Two of London’s top restaurants – Trivet and Wild Corner – won Gold stars in the International Final of the Star Wine List.
Over the last year Star Wine List has been holding its national finals and picking out the best wine restaurants in cities and countries around the word. In February The Buyer was able to team up with Star Wine List to hold the second UK Wine List of the Year Awards at the Winemakers Club.
Last week it was the turn of all the winners of the seven country finals to come to London for the Star Wine List International Final held at Black Book in Soho. An opportunity also for some of the world’s leading sommeliers and restaurateurs to come together to meet, network and share ideas.
The Star Wine List International Final was held at London’s Black Book (All photos by Thomas Skovsende)
In the end it was Norway that was to come out top winning three of the seven overall awards: Park Hotel Vossevangen won the Grand Prix for large wine lists. Territoriet in Oslo won Best By the Glass List (a shared Gold) and Best Sparkling List with Nyetimber was won by Skigaarden. But the UK was not too far behind with two Gold winners of its own – Trivet and Wild Corner.
Ronan Sayburn MS and panel judge for the International Final said: “It’s been a real pleasure being able look through such a diverse set of lists from across the globe. Some real thought and careful selections shine through on some of the smaller lists while eye watering investments and stunning verticals come through on the larger ones. Wine lists shift and change as wines are sold and vintages change, but the passion and philosophy of the sommelier and wine buyer is still evident in a well-constructed list.”
Jury member and leading sommelier, Pascaline Lepeltier, described Trivet’s wine list as: “An exploration of the wine world as rarely seen, inviting to discover so many regions, producers and varieties while connecting to the fabulous history of our favorite beverages.”
Paz Levinson, sommelier and jury member said of the overall Grand Prix winner: “Park Hotel has a superb collection of wines that makes tribute to the world of fine wine. From the wines by the glass with and incredible choice of vintages and counties and the Champagne selection containing big and small houses. A huge collective work as to have a cellar like this means such a massive investment and engagement with the world of wine by the owner but also sommeliers in charge.”
On being joint winner of the Best by the Glass award Wild Corner’s Daniel Mihai Popescu said: “I’m super excited, very humble and very emotional at the same time for being a part of this competition, and with all the people that are working in this industry. And for you guys, doing such a great job organising this. It’s just crazy for us, after being open for just four months. It’s just unbelievable.”
The other winners went to Finland, Sweden and Denmark with one winner each: Vin-Vin, Heaven 23 and Terroiristen respectively. Austrian Wine and Nyetimber were category sponsors.
Winners
Grand Prix
The best large wine list, with more than 600 references.
Finalists:
Restaurant Muru, Helsinki, Finland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Park Hotel, Voss, Norway
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Les 110 de Taillevent, London, UK
PM & Vänner, Växjö, Sweden
Die Weinbank, Ehrenhausen, Austria
Savoy, Helsinki, Finland
Winner:
Park Hotel, Voss, Norway
Best Medium-Sized List
The best wine list with 200-600 listings.
Finalists:
Palace, Helsinki, Finland
Brace, Copenhagen, Denmark
Monopole, Sydney, Australia
Trivet, London, UK
Brat, London, UK
Julie, Malmö, Sweden
Reznicek, Vienna, Austria
Carelia, Helsinki, Finland
Winner:
Trivet, London, UK
Best By the Glass List
Finalists:
Vinho, Turku, Finland
Bar’Vin, Copenhagen, Denmark
Territoriet, Oslo, Norway
Ten Minutes by Tractor, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Wild Corner, London, UK
Operakällaren, Stockholm, Sweden
Heunisch & Erben, Vienna, Austria
Winners:
Territoriet, Oslo, Norway
Wild Corner, London, UK
Best Sparkling Wine List, presentedby Nyetimber
Finalists:
Restaurant Muru, Helsinki, Finland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
Lucinda, Hobart, Australia
Les 110 de Taillevent, London, UK
PM & Vänner, Växjö, Sweden
Palais Coburg – Silvio Nickol, Vienna, Austria
Winner:
Skigaarden, Hemsedal, Norway
Special Jury Prize
Recognizes a venue that has done something out of the ordinary.
Finalists:
Restaurant Muru, Helsinki, Finland
Terroiristen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Bar Rochford, Canberra, Australia
Levan, London, UK
Hörte Brygga, Skivarp, Sweden
MAST Weinbistro, Vienna, Austria
Restaurant C, Tampere, Finland
Winner:
Terroiristen, Copenhagen, Denmark
Best Short List
The best wine list with fewer than 200 listings
– Recognizes the best list with up to 200 references
Finalists:
Vin-Vin, Helsinki, Finland
Amass, Copenhagen, Denmark
Planque, London, UK
Combo Vinbaren, Stockholm, Sweden
O Boufés, Vienna, Austria
Baskeri & Basso, Helsinki, Finland
Winner:
Vin-Vin, Helsinki, Finland
Best Austrian Wine List,presented by Austrian Wine.
The category is presented by Austrian Wine
Finalists:
Palace, Helsinki, Finland
Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
Happolati, Oslo, Norway
Laura, Mornington Peninsula, Australia
Newcomer Wines, London, UK
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Winner:
Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
Star Wine List is the award-winning wine guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants. Started in Sweden in 2017, it is now live in more than 30 countries. The mission of Star Wine List of the Year is to highlight great wine lists and the teams behind them. For the second international tour held over the last 12 months, Star Wine List has celebrated in Denmark, Finland, Austria, Australia, UK, Sweden and Norway.
The jury for the Star Wine List of the Year International Final included four of the most renowned sommeliers in the world: Raimonds Tomsons in Riga, Paz Levinson in Paris, Pascaline Lepeltier based in New York and Ronan Sayburn MS from 67 Pall Mall in London.
- To find our more about see all the wine lists featured around the world go to www.starwinelist.com
