BOCA has the Best Medium-Sized List in the UAE for 2024/’25
Spanish restaurant BOCA has won two Gold Stars at the second Star Wine List of the Year UAE competition, for 2024/'25.
At an event held in Dubai on Monday, 9 December, this sustainably-focused Spanish restaurant took home Gold Star for Best Medium-Sized List and Sustainable Wine List.
The Best Medium-Sized List award was presented by Gustavo Klaebisch of Château d’Esclans, the category’s sponsor, to Head Sommelier Shiv Menon.
BOCA will now be entered into the Star Wine List International Final, which will be held in Vienna, in June 2025. “I’m really happy,” Shiv said. “We’re looking forward to Vienna now. We’re expecting a big party, so Vienna better be ready! Thank you very much, and thanks for bringing the competition to the UAE.”
“The wine cellar is at the heart of this restaurant,” explained judge Ferran Centelles. “The list focuses on sustainable wines, featuring delightful pictograms that make it easy to navigate. It offers a playful selection of wine flights to delight the palate. Many of these wines are sourced through special channels, making it a unique spot to enjoy rare wines, with a fantastic QR code feature allowing guests to learn about each producer.”
All the winners at Star Wine List of the Year UAE 2024/’25.
Runners Up
Silver Stars for the Best Medium-Sized List were awarded to:
Clap, Dubai
La Dame De Pic, Dubai
LPM Dubai, Dubai
Nobu, Dubai
SAL, Burj Al Arab, Dubai
The Lana, Dorchester Collection, Dubai
Zuma, Dubai
Expert jury panel
The international jury for UAE included four top names from the wine world:
• Ferran Centelles, renowned sommelier, formerly of El Bulli
• Nina Jensen, Second-Best Sommelier in the World 2023 (ASI)
• Vince Truong, Dubai-based wine expert and educator
• Stephen Wong MW
Categories and criteria
The criteria for the jury are straightforward but not simple: vote for the most exciting wine list representing each category.
Star Wine List judges the wine lists in several categories such as the Best Sparkling Wine List and Best By the Glass List. These categories are the same across all of the awards. In addition, local categories may be added. We have commercial partners for certain categories, such as the Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine. The commercial partners are, however, never involved in the selections of finalists or winners — that is completely up to our independent jury panel.
The winners in the international categories automatically qualify for our International Final in June 2025, where they will face off with the category winners from other countries and continents.
Read about the terms and how Star Wine List judges the wine lists.
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Chateau d’Esclans
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