The Best Long Lists in Belgium 2025

Veronique Bogaert, of Restaurant Sans Cravate, with Ruben Kwakman of Smaragd Wines. Photo by Guido Pijper.

The winners of Star Wine List of the Year Belgium & Netherlands 2025 were announced at an awards ceremony at Zalmhuis restaurant in Rotterdam on 29 September. Meet the Gold Star winner of Best Long List in Belgium.

The Best Long List category at Star Wine List of the Year celebrates wine lists of over 600 references. At this year’s awards for Belgium and the Netherlands, it was presented by Smaragd Wijnen.

“We are importers of artisan and organic wines,” says owner Martijn Verkerk. “We love to select wines for the gastronomy, price value, with great service aspects. We try, each day, to be the most friendly gastronomy importer of the Netherlands! We’ve also selected many ‘new wavers’ – young winemakers walking back in the mountains to source old vines for new wines.”

Martijn is excited to join this Star Wine List of the Year competition since many of Smaragd Wijnen’s customers are nominated for awards. Plus, the team includes various former sommeliers. “We love great wine lists,” he says.

In Belgium and the Netherlands in particular, Martijn lauds the “top restaurants with rare and fine wines listed and the bistros where you can drink affordable great wines. The scene for great wines has shifted in an extremely positive way in just a decade. And the new generation of sommeliers – with their fancy iPhones and Instagram – is connecting super fast with new generation winemakers these days.”

The Best Long List category he finds especially important for allowing him to find “the perfect aged bottle in a wide selection of wines” when dining out.

A Gold Star for Best Long List has now been awarded to Bruges’ Restaurant Sans Cravate, with the judges praising its “world-class wine list, spearheaded by low-intervention producers and tremendous diversity” and Loire Chenin Blanc selection in particular.

Restaurant Sans Cravate will now be entered into the Star Wine List of the Year International Final, which will be held in June 2026.

Explore the full list of winners at these awards, and our guide to all the Gold Star winners.

Gold Star

Restaurant Sans Cravate, Bruges

Judges’ comments:
“A truly world-class wine list, spearheaded by low-intervention producers and tremendous diversity. I absolutely adored the Loire Chenin Blanc selection!”
– Jonathan Gouveia MS