Café Savoy has the Best Medium-Sized List in Finland
On April 15 Star Wine List returned to Finland to celebrate the best wine lists and the teams behind them for the fifth time. Café Savoy in Helsinki won the category Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Louis M. Martini.
The prize came with a great timing as it was sommelier Heidi Reis’ birthday.
”Thank you, it feels amazing, the best birthday gift ever!” she said. ”It all started when Juhana came to the team about a year ago, and I think we haven’t yet shown what we are capable of.”
What are you planning to do, Juhana?
”Well, it’s all changing all the time so basically it’s about getting better and better. It’s a nice journey as well,” Juhana said.
Café Savoy also won a Gold Star in the Gran Prix category, for the best list overall.
"A wine list that pays tributes to European wine regions and offers a great balance between timeless and contemporary producers. The list is crafted with care and taste and offers an excellent diversity of styles and prices," said jury member Julie Dupouy-Young, several times named the Best Sommelier of Ireland, about Café Savoy's win in the medium-sized category.
The Silver Star winners in this category were:
Apotek, Helsinki
Baskeri & Basso, Helsinki
BRASA, Helsinki
Bronda, Helsinki
Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki
Nokka, Helsinki
Pastis, Helsinki
Restaurant Grön, Helsinki
Finland is included to our 2023-2024 International tour, and this was the fifth time we were running it in Finland. The event was held in Helsinki, together with the Finnish Sommelier Championship. The winners in Finland will qualify for the International Final in Stockholm in June.
"The wine scene in Finland is small but it is dynamic and it is great to see the development of the finalists this year," said Krister Bengtsson, founder and publisher.
Jury
The jury of our Finnish awards is filled with top international sommeliers and wine experts:
• Kathrine Larsen-Robert, Master Sommelier
• Heidi Mäkinen, Master of Wine
• Salvatore Castano MS, Best Sommelier of Europe & Africa 2021 (ASI)
• Julie Dupouy-Young, several times named the Best Sommelier of Ireland
Categories and criteria
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 criteria for the jury are straightforward but not simple: Vote for the most exciting wine list representing the category.
The winners in the international categories will qualify for our International Final in June 2024, 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 here.
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Louis M. Martini
Louis M. Martini is an iconic Californian wine producer. Read more by clicking on the logo.
