The top sommeliers judging Star Wine List of the Year Germany 2025

Star Wine List of the Year – our awards celebrating the world’s best wine lists – is returning to Germany during ProWein. We can now reveal our judges for the competition. German somms - enter now - deadline is Sunday 26 February.
A stalwart of any wine professional’s calendar, ProWein takes place in Düsseldorf from 16-18 March 2025. We are delighted to be joining the trade fair to host the fourth Star Wine List of the Year Germany, on Monday, 17 March.
We have four top sommeliers lined up to examine the submitted wine lists. They are:
- Jan Konetzki
- Emmanuel Rosier
- Pascaline Lepeltier
- Stefan Neumann MS
The Star Wine List of the Year competition was started in 2018 to honour the efforts of the wine teams creating the wine lists that we all enjoy so much – and that feature in our guides. Winners in each category receive a Gold Star with runners up all earning a Silver Star, and these work a bit differently to our standard Red and White grading system.
We host ceremonies in as many countries, or regions, as we can during our international tour before gathering up the winners in the international categories for the ultimate face-off: the Star Wine List of the Year International Final. For the 2024/’25 tour, that will be held in Vienna, in June.
For now, let’s meet the judges in this year's German wine list competition.
Jan Konetzki
Born in Lüneburg, northern Germany, Jan began his sommelier career in Hamburg before making a name for himself in London, England, as Head Sommelier for Restaurant Gordon Ramsay. He has four times been named ‘Best Sommelier in the UK’ by various publications and drinks brands and, in addition to Ramsay, he has worked with acclaimed chefs such as Anne-Sophie Pic and Clare Smyth. He now runs his own agency, Konetzki, consulting for high-profile food and drink brands, as well as acting as a jury member and speaker the world over.
Emmanuel Rosier
Berlin resident Emmanuel (or Manu) Rosier has been part of the Star Wine List family since 2018, as both our ambassador for the city and, until recently, managing our White Star program. Born in Beaujolais, he holds the Advanced Sommelier certificate from the Court of Master Sommeliers and boasts extensive experience across Berlin and Paris. He now runs hospitality consultancy CCM3.
Pascaline Lepeltier
French sommelier Pascaline cut her teeth in Brussels and Paris before moving to New York, where she has worked at the city’s top wine destinations. She is now Beverage Director at Chambers, a neighbourhood restaurant that, under Pascaline’s direction, features a strong selection of natural and biodynamic wines. In 2018, Pascaline was named ‘Best Sommelier of France’ and a ‘Meilleur Sommelier de France,’ and has featured in countless lists and competitions of the best sommeliers in the world. Her book, One Thousand Vines (first published in French as Mille Vignes) is currently garnering huge acclaim.
Stefan Neumann MS
Hailing from Wachau, Austria, Stefan has lived in the UK since 2008, helming the wine lists at some of its (and the world’s) finest restaurants, including Dinner by Heston Blumenthal, The Fat Duck and Le Manoir aux Quat'Saisons. He became a Master Sommelier in 2017 and now runs his own wine and hospitality consultancy. Stefan is a highly experienced judge, sitting on panels for contests such as the International Wine and Spirits Competition and the Decanter World Wine Awards, for which he is Austria's Regional Chair.
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