Zarathustra Meyhane, Oslo, has the Best Short List in Norway 2025
Star Wine List of the Year Norway 2025 was held during Sommelier Day in Oslo, on 12 October, with Gold Stars presented in 10 categories. Supported by Vinify, the award for Best Short List went to the capital city’s Zarathustra Meyhane.
In a category sponsored by Vinify, the Gold Star for Best Short List in Norway has been awarded to Zarathustra Meyhane, a Middle-Eastern restaurant in Oslo’s Grünerløkka neighbourhood.
“A bold and distinctive focus that seamlessly complements the overall concept,” said judge Mikk Parre of the wine list. “It balances classics from renowned regions with thrilling, off-the-beaten-path selections for the adventurous wine lover.”
Sommelier Viktor Aarseth accepted the award at Oslo’s Gamle Logen from Ole Berg, Head of Sales and Business Development at Vinify, a Star Wine List global partner and sponsor of the Best Short List category in Norway.
“Vinify is the sommelier’s best friend,” says Ole. “A digital wine management system that handles inventory, automatically updates your wine list, and connects to your POS system for automatic updates, sales insights and full cellar control. Vinify helps sommeliers leave behind endless Excel sheets and fragmented admin work. It streamlines inventory updates, wine list management, and gives full control over your wine program. All in one platform, available on both mobile and web.”
Ole is excited by Norway’s “dynamic, quality-focused sommeliers who are eager to showcase both the well-known classics and the lesser known, emerging wine regions and wine producers.”
Regarding this category in particular, which rewards wine lists of fewer than 200 references, he finds it “fascinating how smaller restaurants and wine bars manage to create dynamic, diverse, and exciting wine lists despite challenges such as limited storage, tight budgets, and restricted allocations.”
And why was the Vinify team keen to join Star Wine List of the Year?
“We want to support the industry and celebrate the passionate sommeliers behind the wine lists,” says Ole.
Take a look at all the Norwegian Gold Stars and find them in our Gold Star guide to Norway.
Gold Star
Zarathustra Meyhane, Oslo
Silver Stars
Allmuen Bistro, Bergen
Eero Restaurant, Oslo
Fat City, Oslo
Jest, Bergen
La Recette, Kristiansand
Lasarett Vinbar, Oslo
Liminal, Oslo
Madonna, Oslo
Expert jury panel
- Mikk Parre – Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa and Middle East 2024 (ASI)
- Aase E. Jacobsen – Editor-in-Chief, Apéritif magazine
- Stephen Wong – Master of Wine
- June Rodil – Master Sommelier
Rules
The rules of the Star Wine List of the Year competition can be read in full, here.
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