winner: Newcomer Wines

“Lovely focus and dedication here. A strong natural-leaning list,” says jury member Arvid Rosengren, Best Sommelier of the World 2016.

Best By the Glass List

Wild Corner won Best by the Glass awards. Photograph Thomas Skovsende.

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

Winner: Wild Corner

“Wild Corner is a treasure chest for every wine lover. All the wines are available by the glass with very reasonable pricing. There is a special emphasis on older vintages and you can fine rarities from the 90s, 80s and even back to the 30s available by the glass as well, which is something really special,” says Raimonds Tomsons.

Best Sparkling Wine List

Les 110 de Taillevent – Best Sparkling Wine List. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

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

Winner: Les 110 de Taillevent

“This place has something for everyone,” says Arvid Rosengren.

Special Jury Prize
Recognises a venue that has done something extra with their wine list, such as the direction, the style or the value.

Levan were seen as having the wine list that most stood out for doing something different. Photograph Thomas Skovsende.

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

Winner: Levan

“Thoughtfully put together, with a unique and unusually large focus on the Jura. Delicious,” says jury member Ruth Spivey.

Best Short List
Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.

Planque was seen as having the Best Short List. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

Finalists:

Fare Bar + Canteen, London
Hunan, London
Levan, London
Planque, London
Wild Corner, London

Winner: Planque

“I loved the list at Planque. It seems very personal. Short & concise with lots of delicious options from the Jura,” says jury member Rajat Parr.

Best Medium-Sized List
Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.

The category is presented by Matteo Lupi Wines

Finalists:

There were joint winners of the Best Medium Sized list sponsored by Matteo Lupi Wines with Brat and Trivet being named joint winners. Photograph Thomas Sk0vsende.

Brat, London
Cabotte, London
Newcomer Wines, London
Noizé, London
Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd, London
The Five Fields Restaurant, London
Trivet, London

Winner: Trivet and Brat were joint winners

“Both the lists at Brat and Trivet are perfectly curated. The selections and the presentation are both very creative,” says Rajat Parr.

UK Categories (Held especially for the UK event)

Best German Wine List

The category is presented by Wines of Germany

Finalists:

Caroline Tanner from Wines of Germany presented the Best German Wine list to the team from Vineyard at Stockcross. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

Chez Bruce, London
Core by Clare Smyth, London
Noble Rot, London
Noble Rot Soho, London
Pollen Street Social, London
Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury

Winner: The Vineyard at Stockcross

“The list at Vineyard at Stockcross goes deep, even in the unexpected corners of German wine (check out the selection of reds). There’s plenty of ready to drink mature vintages from the benchmark producers at affordable prices,” says jury member Arvid Rosengren.

Best California Wine List
Recognises the best list with Californian wines.

The category is presented by Louis M. Martini

Finalists:

Romain Bourger explains how they put together the award-winning Californian wine list at the Vineyard at Stockcross sponsored by Louis M. Martini. Photography Thomas Skovsende

Chiltern Firehouse, London
China Tang at The Dorchester, London
Core by Clare Smyth, London
Pollen Street Social, London
Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury

Winner: The Vineyard at Stockcross

“Perhaps no surprise as the Vineyard at Stockcross has been championing Californian wines since way before it was cool and are now reaping the benefits (or to be more precise: their guests are), with an exceptionally deep and broad list, that rival some of the best in the world,” says Arvid Rosengren.

Best New Zealand Wine List

The category is presented by New Zealand Wine

Finalists:

Chris Stroud, far left, of New Zealand Growers presented the Best New Zealand Wine list to Vineyard at Stockcross. Photograph Thomas Skovsende

China Tang at The Dorchester, London
City Social, London
Hide, London
Pollen Street Social, London
Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury

Winner: Vineyard at Stockcross

“Vineyard at Stockcross has a thoughtful selection of New Zealand wines, covering both islands with great diversity of regions and appellations. The list also represents diversity of styles, displaying well-established and classic white and red varieties and wines, but also exciting emerging styles like Arneis, Pinot Gris and late harvested Riesling. And, most of the wines are from back vintages, adding a special value as well,” says jury member Raimonds Tomsons.

The Reaction

Matteo Lupi talk to Romain Bourger of Vineyard at Stockcross. Photograph Thomas Skovesende

Lukasz Kuszela, head sommelier at Les 110 de Taillevent, that won two categories: Grand Prix and Best Sparkling Wine List.

“I was absolutely not prepared when our restaurant was called. I think it is amazing to win this prize, but it is also putting pressure on us to keep delivering the same standard. But it is an amazing wine list of mainly French wines, from a French restaurant, with a French family as owners, it is all French. Well, except the chef who is Dutch and me from Poland.”

Romain Bourger, wine director at The Vineyard at Stockcross, winners of Best German, Best Californian and Best New Zealand lists

“We were so happy last year winning two prizes and this year, wow, three prizes, that is really an honor which I can only say belongs to a tremendous team effort. Even if I am the one who select the wines, it is the team that sells them and also my next in command Marie Clotilde deserves a mentioning here.”

Levan’s Mark Gurney, winner of Special Jury prize.

“We try to bring forward our love for Paris in this concept. We love French wines but the wines and producers of the Jura are the unsung heroes we mainly like to focus on.”

Jonathan Alphandery, founder and director, of Planque winner of Best Short List.

“We are thrilled to have won this. It’s such a great achievement for our team after less than five months being open. We feel proud to be on the radar for London’s most notable wine venues. We are super happy. The philosophy is to create a concise list, focussing on different regions we love, not trying to tick every box, but to curate something that is dynamic, whatever the budget and wherever you’re at on your wine journey, you’ll find something you’d love to drink,” he says about the philosophy behind the winning list.”