Donatz Wine Bar, Samedan, has the Best California Wine List in Switzerland 2025
The wine bar of the Hotel Donatz has been recognised for its Californian wine selection at Star Wine List of the Year Switzerland 2025.
Located within Samedan’s Hotel Donatz, Donatz Wine Bar takes particular pride in its over-500-strong wine selection, and can now also boast a Gold Star for the Best California Wine List in the country. At an awards ceremony held in Zürich this week, the prize was presented by Rienne Bilz of category sponsor Pahlmeyer.
“This place has plenty of Californian choices,” explained judge Reeze Choi, “focusing on the most iconic wines from the most important regions. The diverse selection of grapes, regions, and producers successfully showcases the landscape of California, with a good amount of large-format bottles available too. Well done.”
Donatz has now been entered into the Star Wine List of the Year International Final 2025, where it will compete against other winners of Best California Wine List from around the world; these global Gold Stars will be presented in Vienna on 16 June.
Runners Up
Silver Stars in the Best California Wine List category at Star Wine List of the Year Switzerland 2025 were awarded to:
Bürgenstock Resort Lake Lucerne, Obbürgen
Chez Smith, Zürich
Napa Grill, Zürich
Park Hotel Vitznau, Vitznau
The Chedi Andermatt, Andermatt
Wunderbrunnen, Opfikon
Judges
The jury panel for Star Wine List of the Year Switzerland 2025 comprised three top sommeliers:
• Bertrand Lutaud – Master Sommelier and Star Wine List's Geneva Ambassador
• Nina Jensen – Second-Best Sommelier of the World, 2019 and 2023 (ASI)
• Reeze Choi – Third-Best Sommelier of the World 2023 (ASI)
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 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 here.
Search like a Pro – explore 3,500+ wine lists
