The Star Wine List Awards pretty much do what they say on the tin. They have become a celebration and an opportunity to shine the light on the sommeliers and restaurant teams that are producing the best, and most acclaimed wine lists for top hospitality venues all over the world.
An awards programme that has quickly captured the imagination of sommeliers all over the world over as it has proven to be the benchmark for quality and professional wine buying in the international restaurant sector. The winners of individual categories over the previous years read like a Who’s Who of the global sommelier and restaurant world.
This year’s shortlist is no different with top names due to arrive in Stockholm for the International Final from wide afield as Los Angeles, New York, Bangkok as well as finalists from the London awards held in partnership with The Buyer in February.
The current tour started in South Africa in September 2023 and has passed through Asia, Europe and North America on its way to the final Stockholm. All in all, 14 events have been held, from Hong Kong to New York and Dubai to Vienna.
The International Final judging panel: Left to right is Salvatore Castano, Arvid Rosengren, Marc Almert and Heidi Mäkinen MW.
What has really helped elevate these awards is the standard of the judging panel. All made up of former world or individual country sommeliers of the year. The panel for the International Final includes: two World sommelier champions, one European sommelier champion and a Master of wine including: Arvid Rosengren; Marc Almert; Salvatore Castano; and Heidi Mäkinen MW).
The Categories
Here are the categories for the final that takes place on June 24.
Grand Prix– The best list overall
The category is presented by Premium Estates of Austria
Finalists:
The winner will be announced at the event.
Best Long List
– For wine lists with more than 600 references
The category is presented by Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné
Finalists:
Aubergine, Cape Town, South Africa
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
64 Wine, Glasthule, Ireland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Restaurant Sans Cravate, Bruges, Belgium
Noble Wine Bar, Riga, Latvia
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Maison Pic, Valence, France
Mountain, London, UK
Eleven Madison Park, New York City, US
PM & Vдnner, Vдxjц, Sweden
Savoy, Helsinki, Finland
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Grapes Weinbar, Munich, Germany
Heunisch & Erben, Vienna, Austria
Park Hotel Vitznau, Vitznau, Switzerland
Robuchon au Dфme, Macau
Best Medium-Sized Wine List
– Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.
The category is presented by Dreissigacker
Finalists:
Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town, South Africa
Spontan, Trondheim, Norway
Uno Mas, Dublin, Ireland
v.Lo winebar, Copenhagen, Denmark
Convento, Leuven, Belgium
Barents, Riga, Latvia
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
Chin Chin wine bar, Tallinn, Estonia
Nobu Dubai, Dubai, UAE
La Rйgalade, Clermont-Ferrand, France
Etch by Steven Edwards, Brighton & Hove, UK
Contento, New York City, US
Fjдllnдs Restaurant, Tдnndalen, Sweden
Cafй Savoy, Helsinki, Finland
MotherVine, Adelaide, Australia
Colonnade, Lucerne, Switzerland
Horvбth, Berlin, Germany
Restaurant Esskultur, St.jakob In Haus, Austria
Inddee, Bangkok
The winners of the New York awards with Star Wine List founder Krister Bengtsson, back row second left. Photo: Photo by Gabi Porter.
Best Short List
Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.
Finalists:
Grub & Vine, Cape Town, South Africa
Hot Shop, Oslo, Norway
Bar Pez, Dublin, Ireland
Grimal, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ta-nnin, Antwerp, Belgium
Lowine bar, Riga, Latvia
14 Horses, Vilnius, Lithuania
38 Restaurant, Tallinn, Estonia
Soirйe, Dubai, UAE
Oktobre, Paris, France
Hjem, Wall, Hexham, UK
Ardesia Wine Bar, New York City, US
Bord, Stockholm, Sweden
Pцllцwaari, Jyvдskylд, Finland
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Barra, Berlin, Germany
Weinrefugium Brolli, Gamlitz, Austria
Haoma, Bangkok
Star Wine List founder Krister Bengtsson and The Buyer's Richard Siddle introducing the UK Wine List of the Year awards. Photo by Thomas Skovsende
Best Austrian Wine List
The best list with wines from Austria
The category is presented by Austrian Wine
Finalists:
Happolati, Oslo, Norway
Monty's of Kathmandu, Dublin, Ireland
Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark
Paul de Pierre, Maarkedal, Belgium
Barents, Riga, Latvia
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Ossiano, Dubai, UAE
Maison Pic, Valence, France
Newcomer Wines, London, UK
Wallsй, New York City, US
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Savoy, Helsinki, Finland
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
Freundschaft, Berlin, Germany
Park Hotel Vitznau, Vitznau, Switzerland
Chi-Fu, Osaka
Best Sparkling Wine List
Recognises the best list with sparkling wines.
The category is presented by Nyetimber
Finalists:
Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town, South Africa
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
64 Wine, Glasthule, Ireland
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
Restaurant Sans Cravate, Bruges, Belgium
Barents, Riga, Latvia
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
Chin Chin wine bar, Tallinn, Estonia
Al Muntaha, Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE
Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage, Reims, France
Les 110 de Taillevent, London, UK
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, New York, US
Operakдllaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Palace, Helsinki, Finland
Ristorante del Lago, Bagno di Romagna, Italy
Grapes Weinbar, Munich, Germany
Restaurant Amador, Vienna, Austria
The Chedi Andermatt, Andermatt, Switzerland
Ensue, Shenzhen
The South Africa winners. Photo by Judy Jacobs.
Best By the Glass List
Recognizes the best by the glass list.
The category is presented by Brännland Iscider
Finalists:
Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
UNioN Wine, Bar & Kitchen, Waterford, Ireland
Bar'Vin, Copenhagen, Denmark
Zilte, Antwerp, Belgium
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Ossiano, Dubai, UAE
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac, France
Noble Rot Mayfair, London, UK
Terroir Tribeca, New York City, US
Operakдllaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Vinho, Turku, Finland
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
Heunisch & Erben, Vienna, Austria
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Wunderbrunnen, Opfikon, Switzerland
Inddee, Bangkok
Best California Wine List
The best wine list with wines from California
The category is presented by Louis M. Martini
Finalists:
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
Monty's of Kathmandu, Dublin, Ireland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Terminus, Watou, Belgium
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Tauro Riga, Riga, Latvia
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Vignobles et Chвteaux Wine Bar, Saint Emilion, France
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, UK
Eleven Madison Park, New York City, US
Grand Hфtel, Stockholm, Sweden
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Griggeler Stuba im Burg Vital Resort, Lech am Arlberg, Austria
Napa Grill, Zьrich, Switzerland
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Park 90, Singapore
The Denmark winners. Photo by Thomas Sjørup
The Denmark winners. Photo by Thomas Sjшrup.
Best Newcomer List
Recognises a venue that recently opened
The category is presented by DAOU
Finalists:
Signature Restaurant Umhlanga, Durban, South Africa
Hermetikken Vinbar, Stavanger, Norway
Bar Pez, Dublin, Ireland
Josephine Vinhandel & Bar, Copenhagen, Denmark
Restaurant Imprйvu by De Barrier, Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium
Chin Chin wine bar, Tallinn, Estonia
Lowine bar, Riga, Latvia
14 Horses, Vilnius, Lithuania
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Les Parcellaires, Annecy, France
Mountain, London, UK
ILIS, New York City, US
Brasserie Draken, Gothenburg, Sweden
Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki, Finland
Enoteca Boccaccio, Melbourne, Australia
Colonnade, Lucerne, Switzerland
nineOfive Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, Hong Kong
Sustainable Wine List
For the Sustainable Wine List category, not only the wine list is evaluated, but also the stated actions of the venue, as described through a questionnaire in the application
Finalists:
лlgr restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa
Kontrast, Oslo, Norway
Darуg Wine Bar, Galway, Ireland
Restaurant ARK, Copenhagen, Denmark
Convento, Leuven, Belgium
Fotografiska Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
BOCA, Dubai, UAE
Les Rйsistants, Paris, France
Apricity, London, UK
Chambers, New York City, US
Julie, Malmц, Sweden
Restaurant Grцn, Helsinki, Finland
Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, United States of America
Barra, Berlin, Germany
Haoma, Bangkok
* You can watch a live stream of the final on Facebook at 4pm on June 24 CET via this link.
* You can find out more about Star Wine List at its website here.
