Maarkedal restaurant Paul de Pierre has the Best Long List in Belgium 2024
Star Wine List awarded the top wine lists across Belgium at an awards ceremony in Ghent on 17 November.
The Gold Star for Best Long List went to Paul de Pierre, in Maarkedal – a restaurant, wine shop and events space helmed by sommelier Paul-Henri Cuvelier. The award was presented by Thierry Smadja of Château d’Esclans, the category's sponsor.
“In the category ‘Best Long List,’ we find a charismatic list full of personality and precision,” says judge Nina Jensen, “where one can indulge in local wines, great icons and hidden gems, represented with a good amount of back vintages. Add to that a unique by-the-glass program and great pricing, and you have this winner.”
This award was one of three that Paul de Pierre collected on the night, in addition to Best Austrian List and the event's highest honour, the Grand Prix.
Explore the full list of Belgian winners, here.
Runners up
Silver Stars in the Best Long List category were awarded to:
Boury, Roeselare
d'Oude Schuur, Sint-Martens-Latem
Pur Boeuf, Berlare
Restaurant Sans Cravate, Bruges
Tablàvins, Knokke-Heist
Terminus, Watou
Zilte, Antwerp
Judges
The expert jury panel for Star Wine List of the Year Belgium included three top sommeliers from the world of wine.
• Nina Jensen, Second-Best Sommelier in the World 2019/2023 (ASI)
• Salvatore Castano, Best Sommelier of Europe and Africa 2021
• Kathrine Larsen-Robert MS
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.
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Chateau d’Esclans
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