June 17, 2026 (Stockholm, Sweden) — The Star Wine List of the Year tour for 2025/’26 is now complete, and the world’s top wine lists have been revealed at an awards ceremony hosted in association with Terra Skåne in the winelands of southern Sweden. Gold Stars have been awarded in Belgium, Canada, Denmark, Finland, Germany, Thailand, the UK and USA in this annual contest, which celebrates the art behind wine list creation and curation, with sommelier teams from 28 competing countries attending in person. These are the world’s 10 best wine lists.
Star Wine List is the international guide to the best wine spots across the world, and the annual Star Wine List of the Year competition has steadily become one of the fiercest contests for the sommeliers who represent the talent – and hard work – behind exemplary wine programmes. The current season began in September 2025 and has incorporated 14 live events spanning three continents, plus an online competition encompassing all remaining areas of the globe named the International Open. Winners receive a Gold Star in their given category, with runners-up earning a Silver Star. Previous Global Finals have been held in Stockholm, Vienna and London.
From the regional winners of this season’s tour, a judging panel consisting of four Master Sommeliers reassessed the wine lists to decide who deserved global glory. Piotr Pietras, Jonathan Gouveia and Stefan Neumann were joined by Doug Frost (one of the few people in the world to hold both the Master Sommelier and Master of Wine titles), to form a jury. On behalf of his colleagues, Gouveia commented: “Judging the world’s best wine lists is very similar to being a food critic at the world’s best restaurant. It’s both extremely humbling and terrifying at the same time. Who am I to value the work of all these incredible individuals, teams and venues, who have dedicated not only years, but decades to perfect their craft? All I can say is that we all applaud you, you are all winners, and bravo!”
Attendees at the 2026 Global Final were introduced to Sweden’s fast-emerging winemaking region via the newly formed collective Terra Skåne, which comprises four municipalities and 10 vineyards in the northwestern part of the broader Skåne county. Guests enjoyed visits to Kullabergs Vingård (for masterclasses in Swedish wine styles and winemaking), Arilds Vingård (for a traditional Midsummer celebration) and local gastronomic sensation Holy Smoke BBQ, a Texan-style smokehouse which catered for the awards dinner near the village of Arild. Wines throughout the day were provided by Terra Skåne members and Star Wine List’s esteemed category partners in this particular competition.
Gold Star winners:
Best Long List
For wine lists with more than 600 references
- Le Coureur des Bois, Beloeil, Canada
Best Medium-Sized List, presented by Dreissigacker
Recognises the best wine list with 200-600 references
- Inddee, Bangkok, Thailand
Best Short List, presented by Oddbird
Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings
- Vintage, Kontich, Belgium
Best By-the-Glass List, presented by Château Galoupet
Recognises the best ‘by-the-glass’ list
- Sticks & Stones Wine Bar, Munich, Germany
Best Sparkling Wine List, presented by Franciacorta
Recognises the best list for sparkling wines
- Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki, Finland
Best Newcomer List, presented by Terra Skåne
Recognises a venue that has recently opened
- Café Vivant, Menlo Park, USA
Sustainability Prize, presented by Familia Torres
Assesses the sustainable commitment of both the wine list and broader venue via a supplementary questionnaire submitted during the application process
- Restaurant Ark, Copenhagen, Denmark
Best Austrian Wine List, presented by Austrian Wine
Recognises the best list for the wines of Austria
- Hotel Jagdhof, Röhrnbach, Germany
Best Italian Wine List
Recognises the best list for the wines of Italy
- Acquerello, San Francisco, USA
Special Jury Prize, presented by New Generation Wines from Georgia
Rewards a wine lovers’ place that does something out of the ordinary
- OMA, London, UK
About Star Wine List
Star Wine List is the international wine lovers’ guide to great wine bars and restaurants. Available as an app and at starwinelist.com, it was launched in Stockholm, Sweden in 2017, and is now live in more than 45 countries. All venues are selected by top wine professionals for the quality of their wine programmes.
The Star Wine List of the Year competition celebrates the wonderful wine lists of the world and the dedicated sommelier teams who create them. Since its inception in 2018, this global tour has evolved to cover numerous territories. Its highly anticipated awards events recognise excellence in the wine and hospitality industries, and culminate in a Global Final each summer.
