For the UK’s third edition of the Star Wine List of the Year Awards, held in partnership with trade title The Buyer, a jury of top sommeliers was brought together to judge over 100 wine lists from restaurants and bars across the UK.
Spanning 12 categories, the winning establishments [see below] were picked by consultant sommelier and wine director at Ten Trinity Square Jan Konetzki, Piotr Petras MS, Ronan Sayburn MS and Ruth Spivey, wine consultant and Star Wine List’s UK Ambassador.
‘In the last two decades things have changed in the UK. Wine is not only the add-on to the fancy meal of the celebrity chef; wine has become the main feature of many restaurants and bars, creating destination places, and a real reason to go somewhere now,’ said Konetzki.
The UK’s wine-focused restaurants, bars and hotels leave wine lovers spoilt for choice when it comes to seeking out great bottles alongside top quality food.
Sayburn, who is also co-chair of the Decanter World Wine Awards, said: ‘Historically the UK hasn’t made a lot of its own wine. Because of that, wine merchants had to travel all over the world, buying wines to bring in. So the UK wine trade has been strong for hundreds of years. That’s reflected in the wine lists you find in UK restaurants nowadays. Sommeliers have the pick of the best of the best.’
Gareth Ferreira MS, beverage director at Core by Clare Smyth, collects the Grand Prix award. Ruth Spivey says of the list: ‘While grand in length, it still feels alive and dynamic. Arguably unimprovable!’ Credit: Thomas Skovsende.
The winners:
Grand Prix
The best wine list with more than 600 wines.
Winner: Core by Clare Smyth, London
Finalists:
Chez Bruce, London
Hide, London
Les 110 de Taillevent London, London
Noble Rot Soho, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Clove Club, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
This category was presented by Bibendum.
Best Medium-Sized List
The best wine list with 200-600 wines.
Winner: Trivet, London
Finalists:
Chewton Glen Hotel, New Forest
Climat, Manchester
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
Noizé, London
Sager + Wilde Hackney Rd, London
The 10 Cases, London
Wild Corner, London
Best Short List
The best wine list with fewer than 200 wines.
Winner: Restaurant St Barts, London
Finalists:
A Wong, London
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Dinings SW3, London
Farmyard, St Leonard-on-Sea
Ikoyi, London
Levan, London
Planque, London
Best By-the-Glass List
Winner: Noble Rot Soho, London
Finalists:
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Corkage, Bath
Les 110 de Taillevent, London
Noble Rot Lambs Conduit, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The 10 Cases, London
Wild Corner, London
This category was presented by Catena Zapata.
Best Sparkling Wine List
Winner: Les 110 de Taillevent, London
Finalists:
Hide, London
Kitchen Table, London
La Compagnie des Vins Surnaturels Seven Dials, London
NoMad, London
The George, London
The Ritz Restaurant, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
This category was presented by Nyetimber.
Best Austrian Wine List
Winner: Newcomer Wines, London
Finalists:
Moor Hall, Aughton
NoMad, London
Pollen Street Social, London
The Ledbury, London
Trivet, London
This category was presented by Austrian Wine.
New Generation Bordeaux List
Winner: Noble Rot Soho, London
Finalists:
Maison Francois, London
Noble Rot Lambs Conduit, London
The Drapers Arms, London
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Veraison Wines, London
This category was presented by Bordeaux Wines.
Best California Wine List
Winner: The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
Finalists:
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
This category was presented by Louis M. Martini.
Best New Zealand Wine List
Winner: Pollen Street Social, London
Finalists:
Chez Bruce, London
China Tang at The Dorchester, London
Hide, London
Oxo Tower Restaurant, London
The Vineyard at Stockcross, Newbury
This category was presented by New Zealand Wine.
Best Sustainable Wine List
Winner: Farmyard, St Leonard-on-Sea
Finalists:
Apricity, London
Carters of Moseley, Birmingham
Coast Saundersfoot, Saundersfoot
Holm Somerset, South Petherton
Pale Hall Hotel, Llanderfell, Bala
Restaurant St Barts, London
This category was presented by Spier Wine Farm.
Best Up-and-Coming Wine List
Winner: Climat, Manchester
Finalists:
Restaurant St Barts, London
Sète, Margate
Studio Frantzén, London
The Terrace Rooms & Wine, Ventnor
Veraison Wines, London
This category was presented by Château Palmer.
Special Jury Prize
A venue that has done something extra or out of the ordinary with their wine list, such as direction, style or value.
Winner: Chez Bruce, London
About Star Wine List
Started in 2017, Star Wine List is an online guide to the best wine bars and restaurants in 36 countries worldwide, ‘from bistros to fine dining, natural to classical’ according to Star Wine List founder Krister Bengtsson. The Star Wine List Awards were initiated shortly after, as a way to celebrate great wine restaurants, judged by a top sommelier jury. The awards take place in Denmark, Norway, Finland, South Africa, Australia, New York, Germany, Sweden, Singapore and the UK.
