Watch out London: Star Wine List is returning in March 2025 with The Buyer!
On 3 March 2025, Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer will crown the people behind the greatest wine lists in the country. Does your list have what it takes to win a Gold Star? Here’s everything you need to know.
The Star Wine List of the Year international tour is in full swing and will stop by the UK on 3 March 2025 to host its fifth UK awards ceremony, in partnership with The Buyer.
Entries to these awards are now open and free of charge, with a deadline of 12 January 2025. Submissions are accepted from all restaurants and wine bars across the country. Click here to enter now.
Winners will receive a coveted Gold Star and those in the international categories will automatically be entered into the Star Wine List International Final, battling it out against their fellow winners across the world to become global champions at an event in Vienna, in June 2025.
The expert judging panel will be announced shortly.
“It is a privilege and pleasure to partner Star Wine List on the UK wine list awards and to be able to play a small part and shine the light on the best sommeliers and restaurant teams in the UK,” says Richard Siddle, Co-Founder and Editor-in-Chief of The Buyer. “There are a number of on-trade awards programmes available but what makes Star Wine List special and stand out is the fact it is run and judged by sommeliers themselves as well as top wine experts. It always means more if you are being recognised and rewarded by your peers.”
Founder and Publisher of Star Wine List, Krister Bengtsson adds, “Even though our wine list celebrations have spread like wildfire and we now do 19 events across four continents, our UK awards are really something else. People from all kinds of restaurants and wine bars get together and cheer for each other – it’s a true joy to be part of.”
What to expect from Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer
All finalists will be invited to an awards ceremony in central London on 3 March 2025 – an opportunity to honour the hard work of everybody involved.
“The big highlight of the awards themselves is the chance to bring together all the finalists and their teams and friends in the trade to truly celebrate all their achievements, and to see them celebrating and enjoying each others’ success. It shows what a close-knit community the sommelier world is and how supportive they all are with each other. There is so much to learn and respect.” – Richard Siddle, The Buyer
How the competition is judged
A panel of judges will soon be announced, including world-renowned sommeliers and wine experts. They are given simple but challenging instructions: vote for the most exciting wine list representing each category.
Once the deadline for entries has passed, the jury deliberates independently of any sponsors or commercial partners to decide the finalists and ultimate winners. The shortlist will be announced in February 2025.
“The judges for Star Wine List of the Year are drawn from our international panel of top sommeliers and wine experts, such as world and European sommelier champions. They are complemented by local judges with local expertise.” – Krister Bengtsson, Star Wine List
How the UK’s wine lists have evolved over the past year
New trends and philosophies emerge each year, in each region, giving Star Wine List a bird's eye view of how global wine scenes are developing. We are excited to see what the UK has to offer.
“I would say the biggest trend to come through on wine lists is how diverse and individual they have become. Gone are the days when it is all about having the most wines and the biggest lists. Today it is all about finding what is the right list for your restaurant and customers. We are lucky to have such commercially focused sommeliers and wine teams that curate lists based on what they know their customers want to drink and buy. If that means being natural, or all about low intervention wines, then fine. It might mean focusing on Old World classics. Our sommeliers today have both the knowledge and the confidence to make customer-focused lists that will hit their needs and the restaurants’ goals at the same time.” – Richard Siddle, The Buyer
What next for the Gold Star winners?
The winners of Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer 2025 will, most importantly, be able to celebrate amongst their peers and our sponsors on the night. And many of our previous recipients have not just enjoyed industry recognition but the broader exposure that their Gold Stars have brought. Read our sommelier stories here.
A Gold Star in an international category means automatic entry into the Star Wine List of the Year International Final and an invite to Vienna, for a wine-focused introduction to this beautiful city with Austrian Wines, plus, the chance to become our global champions. Good luck somms!
“We cannot wait to go to Vienna for the International Final next year! This year we had finalists from 19 countries join us at the final in Stockholm and it was a great gathering. Cheers and best of luck to all entries and finalists this year!” – Krister Bengtsson, Star Wine List
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