Four Gold Stars for Dubai’s FZN by Björn Frantzén – including Best Sparkling Wine List – in our UAE competition 2024/’25
The big winner at Star Wine List of the Year UAE 2024/’25 was FZN by Björn Frantzén, newly opened at Dubai’s Atlantis, The Palm hotel.
During an awards ceremony held in Dubai on Monday, 9 December, Head Sommelier Kyle Barton and his team took home not one, not two, but four Gold Stars – despite the restaurant only opening at the beginning of November.
As you might expect, the restaurant’s team earned the title of Best Newcomer List, which it followed up with Best Sparkling List, Best Long List and, the evening’s overall prize, the Grand Prix.
“The first month of opening’s been fantastic,” said Head Sommelier Kyle Barton after accepting the awards. “We’ve been really, really happy with the reception from the city, and Atlantis has been very helpful in helping us open and setting us up for success. And I really couldn’t have asked for anything more from the team. They’ve been amazing, helping me with the wine program and helping me sort of settle into the Frantzén way! It’s been an amazing experience so far.”
The award for Best Sparkling List was presented by Karl Thögersen from Nyetimber, who sponsored the category and presented Kyle with a celebratory bottle on the night.
Judge Stephen Wong MW praised the fact that, even though Champagne lovers are “spoiled for choice” in the UAE, the FZN team has created a “mouth-watering list [that] is expertly researched, very detailed and well edited to showcase the best – a world-class Champagne list, with a nod to sparkling wine from elsewhere.”
All the winners at Star Wine List of the Year UAE 2024/’25.
Runners Up
Silver Stars for the Best Sparkling Wine List were awarded to:
Al Muntaha, Burj Al Arab, Dubai
At.mosphere, Dubai
Clap, Dubai
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, Dubai
Nobu, Dubai
Ossiano, Dubai
The Lana, Dorchester Collection, 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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Nyetimber
English sparkling producer Nyetimber is the leading producer of sparkling wine in the country.
