There were some new and familiar names amongst the winners in the first UK Wine List of the Year Awards co-hosted by The Buyer and Star Wine List.
It’s been a good day for the UK on-trade with finally some news – albeit tentative – that the Great British lockdown is going to be slowly relaxed with the on-trade finally being allowed to re-open, at least first for outside food and drink from April 12.
The UK Wine List of the Year awards was introduced at the end of 2020 to help outlets get on the front foot when they are allowed to get going again and what better way to do that than with a shiny new award sitting on the bar when they allow their customers back in again.
It is part of a wider international competition hosted by Star Wine List, in partnership with Austrian Wine, that has seen similar events take place in cities across the world. The winners in the same global categories will go towards a grand global final to be held later in the year.
But who won what in the inaugural UK awards co-hosted by The Buyer? Here is a list of the finalists and the winners that were announced in an online awards ceremony joint hosted by Richard Siddle of The Buyer and Ruth Spivey, UK ambassador for the Star Wine List.
German Wine List
Sponsored by Wines of Germany (special prize of a case of selected German wine)
Winner: Vineyard at Stockcross
Nicky Forrest of Wines of Germany UK helped present the first awards in the ceremony for German Wine List of the Year
Finalists:
- Davies & Brook
- Hide
- Moor Hall
- Noble Rot
- Trivet
- Vineyard at Stockcross
California Wine List
Sponsored by California Wines (case of wine from Napa Valley Vintners and a free access for all the finalists to California Wines’ new educational program – Capstone that is launching in early April).
Winner: Vineyard at Stockcross
Pascaline Lepeltier, one of the award winning sommelier judges, giving her precis on why Vineyard at Stockcross won the California Wine List of the Year
Finalists:
- Core by Clare Smyth
- Davies & Brook
- Dinner by Heston
- Hide
- Pollen Street Social
- Vineyard at Stockcross
New Zealand Wine List
Sponsored by New Zealand Wine (special prize of a case of New Zealand wine)
Winner: Hide
Chris Stroud from New Zealand wine introducing the finalists
Finalists:
- Chez Bruce
- City Social
- Hide
- Pollen Street Social
- Vineyard at Stockcross
Lockdown Wine List
To highlight venues that adapted their business model to carry on selling wine to their customers throughout lockdown.
Sponsored by Bibendum (prize of jeroboam of Ultimate Provence top cuvée)
Winner: Sager +Wilde
Ruth Spivey on how difficult it was to choose a winner in a hotly contested category
Finalists:
- Bubbledogs/Bubbleshop
- Gusto Pronto Pubs & Brewery
- Red Lion & Sun
- Sager + Wilde
- Top Cuvee
- Vinoteca City
Rhône Wine List
Sponsored by Côtes du Rhône (prize of a trip to the region for the winners)
Winner: Davies & Brook
Pascaline Lepeltier on why the sommelier panel was so impressed by the Davies & Brook Rhone wine list for my opinon
Finalists:
- Authentique
- Compagnie des vins surnaturels Seven Dials
- Davies & Brook
- Hide
- Les 110 de Taillevent
- Vineyard at Stockcross
Austrian Wine List
(Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 250 listings)
Sponsored by Austrian Wine (winners go to a Grand final to be held at Vinum in 2022 to compete against the other winners in Austrian category in other Star Wines Wine List awards)
Winner: Newcomer Wines
Finalists:
- Davies & Brook
- Dinner by Heston
- Newcomer Wines
- Trivet
- Vineyard at Stockcross Best Short List
Best Short List
Winner: Hill & Szrok
Finalists:
- 28°-50° Marylebone
- Brat
- Hill & Szrok
- Leroy
- Portland
- Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd
By The Glass
Sponsored by Fine Wines Direct UK (special prize a magnum of wine of Pesquera from Ribera del Duero)
Winner: Les 110 de Taillevent
Greg Williams, managing director Fine Wines Direct UK, presenting the categories for the By the Glass list
Finalists:
- Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
- Blackbook Soho
- Cabotte
- Davies & Brook
- Les 110 de Taillevent
- Noble Rot
- Noble Rot Soho
Special Jury Prize
Recognises a venue that has done something extra with their wine list, such as the direction, the style or the value.
Sponsored by SOWINE
Winner: Trivet
Arnaud Daphy of French wine marketing agency, SoWine, and Candice Le Dugue, who will be heading up its new UK division, presented the new Special Jury prize
Finalists:
- Andrew Edmunds
- Hill & Szrok
- Hunan
- Levan
- Newcomer Wines
- Trivet
Grand Prix
For the top UK wine list overall, sponsored by Austrian Wine
Joint Winners
Noble Rot and Les 110 de Taillevent
Noble Rot’s Mark Andrew was delighted for his team to jointly win the Grand Prix award
Paul Robineaux, head sommelier at Les 110 de Taillevent says the Grand Prix award was testimony to all the hard work put in by the team
Finalists:
- Belmond Le Manoir aux Quat’Saisons
- Cabotte
- Compagnie des vins surnaturels Seven Dials
- Davies & Brook
- Les 110 de Taillevent
- Noble Rot
- Noble Rot Soho
- Vineyard at Stockcross
- You can watch a recording of the awards that was streamed live on
- facebook.com/events/853845398740676
- https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCdXDvplXEp8o5Wg01rLYJGg
