Australia scored big in Star Wine List's International Open
When Star Wine List celebrated its first ever International Open on May 6, wine lists from no less than 19 countries were chosen as finalists. The digital event had entries from Ukraine, Dominican Republican and Canada among others. Now, all the Gold Star winners are revealed - and a country down under has a lot to celebrate!
The event was streamed live on Star Wine List's Facebook page - see the show here.
All winners are now invited to the International Final in Stockholm on June 24.
“The judging process was quite a challenge and scores were really tight in most categories. The level of wine lists was high and I was impressed by their complexity, depth and a clever, creative touch,” said jury panel member Piotr Pietras MS about judging the International Open.
His fellow jury member Pascaline Lepeltier said:
“How exciting it is to see so many compelling lists from restaurants I have never heard of: it is impressive to see how so many sommeliers all around the world are creating curated beverage programs, with wit and intelligence, sometimes in areas where access to wine is complicated. I salute all their passion and hard work, and I am glad Star Wine List decided to showcase them!”
Doug Frost, both Master Sommelier and Master of Wine, joined the online celebration on May 6.
"I have looked at a lot of wine lists, and judged them, over the years. This time it was both really difficult and interesting. And it was exciting to look at so many different lists, and I learned a lot from it too. And it's obvious that the people who sent us these lists have worked really, really hard," he said.
The International Open was held as an online event on May 6. Of the countries in the finals, both Australia and the Netherlands had the most representatives, with 20 restaurants/bars each. USA had 13 and Canada 10 venues shortlisted.
Star Wine List’s highly coveted wine list awards have grown to cover 14 markets around the world - but sommeliers from many more countries have asked to be let in. These awards were therefore created as a way for other markets to be able to join. And join they did! The jury of top sommeliers had a tough job selecting the finalists.
Here are all the Gold Star winners that are now qualified for the International Final in Stockholm on June 24.
CATEGORIES:
Grand Prix
– The best list overall
Gold Star:
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands
"Wow, this is crazy. I'm overwhelmed, thank you so much. I don't know what to say, I feel very very honoured," said Gauthier Cauwels from De Nieuwe Winkel.
“This award is not only about a list, it is how a wine selection is coherent with the whole philosophy of a restaurant. De Nieuwe Winkel is showing us what the gastronomy of tomorrow will probably be, ancred but how so diverse, and dedicated to be a local actor while responsibly offering some of the most thoughtful and delicious wines, at a fair price. Congrats!" said jury member Pascaline Lepeltier.
Best Long List
– For wine lists with more than 600 references.
Gold Star:
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
"Thank you. We are so very happy, this feels amazing. It's a big work for every member on the team to maintain the list. It's a tough job to keep the list year after year. The verticals and the classics, as well as the newcomers and the up-and-coming wines. My role is quite difficult, but I'm so happy for the team I work with," said head sommelier Jean-Simon Rioux-Ranger at the event.
“A beautiful, complex list showcasing both classic and new-wave producers. The list thoroughly covers not only well-known appellations, but it also includes hidden gems and up-and-coming regions. Impressive verticals from numerous wineries are an added value," said jury member Piotr Pietras.
Silver Stars:
Central Park Voorburg, Voorburg, Netherlands
Delta Restaurant, Athens, Greece
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
Flore, Amsterdam, Netherlands
HaBasta, Tel Aviv, Israel
Il Desco, Verona, Italy
Old Palm Liquor, Melbourne, Australia
Ristorante del Lago, Bagno di Romagna, Italy
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
The Lobby Fizeaustraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Zoldering, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Best Medium-Sized List
– Recognizes the best wine list with 200-600 references.
Gold Star:
MotherVine, Adelaide, Australia
"Thank you so much, it's a great honour. I really didn't expect this. Our list holds all the types of wines that we love to drink ourselves, but we also want to have wines for every kinds of tastes. Our name speaks of a clone, but we also have a love for Burgundy, which I think is reflected in the list," said Mathieu Smeysters, sommelier and co-owner.
“This wine list highlights both national and international wines from exciting producers and manages to make the selection very diverse. The balance between different producer styles is successful and the offering is delightful throughout all pages," said jury member Heidi Mäkinen MW.
Silver Stars:
Bij Jef, Den Hoorn-Texel, Netherlands
Cardwell Cellars, Melbourne, Australia
Deessa, Madrid, Spain
Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, USA
Felix, Venice Beach, USA
Olaias, Figueira da Fioz, Portugal
Per Me Giulio Terrinoni, Rome, Italy
Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, Australia
The Heritage Wine Bar, Perth, Australia
Best Short List
– Recognizes the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.
Gold Star:
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands
"Thank you, I feel very happy and honoured for the recognition. We try to do things differently, only cook plant-based for example. And our wine list is a reflection of that. We also have a beer sommelier, with an amazing list, and botanical cocktails. I want to send a big thank you to our owners who let me keep building this list, and thank you to all my colleagues," said Gauthier Cauwels from De Nieuwe Winkel.
“Frankly, it's easy (if expensive) to write a great wine list when you have several thousand selections. I've always believed that the truest mark of smarts is the ability to write a well-rounded and complete short wine list. Winkel has provided a list for every gustatory and financial appetite. Sure, there's a focus upon cooler sites and Bordeaux is under-represented, but there are so many other wonderful options that it just doesn't matter," said jury member Doug Frost, Master Sommelier and Master of Wine.
Silver Stars:
Anchoíta Cava, Buenos Aires, Argentina
Beach Byron Bay, Byron Bay, Australia
Copra, San Francisco, USA
De Vinos, Madrid, Spain
Indienne, Chicago, USA
Óx + Amma Don, Reykjavík, Iceland
Published On Main, Vancouver, Canada
Remouillage, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Suru Bar, Barcelona, Spain
Best Austrian Wine List
– Recognizes the best list with wines from Austria
The category is presented by Austrian Wine
Gold Star:
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
"Basically we are walking distance from Austria, if it wasn't for the Danube river. But we have a beautiful view over to Austria. And this our region too, at the end of the day. We see this also as our wines and our terroir," said ECK's executive chef Daniel Tilinger.
“The selection of Austrian wines in this restaurant is impressive, as the list covers multiple styles from different regions and varieties. Apart from the more obvious white wines, the venue has decided to showcase how also red wines of Austria have great ageing potential, so recognizing this trust and enthusiasm for Austrian wines is truly deserved," said Heidi Mäkinen.
Silver Stars:
Alcron Restaurant, Prague, Czech Republic
Central Park Voorburg, Voorburg, Netherlands
Laura, Melbourne, Australia
Mirali, Kyiv, Ukraine
Mokotowska69, Warsaw, Poland
Remouillage, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Restaurant RJ, De Cocksdorp, Netherlands
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
The Lobby Fizeaustraat, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Zoldering, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Best Sparkling Wine List
– Recognizes the best list with sparkling wines
The category is presented by Nyetimber
Gold Star:
Ristorante del Lago, Bagno di Romagna, Italy
“We saw many wine lists with amazing Champagne selections; this one didn't necessarily stand out for that but, rather, its crazy, nearly encyclopedic list of Italian bubblies. Okay, the Champagne list was great too," said Doug Frost.
Silver Stars:
Central Park Voorburg, Voorburg, Netherlands
Ciz Cantina e Cucina, Milano, Italy
Duomo, Ragusa, Italy
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
Quay, Sydney, Australia
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Stake Chophouse & Bar, Coronado, USA
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
Trattoria Serenella Le Tre Lasagne, Vignale Monferrato, Italy
Best California Wine List
– Recognizes the best list with wines from California
Gold Star:
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
"Thanks, we are very happy to be one of the winners today. A couple of years ago, we took over the wines of a very important collector here in Quebec. We are very proud to continue his work, and what he has done for our wine scene. Wine is always a big part of the restaurant scene in Quebec, and we are happy to be a part of that," said head sommelier Jean-Simon Rioux-Ranger.
“Great selection of Californian wines – it offers various styles, grape varieties and quality producers. The classic and traditional wines dominate the list, yet there is also a presence of modernity and new-wave. Back vintages from some of the most sought-after producers in respective regions make it even more complex and quality-driven," said Piotr Pietras.
Silver Stars:
Central Park Voorburg, Voorburg, Netherlands
Cioppino's Mediterranean Grill, Vancouver, Canada
Counter-, Charlotte, USA
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
Graycliff Hotel & Restaurant, Nassau, Bahamas
Horn & Cantle at Lone Mountain Ranch, Big Sky, Montana, USA
Moss Restaurant, Blue Lagoon, Grindavík, Iceland
RPM Italian Chicago, Chicago, USA
Stake Chophouse & Bar, Coronado, USA
Best By the Glass List
– Recognizes the best by the glass list.
Gold Star:
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Main Ridge, Australia
"Thank you so much. I can only thank the wine team and the chefs, as well as our owners. Of course, people come to our restaurant to enjoy our own wines, but we want people to be able to enjoy a full restaurant experience, and enjoy other fantastic wines apart from ours," said Kyle Barton from Ten Minutes by Tractor.
“Anyone entering this venue will be delighted by the offering by the glass, as it allows delving deep into different wine styles from around the world. Each choice, whether local or from further afield, is chosen carefully, so it would be a real struggle to choose what not to drink!" said jury member Heidi Mäkinen.
Silver Stars:
Ajualä, Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic
Bistrot Neuf, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Flore, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Pane e Vino Wine Bar & Academy, Lawrence, USA
Quay, Sydney, Australia
Restaurant Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Restaurant RJ, De Cocksdorp, Netherlands
Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, Australia
The Heritage Wine Bar, Perth, Australia
Best Newcomer List
– Recognizes a venue that recently opened
Gold Star:
Enoteca Boccaccio, Melbourne, Australia
"Thank you so much, such a great honour for us. Enoteca Boccaccio has been a dream project for my bosses, the d'Anna family. We've been open a little less than a year, and it has been such a lovely journey to build this list," said wine director Elena Leardini.
“They may be newcomers but they offer a fantasy of some of the sexiest names in wine: Selosse, Krug, Raveneau, J.J. Prüm, Emidio Pepe, Rinaldi, and Borgogno, all with remarkable vertical selections. The largest of all the verticals? One of the greatest values in Italian wine: Produttori del Barbaresco," said jury member Doug Frost.
Silver Stars:
Boca D’uva, Lisbon, Portugal
Calisto, Amsterdam, Netherlands
Copra, San Francisco, USA
Debora, Bogotá, Colombia
Dogma Wine Bar, Porto, Portugal
Funke, Beverly Hills, USA
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.
Gold Star:
Esters Wine Shop & Bar, Santa Monica, USA
“It is always so inspiring to see more and more places looking for solutions to make a restaurant a more sustainable place, especially when it goes beyond just the selection of committed farmers and winemakers. This is what set Esters apart; actions and support not only to education and promotion of sustainable farming, but an involvement in the local community to help the needed environmental and social changes to happen," said the jury's Pascaline Lepeltier.
Silver Stars:
Bouillon Bilk, Montreal, Canada
Cardwell Cellars, Melbourne, Australia
Crizia, Buenos Aires, Argentina
De Nieuwe Winkel, Nijmegen, Netherlands
Dionisia Restaurante VinhoBar, Porto Alegre, Brasil
Old Palm Liquor, Melbourne, Australia
Published On Main, Vancouver, Canada
Quay, Sydney, Australia
Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, Australia
Vinvinvin, Montreal, Canada
THE WORLD-CLASS JURY
The jury for the first International Open consisted of four highly renowned sommeliers:
• Pascaline Lepeltier
• Piotr Pietras MS
• Heidi Mäkinen MW
• Doug Frost MW MS
The winners in the International Open are now qualified for Star Wine List's International Final in Stockholm on June 24.
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.
Read about the terms and how Star Wine List judges the wine lists here.
Do like the Pros - search 2500+ wine lists
Nyetimber
English sparkling producer Nyetimber is the leading producer of sparkling wine in the country.
Austrian Wine
The Austrian Wine Marketing Board is based in Vienna, and is a national service body for the Austrian wine industry. The aim is to strategically support, coordinate and maintain quality and sales.
