The best wine lists in France – the Gold Star winners

INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES:

Grand Prix

– The best list overall

Gold Star:
Maison Pic, Valence

"It is so great, as I know how experienced the judges are, and the level of analysis from Star Wine List! So it feels great and rewarding for the restaurant, the team, the chef. This is a historic cellar full of treasures and it’s quite particular," says Paz Levinson, Executive Head Sommelier at Maison Pic.

"An epic list which starts with a wide range of wines, fortified and sakes by the glass. Considering its location the Rhône selection is immense, along with well chosen wines from Switzerland, Greece, Austria and a small but interesting selection from the New World. Overall a delight for any wine lover dining here," says jury member Ronan Sayburn MS.

Best Long List

– For wine lists with more than 600 references.

Gold Star:
Maison Pic, Valence

"As expected for such an iconic French restaurant, a deep and comprehensive list of what France is today, with a great mix of celebrated producers and more up-and-coming talent. But what set the list apart is also is that it is open to the world of beverage; wines of course from all over, but also sake, spirits, tea, coffee, other fermented beverage, non-alcoholic, and more. And what makes is even more meaningful is that it is in tune with the vision of the food. Bravo!" says jury member Pascaline Lepeltier.

Silver Stars:
Au Bon Coin, Wintzenheim
La Dame de Pic Paris, Paris
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac
Le Bon Georges, Paris
Le Bout du Monde, Beaune
Le Petit Sommelier, Paris
Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage, Reims
Les Clefs d’Argent, Mont-de-Marsan
Parcelles, Paris

Best Medium-Sized List 

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

The category is presented by Dreissigacker

Gold Star:
La Régalade, Clermont-Ferrand

"On all counts, it’s an excellent wine list! Some top producers and some recent discoveries, some mature vintages, and a very good selection of international wines. Last but not least, prices are very fair," says Jeremy Cukierman MW.

Silver Stars:
Au Tour du Vin, Paris
Auberge Le Bouc Bleu, Beblenheim
Gaya - Cuisine de bords de mer, Châtelaillon-Plage
Hôtel Pinard, Montpellier
L'auberge des Isles, Montreuil-Bellay
Le Restaurant L’Hôtel de la Gare, Couzon au Mont d’Or
Le Rousseau, Pont de Claix
Le Saint Sebastien, Paris
Pierre Sang on Gambey, Paris

Best Short List

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

Gold Star:
Oktobre, Paris

"Thank you very much. It's an honour for someone who is not sommelier to be winning this kind of prize. It puts forward that wine is about pleasure first. I'm very grateful that Star Wine List is able to recognize that. We have a lot to learn from the sommeliers, but they also have a lot to learn from us," said Oktobre's Malik Shtiwi-Chebchoub after winning.

"This list celebrates small grower producers devoted to working their land the best possible way. The wines on offer are of various price points making the list appreciated by different types of wine lovers," says Heidi Mäkinen MW.

Silver Stars:
Alex Le Bienhereux, Paris
Bistro des anges, Reims
Casse-Cailloux, Tours
Les Amoureuses, Paris
Regain, Marseille

Best Austrian Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with wines from Austria

The category is presented by Austrian Wine

Gold Star:
Maison Pic, Valence

"The love of Austrian wine is showed in the list and we would love to have much more. Everyone knows how challenging it can be to sell Austria in France, but we are delighted to show the wineries we like and that we have on the market. Austrian wine is a such a great category," says Paz Levinson at Maison Pic.

"A very serious selection of Austrian wines, with some of the top names, both for white and red wines and some mature vintages," says Jeremy Cukierman MW.

Silver Stars:
5 wine bar, Toulouse
Hôtel Pinard, Montpellier
La Dame de Pic Paris, Paris

Best Sparkling Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with sparkling wines.

The category is presented by Nyetimber

Gold Star:
Le Wine Bar by Le Vintage, Reims

"Thank you very much, it was a great pleasure for us to come here. And thanks for all the work you do for all the restaurants and wine bars that work very hard to get the best wines," says co-owner Nicolas Papavero.

"21 pages of Champagnes are arranged by region firstly for Growers wines the Maisons. A very impressive list which has a lot of older vintages plus a good selection of Coteaux Champenoise also," says the jury's Ronan Sayburn MS.

Silver Stars:
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac
Le Bout du Monde, Beaune
Le Gabriel, La Réserve Paris, Paris
Le Petit Sommelier, Paris
Les Parcellaires, Annecy
Maison Pic, Valence
Parcelles, Paris
Restaurant RATN, Paris
Royal Champagne Hotel & Spa, Champillon

Best By the Glass List

– Recognizes the best by the glass list.

Gold Star:
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac

"A large broad reaching eclectic choice of wines by the glass. A good base of local Savoie wines are joined by interesting wines from Greece and Austria as well as First Growth and top Napa valley wines served via Coravin," says jury member Ronan Sayburn MS.

Silver Stars:
5 wine bar, Toulouse
Au Bon Coin, Wintzenheim
Hôtel Pinard, Montpellier
L’Oiseau Blanc at the Peninsula Hotel, Paris
La Dame de Pic Paris, Paris
Le Petit Sommelier, Paris
Maison Pic, Valence
Un Cantalou à Strasbourg, Strasbourg
Vignobles et Châteaux Wine Bar, Saint Emilion

Best California Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with wines from California

The category is presented by Louis M. Martini

Gold Star:
Vignobles et Châteaux Wine Bar, Saint Emilion

"This wine list showcases new-wave producers from California, proving the region's relevance also in modern-day French restaurants. The compact selection is well chosen and contemporary," says jury member Heidi Mäkinen MW.

Silver Stars:
5 wine bar, Toulouse
Parcelles, Paris

Best Newcomer List

– Recognizes a venue that recently opened

Gold Star:
Les Parcellaires, Annecy

"Today it is exactly two months since opening the wine bar, so it is a very special date. I really appreciate to win a Gold Star from Star Wine List, I love it. It's been quick work for us, but the best is yet to come," says Fabiel Vullion, sommelier and co-owner.

"For a newcomer, this is an extremely impressive list, ambitious, extensive, showing a real knowledge of French and international wines. The selections of Champagne, Burgundy, Rhône and Loire are simply excellent. Look also for Ports, Madeira and spirits! A pleasure to read and a restaurant that every wine lover should visit," says Jeremy Cukierman MW.

Silver Stars:
Décalé, Lyon
Hôtel Pinard, Montpellier
Oktobre, Paris
Rosette Restaurant, Clichy
Vignobles et Châteaux Wine Bar, Saint Emilion

Sustainable Wine List

– For the Sustainable Wine List category, not only the wine list is evaluated, but also the stated actions of the venue, as described through a questionnaire in the application.

The category is presented by Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Gold Star:
Les Résistants, Paris

"Being sustainable today should be a given for any restaurant carrying about its guests, suppliers and staffs. Yet it is still too rare to see it applied at every level; production, sourcing, logistics, day-to-day operation, curation, and eduction. This is what this group is doing in all its restaurants, going way beyond a very exciting wine selections. This should be a source of inspirations for all of us!" says Pascaline Lepeltier.

NATIONAL CATEGORIES:

Best Rhône Wine List

– Recognizes the best list with wines from Rhône

The category is presented by Domaines Paul Jaboulet Aîné

Gold Star:
Maison Pic, Valence

"This venue has an incredibly long list of Rhône wines with various maturity levels and specific origins. The depth of the list allows space for both well established names and newcomers and is a true flagship offering for the whole region," says Heidi Mäkinen MW.

Silver Stars:
l'Âme Sœur, Lyon
L’épicerie des Alpes, Les Deux Alpes
La Dame de Pic Paris, Paris
La Table de Yoann Conte, Veyrier du Lac
Le Bout du Monde, Beaune
Le Petit Sommelier, Paris
Restaurant RATN, Paris

Special Jury Prize

– Recognizes a wine list that has done something out of the ordinary

Gold Star:
Le Petit Sommelier, Paris

"I'm so thriller and honoured actually, because, of course, we are always expecting something, but not this kind of prize. It's emotional, thank you very much," says owner and sommelier Pierre Vila Valleja.

"Le Petit Sommelier has become an unmissable restaurant for wine lovers and when you take a look at the wine list, it's easy to understand why. The selection is just excellent and not only for French but also for international wines. A lot of top producers and cuvées of the Rhône, Burgundy, Bordeaux and Champagne, but the list of Sherries, Madeira, Italian wines, Vins Jaunes, and new world wines are equally impressive. A lot of old vintages and all these treasures are paired with an excellent French cuisine 'canaille'," says the jury's Jeremy Cukierman MW.