When it comes to official restaurant guides, the priority has always been food. This makes sense on many levels but for real wine lovers like us, it misses something - the main something!
For those unfamiliar, Star Wine List was born out of a very real gap in the industry: the need for a global, trusted way for wine lovers to discover genuinely great wine lists while shining a light on the people quietly curating the most exciting, thoughtful selections in the world. It is the wine lover’s shorthand for where to drink well; a guide to the finest restaurants and bars across 46 countries, assessed and recommended by wine professionals who actually know their stuff including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers. The annual awards tour takes that mission on the road, shining a light on the teams behind the lists as much as the lists themselves.
A couple of weeks ago, the Star Wine List of the Year UK returned to London for its sixth UK edition and I was lucky enough to be in the room to celebrate the winners as they were announced. Results are below but firstly, here’s what the stars mean:
How the Stars Work
Star Wine List operates on two separate strands. The first is the guide: an ongoing global directory of great places to drink wine, where venues hold either a Red Star (personally visited and recommended by someone on the team) or a White Star (wine list reviewed and approved, but not yet visited in person).
The second strand is the annual awards competition, which is what the London ceremony was all about. Any restaurant or bar can enter their wine list to be judged. Finalists receive a Silver Star; winners get a Gold Star. These are entirely separate from the guide stars and a venue doesn’t need to be listed to compete.
This year, 13 Gold Stars were handed out across as many categories. All but one went to London venues with the Best Rosé Wine List coming home to the Isle of Wight for the second year running with my dear friends, Ashley & Tom at The Terrace, Ventnor. Huzzah!
This Year’s Gold Stars
Seek out these venues for the most epic and imaginative of wine lists:
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES
Best Long List, presented by Bibendum ( lists with 600+ wines)
Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Dreissigacker( 200-600 wines)
Best Short List, presented by The Buyer (fewer than 200 wines)
Best By-the-Glass List, presented by Lingua Franca
Best Sparkling Wine List, presented by Laurent-Perrier
Best Newcomer List
Sustainability Prize, presented by Esterházy
Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine
Best Italian Wine List
Special Jury Prize (Rewards a place that does something out of the ordinary)
LOCAL CATEGORIES
Best Rosé Wine List, presented by Château Galoupet
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Best Spanish Wine List, presented by Familia Torres
Best Riesling Wine List, presented by Dr. Lippold
Want to know more about Star Wine List and the winners? Click here! Star Wine List is also available as an app.
*****
#ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
The HelenaSips Podcast is now live! Check here to see who’s on…
Côtes du Rhône: Boyband of Wine Styles. Read it here.
Get Midweek French Bistro Vibes with this Croque Monsieur Recipe & Wine Pairing. Read it here.