Wallsé, New York City, won Gold Star in the Austrian category
On June 24, Star Wine List of the Year International Final was celebrated during a live event in Stockholm, with finalists from 20 countries present. Wallsé in New York City won the Gold Star in the category Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine.
”This was one of the finest Austrian wine lists we had encountered in a long time. It featured an exceptional selection of producers, offering a remarkable array of wines that truly highlighted the depth and diversity of Austria’s viticulture. Each choice on the list reflected a keen understanding and appreciation of the country's wine heritage, making for an unforgettable experience,” said the jury’s Salvatore Castano abiut Wallsé's winning list.
This was the second year in a row that Wallsé won the Austrian category in the International Final.
Wallsé's General Manager Benjamin Gutenbrunner joined the celebrations on Zoom.
"Thank you so much, again, it’s been back to back for us. It’s an absolute honour to be represented. We’re a small, small restaurant in New York trying to get Austrian wine going in the US. The competition was really tough, so it’s amazing to be here," he said after being announced as the winner.
"Wallsé commits everything to the remarkable diversity of Austrian wine. For those of us who love the many lesser-known grapes of that country, but even more those who obsess over the age-worthiness of their great Rieslings and Grüner Veltliners, this is not a wine list; it's a treasure trove," Master of Wine and Master Sommelier Doug Frost said when Wallsé won Best Austrian Wine List in 2023.
The Silver Star winners in the Austrian category were:
Happolati, Oslo, Norway
Monty's of Kathmandu, Dublin, Ireland
Kadeau, Copenhagen, Denmark
Paul de Pierre, Maarkedal, Belgium
Barents, Riga, Latvia
SOMM The Wine Bar, Vilnius, Lithuania
Time to Wine Rotermanni, Tallinn, Estonia
Ossiano, Dubai, UAE
Maison Pic, Valence, France
Newcomer Wines, London, UK
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Savoy, Helsinki, Finland
ECK Restaurant, Bratislava, Slovakia
Freundschaft, Berlin, Germany
Park Hotel Vitznau, Vitznau, Switzerland
Chi-Fu, Osaka
The current Star Wine List of the Year tour started in South Africa in September 2023 and has passed through Asia, Europe and North America on its way to the final Stockholm. All in all, 14 events have been held, from Hong Kong to New York and Dubai to Vienna.
Finalists from 20 countries – from some of the most renowned restaurants in the world – and well over 100 international guests travelled to Stockholm to be a part of the celebration on June 24. The awards in Stockholm was held during a full-day event for finalists, partners and media. Wine lovers from around the world could join the live-streamed event on Star Wine List’s Facebook page.
Jury
The jury of our international final was filled with sommelier champions:
• Salvatore Castano, ASI Best Sommelier of Europe and Africa
• Arvid Rosengren, ASI Best Sommelier of the World
• Marc Almert, Asi Best Sommelier of the World
• Heidi Mäkinen MW
Categories and criteria
Star Wine List's jury evaluates the wine lists in several categories such as the Best Sparkling Wine List and Best By the Glass List. 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.
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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.
