This year’s finalists in the Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer have been announced and includes the biggest selection of restaurants and bars to make it through to the awards shortlist. It will see some of the UK’s most prestigious restaurants and bars battling it out to see who comes out top in each category. The shortlisted venues can take pride in being selected by an esteemed judging panel that includes Piotr Pietras MS, Ronan Sayburn MS and Jan Konetzki.
The finalists are set to come together on February 20 at The Winemakers Club in London where the winners in the 2023 Star Wine List of the Year UK with The Buyer will be announced.
Star Wine List of the Year is a celebration of the great wine lists in the world and the teams behind them. In the UK the global competition has teamed up with The Buyer to highlight, recognise and reward the best sommelier and wine buying talent across its world renown hospitality sector.
In all there are 12 categories in the 2023 competition, four of which are unique to the UK, alongside eight categories that feature in all the Star Wine List competitions around the world. The winners in those international categories will then qualify to take part in the International Final on June 19 2023.
“UK sommeliers have joined en masse for this year’s awards and the jury has had a real job cut out for them, judging more than 100 top wine lists,” says Krister Bengtsson, founder and publisher of Star Wine List. He adds: “The finalists are testament to the incredible quality and resilience by the restaurateurs and sommeliers in the UK and we can’t wait to come back to London to celebrate them.”
Richard Siddle, co-founder and editor-in-chief at The Buyer, says: “These are awards that highlight, recognise and most of all reward those working at the very top of their game across the premium on-trade. They are also judged and assessed by some of our most respected and award winning sommeliers who know what it takes to stand out in such a competitive environment. Congratulations to all the finalists. Reaching this stage really is an accomplishment in itself.”
This year’s competition includes, for the first time, the best Sustainable Wine List, sponsored by Spier, the leading environmentally-driven South African producer, imported in the UK by Jascots and New Generation Bordeaux Wine List, supported by Bordeaux Wines.
Other new partnerships include the Best Sparkling Wine List, sponsored by leading English producer, Nyetimber, Best Up-and-Coming Wine List, in association with Château Palmer, Best By The Glass list, presented by Catena Zapata and the Grand Prix award which is supported by Bibendum.
A key feature of the UK Wine List award is that they are judged by award winning, leading sommeliers in their own right. Chaired by Ruth Spivey, UK ambassador for Star Wine List, the panel includes: Piotr Pietras MS; Ronan Sayburn MS; and Jan Konetzki.
The 2023 Finalists
Grand Prix
The best large wine list, with more than 600 references. This category is presented by Bibendum.
Chez Bruce, London
Core by Clare Smyth, London
Hide, London
Les 110 de Taillevent, London
Noble Rot Soho, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Clove Club, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best Austrian Wine List
The category is presented by Austrian Wine
Moor Hall, Aughton
Newcomer Wines, London
NoMad, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Ledbury, London
Trivet, London
Best up-and-coming Wine List
The category is presented by Château Palmer
Climat, Manchester
Restaurant St Barts, London
Sète, Margate
Studio Frantzén, London
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Veraison Wines, London
Best New Zealand Wine List
The category is presented by New Zealand Winegrowers
Chez Bruce, London
China Tang at The Dorchester, London
Hide, London
Oxo tower restaurant, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Best Medium-Sized List
The best wine list with 200-600 listings
Chewton Glen Hotel, New Milton – New Forest
Climat, Manchester
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
Noizé, London
Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd, London
The 10 Cases, London
Trivet, London
Wild Corner, London
Best By-the-Glass List
A category presented by Catena Zapata
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Corkage, Bath
Les 110 de Taillevent, London
Noble Rot Lambs Conduit, London
Noble Rot Soho, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The 10 Cases, London
Wild Corner, London
Best California Wine List
The category is presented by Louis M. Martini
Chiltern Firehouse, London
China Tang at The Dorchester, London
Core by Clare Smyth, London
Goodman City, London
Hide, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Clove Club, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
New Generation Bordeaux Wine List
The category is presented by Bordeaux Wines
Maison Francois, London
Noble Rot Lambs Conduit, London
Noble Rot Soho, London
The Drapers Arms, London
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Veraison Wines, London
Best Sparkling Wine List
A category presented by Nyetimber
Hide, London
Kitchen Table, London
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
Les 110 de Taillevent, London
NoMad, London
The George, London
The Ritz Restaurant, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Sustainable Wine List
The category is presented by Spier Wine Farm
Apricity, London
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Coast Saundersfoot, Saundersfoot
Farmyard, St Leonards-on-Sea
Holm Somerset, South Petherton
Pale Hall Hotel, Llanderfell, Bala
Restaurant St Barts, London
Best Short List
The best wine list with fewer than 200 listings
A Wong, London
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Dinings SW3, London
Farmyard, St Leonards-on-Sea
Ikoyi, London
Levan, London
Planque, London
Restaurant St Barts, London
Special Jury Prize
Recognises a venue that has done something out of the ordinary. The winner will be announced at the event.
- To find out about the other Wine List of the Year competitions that Star Wine List runs around the world and also check out its award-winning guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants around the world go to its website here.
