Star Wine List of the Year International Final – all the Gold Star winners!

Categories:

Grand Prix

– The best wine list with more than 600 references.

The category is presented by Domaine Laroche

Finalists:
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
Aubergine, Cape Town, South Africa
Bentley Restaurant & Wine Bar, Sydney, Australia
Core by Clare Smyth, London, UK
Momofuku Ko, New York, US
Nobelhart und Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany
PM & Vänner, Växjö, Sweden
Savoy, Helsinki , Finland
Robuchon au Dôme, Macau, Greater China

Winner:
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark

"Wow, this is quite amazing. I’m really very surprised, I’m almost shaking. Do do this really requires a strong team, and we’re lucky and blessed to attract staff from all over the world. We think very hard before we list anything at all, because being big does not mean that you don’t focus. Thank you so much for recognizing this," says Nina Højgaard Jensen, Wine Director at Alchemist.

"As the world of wine continues to expand to new territories and incarnations, and as the iconic bottles are getting rarer and more out of reach, you can only salute the fantastic job done at Alchemist to offer an exceptional program able to gather such a breadth and the depth of references," says jury member Pascaline Lepeltier.

Pascaline continues:

"From the up-and-coming to the epitome of classicism, from Champagne to California to Madeira, the wine lover can feel the acute knowledge and the real passion behind everything selection, making this list both deeply focused and highly dynamic. A special mention to the fair pricing. Bravo to the Alchemist team for building in so little time such a high level program."

Best Austrian Wine List

– Recognizes the best wine list with Austrian wines.

The category is presented by Austrian Wine

Finalists:
Admiralgade 26, Copenhagen, Denmark
Happolati, Oslo, Norway
Rockpool Bar & Grill, Perth, Australia
Newcomer Wines, London, UK
Wallsé, New York, US
Freundschaft, Berlin, Germany
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Restaurant Grön, Helsinki, Finland
Ginza Soseki, Tokyo, Japan

Winner:
Wallsé, New York, US

”It hasn’t always been easy, but over time, more and more Austrian wine found its way to New York. I want to thank all the previous staff for starting creating this. And of course we also need to thank all the great producers in Austria for creating these great wines,” says Wallsé’s Benjamin Gutenbrunner.

The jury's Paz Levinson says this about the winning list:

"A list that takes risks in a very exigent wine city! The list has a clear obsession: Austrian wine, and they do it so well, from the design to all the concepts and of course the selection of the labels. Good prices, back vintages and an exploration of the main grapes from Austria and a great diversity of regions and styles. What distinguishes it from other Austrian lists outside Austria is the depth in red wines at the same level as the whites. Big bravo!"

Best Medium-Sized Wine List 

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

Finalists:

Admiralgade 26, Copenhagen, Denmark
Culture Wine Bar, Cape Town, South Africa
La Salut, Redfern, Australia
Trivet, London, UK
Pinch Chinese, New York, US
Wallsé, New York, US
Prism, Berlin, Germany
Agnes, Stockholm, Sweden
Basbas Kulma, Helsinki, Finland
Hakkasan Shanghai, Shanghai, Greater China

Winner:
Trivet, London, UK

”I would like to thank Star Wine List for organizing this. I also would like to thank the jury for their hard work, and all the restaurants who entered this competition. We’re very grateful for this win,” says Isa Bal at Trivet.

"A very original, innovative list that delighted all the jurors with its time travel aspect through the history of wine. Plus at its heart a well chosen concise list of great producers," says jury member Ronan Sayburn MS.

Best By the Glass List

– Recognizes the best by the glass list.

Finalists:
Bar'Vin, Copenhagen, Denmark
Park Hotel Vossevangen, Voss, Norway
Saxon Hotel, Villas and Spa, Johannesburg, South Africa
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Noble Rot Soho, London, UK
Eleven Madison Park, New York, US
Prism, Berlin, Germany
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Omadi Bar & Bistro, Helsinki, Finland
Bar Cyclone, Hong Kong, Greater China

Winner:
Prism, Berlin, Germany

”Thank you! I’m obviously very happy, this one I didn’t expect. I think to have this kind of by-the-glass list you have to be a little crazy, but it’s all about accessibility. You have to be surprising, but still have something for everyone,” says Jacqueline Lorenz, head sommelier and co-owner at Prism.

"A well chosen and very diverse range of wines by the glass, something for everyone can be found here and reasonable mark ups too," says Ronan Sayburn MS.

Best Sparkling Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with sparkling wines.

The category is presented by Nyetimber

Finalists:
Alchemist, Copenhagen, Denmark
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
Aubergine, Cape Town, South Africa
Rockpool Bar & Grill, Perth, Australia
Les 110 de Taillevent, London, UK
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, New York, US
Nobelhart und Schmutzig, Berlin, Germany
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Carelia, Helsinki, Finland
Ensue, Shenzhen, Greater China

Winner:
Blue Hill at Stone Barns, New York, US

"It is a highly original list with beautiful pictures, handwriting design. It requires a lot of work to create such an eye-catching list. Very cool and well done!" says jury member Reeze Choi about the winning list.

"Thank you very much, we really appreciate it. The wine list has always been focusing on sparkling wine, and I thank the many previous wine directors who have put their heart and soul in the list," says Daniel Congbalay, Head Sommelier at Blue Hill at Stone Barns.

Sustainable Wine List

– This award evaluates both the venue's wine list and how they work sustainably at the venue

Finalists:
Credo, Trondheim, Norway
ëlgr restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa
Settler’s Tavern, Margaret River, Australia
Farmyard, St Leonard-on-Sea, UK
Tonchin Brooklyn, New York, US
Frea, Berlin, Germany
Hörte Brygga, Skivarp, Sweden
Restaurant Grön, Helsinki, Finland
Haoma, Bangkok, Thailand

Winners:
Haoma, Bangkok, Thailand
ëlgr restaurant, Cape Town, South Africa

From the heart of Bangkok, Chef Deepanlker Khosla and his team is showing the world that it is possible to commit really, deeply and sincerely to true sustainability if you have the will. From the beverage program, thoughtfully put together to give the guests to enjoy the work of committed producers locally or from carefully chosen part of the world, to the sourcing of ingredients, the operational and social organization and beyond the walls of the restaurant its responsibility in the community, Haoma is proving real sustainability is more than possible : it is a driver for success and inspiration," says Pascaline Lepeltier about Haoma's winning list.

”Thank you to Star Wine List for doing this. Bangkok is a very underrated place in the world when it comes to wine, so this feels amazing. I’m also a huge fan of Pascaline Lepeltier, and to hear these words from her is just fantastic,” says Haoma’s Vishvas Sidana.

The jury's Nina Højgaard Jensen says this about ëlgr's winning list:

"With an approach of trying to understand and execute the full scope of sustainability, this place use their location strategically to ensure – and gain – integrity in the sustainable practices. Here, they pave the way to make sustainability a community project by activating and working together with the local neighborhood to recycle as well as emphasize local produce and wines. But, sustainability entails more than only recycling and using local: It also means work-sustainability – a subject far less debated and cultivated in our industry but equally important."

Nina continues:

"This restaurant goes to far lengths to reach transparency on this subject, trying to achieve a personal relation to the wineries they feature in order to understand their practices. That level of integrity requires a massive investment to pursue, but brings in an important angle to being sustainable in a place, where it is highly relevant to put the work aspect of sustainability on the agenda."

”Congratulations to everyone who took part, and I look forward to all of the great things to come!” says Le Roi van de Vyver at ëlgr.

Special Jury Prize

– Recognizes a venue that has done something extra with their wine list, such as the direction, the style or the value.

Finalists:
LAGO, Copenhagen, Denmark
Territoriet, Oslo, Norway
Embarc, Johannesburg, South Africa
La Salut, Redfern, Australia
Chez Bruce, London, UK
Chambers, New York, US
Franz Keller Schwarzer Adler, Vogtsburg-Oberbergen, Germany
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Voisine, Stockholm, Sweden
Basbas Kulma, Helsinki, Finland
Grand Majestic Sichuan, Hong Kong, Greater China

Winner:
La Salut, Redfern, Australia

"A very comprehensive selection of Spanish wines. Not only a creative wine list, but also a well-organised and a fantastic designed one. You can easily tell that the one who built the list has a strong knowledge in Spanish wine to be able create such a storytelling wine list," says the jury's Reeze Choi.

Best Short List

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

The category is presented by DAOU

Finalists:
Restaurant Radio, Copenhagen, Denmark
La Colombe, Constantia, South Africa
Embla, Melbourne, Australia
Restaurant St. Barts, London, UK
Tonchin Brooklyn, New York, US
nineOfive Regensburg, Regensburg, Germany
Babette, Stockholm, Sweden
BasBas - Baskeri & Basso, Helsinki, Finland
Seroja, Singapore

Winners:
Restaurant St. Barts, London, UK
Babette, Stockholm, Sweden

"Precision in curation is one of the hardest things to achieve, but it is done with success here. With so few references every wine on the list serves a purpose, and here, they have reached one level further; it is dynamic and without you feeling like anything is missing at the same time – it even sparks curiosity and is clearly created by an openminded approach. And all that offered at very attractive prices. In every way a very thoughtful list," says the jury's Nina Højgaard Jensen about the winning wine list of Restaurant St. Barts.

Fellow jury member Paz Levinson says this about Babette’s winning list:

”Lovely selection of Champagne, Burgundy fans, Italy well selected producers from Piemonte, Tuscany and some others highlights around the country. I love the selection of orange wines and rosé, meaning a short list can go deep in styles and options for the rose category that is not always well represented even in lagers lists. The amaro and vermouth options are also delicious.”

The staff at Babette could not attend the event, but sommelier Emelie Svensson at Restaurang Agnes (finalist in the Best Medium-Sized Wine List category) received the diploma on their behalf.

"In case they won, the guys at Babette asked me to say something about why I love Babette. And I really agree with what the jury says. I always get inspired and curios at Babette – and at the same time you can get something you’re really comfortable with," says Emelie.