Trade Event

Star Wine List of the Year International Final 2025

The grand finale of the Star Wine List of the Year international tour for 2024/'25 will take place in the wonderful city of Vienna, in June 2025.

Our wine list celebration – Star Wine List of the Year – lauds the teams behind the wine selections that the rest of us enjoy, and the best part of this competition is the opportunity it offers the sommelier community to get together and toast one another. The atmosphere in the room at each event is something really special.

After hosting events around the world, the Gold Star winners in the international categories will gather for one final competition, as we name our global wine list winners.

The event will take place in Vienna on 16 June 2025, hosted by our kind friends at Austrian Wine. And, in true Star Wine List style, the day won't just incorporate an awards ceremony but a lovely, relaxed lunch (a chance for all of our finalists to mingle, meet our sponsors and drink some good wine), a roving city quiz (to make the most of the Austrian capital), a ceremony and, of course, the afterparty.

We already know some of the finalists but keep abreast of the whole tour to find out who'll be joining them this summer. To learn what it means to sommeliers to win at Star Wine List of the Year, read some of our previous winners' stories, here.

Judges

Stephen Wong MW, Heidi Mäkinen MW, Toru Takamatsu MS, Valeria Gamper.

The jury panel for the Star Wine List of the Year International Final consists of four expert sommeliers from around the world:

• Stephen Wong – Master of Wine
• Heidi Mäkinen – Master of Wine
• Toru Takamatsu – Master Sommelier
• Valeria Gamper – Best Sommelier of the Americas 2022 (ASI)

Categories and criteria

The criteria for the jury are straightforward but not simple: vote for the most exciting wine list representing the category.

The Star Wine List of the Year international tour 2024/’25

• Denmark: 2 September 2024 in Copenhagen, with the Danish Sommelier Championship – winners announced
• Baltics: 15 September 2024 in Riga, at the Latvian Sommelier Championship – winners announced
• Norway: 13 October 2024 in Oslo – winners announced
• Ireland: 15 October 2024 in Waterford, at SommiT – winners announced
• Belgium: 17 November 2024 in Ghent, with the Best Sommelier of Belgium competition – winners announced
• UAE: 9 December 2024 in Dubai – winners announced
• Spain: 3 February 2025 in Barcelona, at Barcelona Wine Week – winners announced
• France: 10 February 2025 in Paris, at Wine Paris – winners announced
• UK: 3 March 2025 in London, with The Buyer – winners announced
• Germany: 17 March 2025 in Düsseldorf, at ProWein – winners announced
• Finland: 17 March 2025 in Helsinki, at the Best Sommelier of Finland competition – winners announced
• Sweden: 7 April 2025 in Stockholm – winners announced
• Japan: 15 April 2025 in Tokyo, at ProWine – winners announced
• International Open: 22 April 2025, online – winners announced
• Asia: 1 May, online – winners announced
• New York: 5 May 2025 in New York – winners announced
• Florida: 8 May 2025 in Miami, at Vinexpo America – winners announced
• Switzerland: 19 May 2025 in Zurich – winners announced
• Austria: 15 June 2025 in Vienna – winners announced
• International Final: 16 June 2025 in Vienna

THE CATEGORIES - STAR WINE LIST OF THE YEAR INTERNATIONAL FINAL 2025

• Grand Prix, presented by Premium Estates of Austria
The best list of the overall competition.

• Best Long List, presented by Château Galoupet
For wine lists with more than 600 references.

• Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Dreissigacker
200-600 references.

• Best Short List, presented by Oddbird
Fewer than 200 references.

• Best By the Glass List, presented by Château d'Yquem

• Best Sparkling Wine List, presented by Nyetimber

• Best Newcomer List, presented by Ceretto

• Sustainable Wine List, presented by Lingua Franca
Recognises a wine list that has put extra emphasis on the wine programme’s overall impact, including vine growing, winemaking, packaging and transport. Assessed via a questionnaire during the application process.

• Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine

• Best California Wine List, presented by Pahlmeyer

Here are the finalists in each category thus far:

Grand Prix

– The best list overall

This category is presented by Premium Estates of Austria

The finalists and winner will be announced at the event.

Best Long List

– For wine lists with more than 600 references.

Best Medium-Sized List

– 200-600 references.

Best Short List

– Fewer than 200 references.

Best By the Glass List

Best Sparkling Wine List

This category is presented by Nyetimber

Finalists:
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Max Cekot Kitchen, Riga, Latvia
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
Speilsalen at Britannia Hotel, Trondheim, Norway
MacCurtain Wine Cellar, Cork, Ireland
d'Oude Schuur, Sint-Martens-Latem, Belgium
FZN by Björn Frantzén, Dubai, UAE
Berria Wine Bar, Madrid
Le Royal at the Royal Champagne Hotel and Spa, Champillon, France
HIDE, London, UK
GRAPES Weinbar, Munich, Germany
Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki, Finland
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Gyoza Bar Chaozu, Tokyo, Japan
Acquerello, San Francisco, USA
Convivial, Singapore
Coqodaq, New York City, USA
COTE Miami, Miami, USA
Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Obbürgen, Switzerland
Die Weinbank, Ehrenhausen, Austria
Restaurant Amador, Vienna, Austria

Best Newcomer List

Sustainable Wine List

– Recognises a wine list that has put extra emphasis on the wine programme’s overall impact, including vine growing, winemaking, packaging and transport. Assessed via a questionnaire during the application process.

Best Austrian Wine List

Best California Wine List

This category is presented by Pahlmeyer

Finalists:
Restaurant Tiende / Den Fede Drue, Aarhus, Denmark
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
Monty’s of Kathmandu, Dublin, Ireland
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Dovetale, London, UK
Sticks & Stones Wine Bar, Munich, Germany
Restaurang AG, Stockholm, Sweden
Donatz Wine Bar, Samedan, Switzerland

Editor's note: alterations to finalists

Please note that Suru (Best Short List, Spain) have increased the number of references on their wine lists since their regional events, changing their eligibility for the International Final; they have now been entered into the Best Medium-Sized List category to reflect the current size of their wine lists.

Please also note that Potager (Best Short List, Ireland) has now permanently closed and therefore, sadly, is no longer eligible to compete in the International Final. We send our very best wishes to the whole team.

Commercial partners

For commercial opportunities, please contact Star Wine List at [email protected].

Published 04-June-2025

Event

Search like a Pro – explore 3,500+ wine lists

Austrian Wine

The Austrian Wine Marketing Board is based in Vienna, and is a national service body for the Austrian wine industry. The aim is to strategically support, coordinate and maintain quality and sales.

Ceretto