Lancashire's Moor Hall wins Best Austrian Wine List in the UK 2025
Lancashire restaurant Moor Hall has taken home the Gold Star for Best Austrian Wine List at Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer 2025.
During a ceremony held at London's Winemakers Club on 3 March, Moor Hall's Owain Johnson and Alexander Bennet were presented with the award for Best Austrian Wine List by Caroline Talec, representing category sponsor Austrian Wine.
“Matt, who was our head somm, has a really lovely affinity with Austrian wine,” said Owain, on the stage. “We joke that the only thing he likes to drink is Grüner! But they always have really interesting varieties and stories; they’re great for pairing. I think there’s always amazing wines and regions that our guests in particular don’t really encounter a lot, so it’s good to bring that to their attention.”
“There is a taste of Austria in all pairings of this Michelin-starred menu,” said judge Jan Kontezki. “The judges complimented the selection of white, red and sweet wines in Moor Hall’s wine list, and the sommelier has blended the best of Austria's natural wine realm alongside matured wines from ‘old school’ producers.”
Moor Hall will now compete against this category's global Gold Star winners, in June's International Final.
All winners from Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer 2025.
Runners Up
Silver Stars for the Best Austrian Wine List were awarded to:
Chez Bruce, London
Clos Maggiore, London
Corinthia Hotel, London
Newcomer Wines, London
The Ledbury, London
Jury panel
Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer 2025 was judged by four experts from the world of wine:
• Queena Wong – collector, educator and founder of the Curious Vines community
• Jan Konetzki – independent sommelier, UK Sommelier of the Year four times.
• Stephen Wong MW – sommelier, judge and consultant
• Nina Jensen – Second-Best Sommelier of the World, 2019 and 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
Austrian Wine
The Austrian Wine Marketing Board is based in Vienna, and is a national service body for the Austrian wine industry. The aim is to strategically support, coordinate and maintain quality and sales.
The Buyer is a digital platform to help bring drinks producers, distributors, wine merchants, restaurateurs and sommeliers closer together.
