“There is a clear passion for wine in all Baltic countries!” All the winners from Star Wine List of the Year Baltics 2024
Star Wine List has crowned the best wine lists in Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Which wine bars and restaurants received Gold Stars? Meet our Baltic champions.
The winners were announced in this year’s Star Wine List of the Year Baltics competition at an awards ceremony held in Riga during the Latvian Sommelier Championship on Sunday, 15 September.
This was the second such event celebrating the wine lists of Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania, with outstanding entries from all three countries for our expert jury to choose from.
“The majority of submitted wine lists have great balance between classic/well-established and new-wave producers, and are very inclusive,” says judge Piotr Pietras MS. “Guests seem to have good or very good options regardless of the size of the list and location. There is a clear passion and enthusiasm for wine in all Baltic countries!” Pietras was joined on the jury panel by award-winning sommeliers Paz Levinson and Salvatore Castano.
Riga marks the second stop on the Star Wine List international tour 2024/2025, which culminates in an International Final in summer 2025. Winners in the international categories this week will join us then to face off with their global peers once our regional awards have been completed.
Keep scrolling for the full list of winners.
INTERNATIONAL CATEGORIES:
Grand Prix
– The best list overall.
Gold Star, Baltics overall:
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“A great diversity in the sparkling section and a very careful balance between classics and new producers, with a nice focus on Austrian wines. These and many other highlights make Time to Wine Rotermanni a solid Grand Prix winner. Very open minded, with many countries and regions well-represented. Bravo!”
– Paz Levinson
Best Long List
– For wine lists with more than 600 references.
Gold Star, Baltics overall:
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“We awarded this list because it stood out in multiple ways. Firstly, the prices are some of the best we've ever encountered, making it excellent value for customers. Secondly, the selection is incredibly diverse, providing a wide range of options to suit different tastes and needs. This list truly offers something exceptional for everyone.”
– Salvatore Castano
Silver Stars:
Fox Den, Tallinn, Estonia
Riviera, Riga, Latvia
Time to Wine Kopli 6, Tallinn, Estonia
Best Medium-Sized List
– Recognises the best wine list with 200-600 references.
Gold Star, Estonia and Baltics overall:
Veino, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“Eclectic and dynamic, this list provides an array of interesting wines from many origins. The wines are very well selected and there is a dialogue weaving amongst them, from winemaking to the background of each producer. The by-the-glass offering is insane! I just want to go there to explore so many wines!”
– Paz Levinson
Gold Star, Latvia:
Barents, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“We awarded this list because it impressed us in several ways. The Champagne selection is particularly notable, offering a range of high-quality options that cater to different tastes and preferences. We were also excited to see a diverse selection from Austria, showcasing some unique and exceptional wines that aren't commonly found elsewhere. Additionally, this list struck a perfect balance between wines from smaller, boutique wineries and offerings from well-known, established producers.”
– Salvatore Castano
Gold Star, Lithuania:
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“A lovely blend of classic and new-wave producers. This wine list showcases great diversity of all styles, and offers different bottle sizes and back vintages for both white and red wines.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
Silver Stars:
Fotografiska Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
Lee, Tallinn, Estonia
Max Cekot Kitchen, Riga, Latvia
Monte Pacis, Kaunas, Lithuania
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
Truff le Pig, Riga, Latvia
Best Short List
– Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings.
Gold Star, Estonia and Baltics overall:
The Peacock Lounge, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“This is a very good example of what we are looking for in a winner for this category! All the wines are great, the offer is just delicious, fun, and with a great mixture between classic and new wines. We loved the choice of Champagne by the glass and the back vintages from Bordeaux. Bravo - it’s not at all easy to win this category. ”
– Paz Levinson
Gold Star, Latvia:
Lowine bar, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“A beautiful short list that focuses on various low-intervention wines. In this ‘size matters’ category, a clean, easy-to-read format makes the list even stronger.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
Gold Star, Lithuania:
Gaspar’s, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“We found this list to be incredibly comprehensive, featuring a great variety of wines from all over the world. The selection includes a diverse array of regions and styles, ensuring that there is something to suit every palate. What truly stood out was the inclusion of wines from some of the industry's most renowned producers, which guarantees both quality and excellence.”
– Salvatore Castano
Silver Stars:
ANNO Home Restaurant & Wine Corner, Tallinn, Estonia
Gutenbergs Terrace, Riga, Latvia
Noa Chef´s Hall, Tallinn, Estonia
Rado restoran, Tallinn, Estonia
Restoranas Fabrikėlis, Vilnius, Lithuania
Snatch restaurant, Riga, Latvia
Vistide, Vilnius, Lithuania
Vyno Vieta, Vilnius, Lithuania
Whitehouse Restaurant, Riga, Latvia
Best Sparkling Wine List
– Recognises the best list for sparkling wines.
Gold Star, Estonia and Baltics overall:
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“Such a great and diverse selection of sparkling wines! Starting with a very strong list of Champagne (from both sought-after growers and well-known houses) through to a lovely selection of Crémant and Cava, ending up with some great value wines from Hungary, South Africa and New Zealand.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
Gold Star, Latvia:
Max Cekot Kitchen, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“We awarded this list as one of the best for sparkling wine selections due to its outstanding variety of top cuvées and renowned producers. The list features some of the most prestigious names in the sparkling wine world. Additionally, the inclusion of carefully selected back vintages adds a unique dimension, offering wine lovers the opportunity to experience aged expressions that are rarely available on wine lists.”
– Salvatore Castano
Gold Star, Lithuania:
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“This list has a great focus on the finest champagnes and most interesting sparklings out there. It is great to see back vintages for Champagne and a great diversity of producers and countries in the sparkling section. Lots of just delicious bubbles with famous references among the sparkling wine producers. Great section in a relatively short list.”
– Paz Levinson
Silver Stars:
Barents, Riga, Latvia
Fox Den, Tallinn, Estonia
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
Riviera, Riga, Latvia
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Kopli 6, Tallinn, Estonia
Veino, Tallinn, Estonia
Best By the Glass List
– Recognises the best by-the-glass list.
The category is presented by Wynns
Gold Star, Estonia and Baltics overall:
Veino, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“The diversity across whites and reds is just great (I rarely see Ao Yun by the glass, for example). Prices are coherent as well, leaving guests the pleasure to really enjoy the by-the-glass offering.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
What the winners said:
“This means a lot. We made a bold choice to put almost all our wines by the glass, so it’s an exciting opportunity.”
– Gerd Tarand, co-owner and sommelier
Gold Star, Latvia:
Riviera, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“We found this list to be one of the best when it comes to by-the-glass selections, thanks to its thoughtfully curated range of wines. The variety on offer ensures that there's something for everyone, from light and refreshing options to full-bodied and complex choices. What truly sets this list apart is its exceptional Coravin selection, allowing guests to enjoy premium wines by the glass without committing to a full bottle.”
– Salvatore Castano
Gold Star, Lithuania:
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“A very solid offer with lots of good options, not only in the quantity but also the quality of the wines - the Champagnes especially. Just delicious.”
– Paz Levinson
Silver Stars:
Fox Den, Tallinn, Estonia
Gaspar’s, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Vyno Vieta, Vilnius, Lithuania
Whitehouse Restaurant, Riga, Latvia
Best Newcomer List
– Recognises a venue that has recently opened.
Gold Star, Estonia and Baltics overall:
The Peacock Lounge, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“Very inclusive list both stylistically (classic vs. new-wave producers) and geographically - it covers well-known regions, but also off-the-beaten-path areas.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
Gold Star, Latvia:
BABO, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“An impressive list with a focus on Georgian wine, one of the most exciting regions to drink wine from. Outside of Georgia there is a great selection of Italian, Greek, Austrian and Spanish wines to complement the Georgian focus. Just a great, creative and very informative list. Bravo!”
– Paz Levinson
Gold Star, Lithuania:
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“For a newcomer list, this was one of our favourites thanks to its classic style and focus on quality. The selection features some of the best producers from around the world, showcasing a thoughtful curation that highlights traditional winemaking excellence.”
– Salvatore Castano
Silver Stars:
Fox Den, Tallinn, Estonia
Restaurant B7, Riga, Latvia
Shang Shi, Tallinn, Estonia
Vistide, Vilnius, Lithuania
Sustainable Wine List
– Recognises a wine list that has put extra emphasis on the wine program’s overall impact, including wine growing, winemaking, packaging and transport.
Gold Star, Baltics overall:
Lee, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“When it comes to sustainability, these guys truly know what they are doing. They stand out as one of the most complete and conscious choices in the industry, demonstrating a strong commitment to environmental responsibility. Their approach is backed by a clearly-defined sustainability program that incorporates a wide range of eco-friendly practices. This commitment not only shows their dedication to the environment but also sets a high standard for others to follow.”
– Salvatore Castano
Silver Stars:
Fotografiska Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
Veino, Tallinn, Estonia
RECURRING CATEGORIES:
Best Austrian Wine List
– Recognises the best list for wines from Austria.
The category is presented by Austrian Wine
Gold Star, Latvia and Baltics overall:
Barents, Riga, Latvia
What the judges said:
“This list boasts an outstanding selection of Austrian wines, featuring top producers and a range of remarkable vintages. The collection includes some of the finest names in Austrian winemaking, offering a true representation of the country's rich wine heritage.”
– Salvatore Castano
What the winners said:
"We, together with my colleagues, my friends, decided to bring Austrian wines into Latvia just to show that it’s a very, very interesting market, which has a lot of very interesting history. For me, it’s one of the places where you can find the most remarkable wines for very fair prices - they’ve got their own terroirs, style, ideas. You can show people that there’s also something more unique, more interesting and you can come and enjoy something more unexpected - that’s one of the things we try to do as sommeliers."
– Ņikita Zaičenkovs, Head Sommelier
Gold Star, Estonia:
Fox Den, Tallinn, Estonia
What the judges said:
“Concise selection of Austrian wines showing the strength of the Lower Austria region.”
– Piotr Pietras MS
Gold Star, Lithuania:
Restaurant Pacai, Vilnius, Lithuania
What the judges said:
“This list contains great producers from Austria with choices between four main regions and a diversity of styles. There are white, red and sweet wines from Austria - all great choices to highlight the quality of this wine-producing country.”
– Paz Levinson
Silver Stars:
Fotografiska Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia
HeJi, Vilnius, Lithuania
Max Cekot Kitchen, Riga, Latvia
Riviera, Riga, Latvia
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Kopli 6, Tallinn, Estonia
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
The winners in the international categories will qualify for our International Final in June 2025, where they will face off with the category winners from other countries and continents.
Read about the terms and how Star Wine List judges the wine lists here.
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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.
Wynns
With the longest-established vineyards in the region, Wynns’ history is deeply intertwined with Coonawarra. Wynns created the famous label that has made the triple-gabled winery a recognised symbol of heritage and refinement in Australia.
