Finalists from 20 countries due in Stockholm for Star Wine List’s International Final

The winners from the UAE event in Dubai - qualified for the international final. Photo by Lee-Roy Boucher.

By Krister Bengtsson

Published 16-June-2024

News

Sommeliers and restaurant teams from around the world will travel to Stockholm for the wine list celebration Star Wine List of the Year on 24 June. It’s the grand final of the Star Wine List world tour 2023-2024.

“We could not be more excited to welcome so many teams for this year’s international final. We will line up some Swedish midsummer treats and world-class wines, now we just hope for some good weather!” says Krister Bengtsson, founder and publisher of Star Wine List.

Star Wine List of the Year is the wine list awards of the internationally acclaimed guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants, Star Wine List. The current tour started in South Africa in September 2023 and has passed through Asia, Europe and North America on its way to the final Stockholm. All in all, 14 events have been held, from Hong Kong to New York and Dubai to Vienna.

The awards celebrate great wine lists in a number of categories such as Best sparkling list and Best by the glass list. The jury panels are filled with top sommeliers from around the world. The jury for the international final has two World sommelier champions, one European sommelier champion and a Master of wine. (Arvid Rosengren, Marc Almert, Salvatore Castano and Heidi Mäkinen MW).

Jury champions: Salvatore Castano, Arvid Rosengren, Marc Almert, Heidi Mäkinen MW.

Among the finalists joining in Stockholm are some of the most renowned restaurants in the world, such as Geranium from Copenhagen in Denmark, as well as up and coming names like Mountain from London. From Bangkok the sommeliers at Inddee and Haoma will join the awards. France, Italy, Belgium, USA, the list goes on.

The awards in Stockholm will be held during a full-day event which is by invitation only for the finalists, partners and media. But wine lovers from around the world can join the event which will be streamed live on Star Wine List’s Facebook page:

Stay tuned to see who wins the coveted Gold Stars!

Save the link on Facebook here.

The 2023-2024 tour

2023:
• 16 Sep, South Africa with SASA, in Stellenbosch
• 24 Sep, Norway, with the Norwegian sommelier day, in Oslo
• New! 9 Oct, Ireland, with Sommit in Waterford
• 23 oct, Denmark, in Copenhagen
• New! 12 Nov, Belgium, in Antwerp during the Best Sommelier of Belgium contest
• New! 19 Nov, Baltics, in Tallinn with the food and wine festival and in cooperation with the Baltic sommelier associations

2024:
• New! 29 Jan, UAE in Dubai
• New! 12 Feb, France at Vinexpo Paris
• 4 March, UK, in London, with The Buyer
• 25 March, New York
• 8 April, Sweden, in Stockholm
• 15 April, Finland, in Helsinki
• New! 6 May International open - for venues in other countries who wish to enter
• New! 25 May DACH (Germany, Austria, Switzerland) in Vienna
• 29 May, Asia, at Vinexpo in Hong Kong
• 24 June, International final, in Stockholm

Categories and criteria

Star Wine List's jury evaluates the wine lists in several categories such as the Best Sparkling Wine List and Best By the Glass List. The criteria for the jury are straightforward but not simple: Vote for the most exciting wine list representing the category.

THE CATEGORIES

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES:

• Grand Prix, presented by Premium Estates of Austria
The best list overall
• Best Long List, presented by Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné
For wine lists with more than 600 references.
• Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Dreissigacker
200-600 references.
• Best Short List
<200 references.
• Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine
• Best Sparkling Wine List, presented by Nyetimber
• Best California Wine List, presented by Louis M. Martini
• Best By the Glass List, presented by Brännland Iscider
• Best Newcomer List, presented by DAOU
• Sustainable Wine List
For the Sustainable Wine List category, not only the wine list is evaluated, but also the stated actions of the venue, as described through a questionnaire in the application.

The New York winners 2024. Photo by Gabi Porter.

The finalists in each category

Grand Prix

– The best list overall

The category is presented by Premium Estates of Austria

Finalists:
The winner will be announced at the event.

The Belgium winners. Photo Frank Abeloos.

Best Long List

– For wine lists with more than 600 references

The Baltic states winners. Photo Lauri Laan.

Best Medium-Sized Wine List

– Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.

The ireland winners. Photo Michael O'Brien.

Best Short List

– Recognizes the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.

Finalists:
Grub & Vine, Cape Town, South Africa
Hot Shop, Oslo, Norway
Bar Pez, Dublin, Ireland
Grimal, Copenhagen, Denmark
Ta-nnin, Antwerp, Belgium
Lowine bar, Riga, Latvia
14 Horses, Vilnius, Lithuania
38 Restaurant, Tallinn, Estonia
Soirée, Dubai, UAE
Oktobre, Paris, France
Hjem, Wall, Hexham, UK
Ardesia Wine Bar, New York City, US
Bord, Stockholm, Sweden
Pöllöwaari, Jyväskylä, Finland
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Barra, Berlin, Germany
Weinrefugium Brolli, Gamlitz, Austria
Haoma, Bangkok

Haoma's Vishvas Sidana in the Asian awards, flanked by Reeze Choi and Krister Bengtsson. Photo Ray Leung.

Best Austrian Wine List

– The best list with wines from Austria

Best Sparkling Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with sparkling wines.

The category is presented by Nyetimber

Finalists:
Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town, South Africa
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
64 Wine, Glasthule, Ireland
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
Restaurant Sans Cravate, Bruges, Belgium
Barents, Riga, Latvia
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
Chin Chin wine bar, Tallinn, Estonia
Al Muntaha, Burj Al Arab, Dubai, UAE
Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage, Reims, France
Les 110 de Taillevent, London, UK
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, Pocantico Hills, New York, US
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Palace, Helsinki, Finland
Ristorante del Lago, Bagno di Romagna, Italy
Grapes Weinbar, Munich, Germany
Restaurant Amador, Vienna, Austria
The Chedi Andermatt, Andermatt, Switzerland
Ensue, Shenzhen

The South Africa winners. Photo by Judy Jacobs.

Best By the Glass List

– Recognizes the best by the glass list.

The category is presented by Brännland Iscider

Finalists:
Saxon Hotel, Villas & Spa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
UNioN Wine, Bar & Kitchen, Waterford, Ireland
Bar'Vin, Copenhagen, Denmark
Zilte, Antwerp, Belgium
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Ossiano, Dubai, UAE
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac, France
Noble Rot Mayfair, London, UK
Terroir Tribeca, New York City, US
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Vinho, Turku, Finland
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
Heunisch & Erben, Vienna, Austria
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Wunderbrunnen, Opfikon, Switzerland
Inddee, Bangkok

Best California Wine List

– The best wine list with wines from California

The category is presented by Louis M. Martini

Finalists:
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
Monty's of Kathmandu, Dublin, Ireland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Terminus, Watou, Belgium
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Tauro Riga, Riga, Latvia
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Vignobles et Châteaux Wine Bar, Saint Emilion, France
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury, UK
Eleven Madison Park, New York City, US
Grand Hôtel, Stockholm, Sweden
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Griggeler Stuba im Burg Vital Resort, Lech am Arlberg, Austria
Napa Grill, Zürich, Switzerland
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Park 90, Singapore

The Denmark winners. Photo by Thomas Sjørup.

Best Newcomer List

– Recognizes a venue that recently opened

The category is presented by DAOU

Finalists:
Signature Restaurant Umhlanga, Durban, South Africa
Hermetikken Vinbar, Stavanger, Norway
Bar Pez, Dublin, Ireland
Josephine Vinhandel & Bar, Copenhagen, Denmark
Restaurant Imprévu by De Barrier, Houthalen-Helchteren, Belgium
Chin Chin wine bar, Tallinn, Estonia
Lowine bar, Riga, Latvia
14 Horses, Vilnius, Lithuania
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai, UAE
Les Parcellaires, Annecy, France
Mountain, London, UK
ILIS, New York City, US
Brasserie Draken, Gothenburg, Sweden
Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki, Finland
Enoteca Boccaccio, Melbourne, Australia
Colonnade, Lucerne, Switzerland
nineOfive Vienna, Vienna, Austria
Sticks & Stones Winebar, Munich, Germany
Cristal Room by Anne-Sophie Pic, Hong Kong

The UK winners. Photo by Thomas Skovsende.

Sustainable Wine List

– For the Sustainable Wine List category, not only the wine list is evaluated, but also the stated actions of the venue, as described through a questionnaire in the application

Finalists:
ëlgr restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa
Kontrast, Oslo, Norway
Daróg Wine Bar, Galway, Ireland
Restaurant ARK, Copenhagen, Denmark
Convento, Leuven, Belgium
Fotografiska Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
BOCA, Dubai, UAE
Les Résistants, Paris, France
Apricity, London, UK
Chambers, New York City, US
Julie, Malmö, Sweden
Restaurant Grön, Helsinki, Finland
Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, United States of America
Barra, Berlin, Germany
Haoma, Bangkok