Entries open for 2017 Australian Wine List of the Year Awards

The 2017 Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards are now open for entries.

the drinks association is delighted to support these benchmark Awards, together with fellow media partner Gourmet Traveller WINE.

“The drinks Association is proud to again be working with the Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards as its official Trade Communications Partner in 2017," said Sandra Przibilla, CEO, the drinks association. "Our not-for-profit association offers a portfolio of trade publications - including drinks trade - that reach in excess of 10,000 restaurants, hotels and clubs. Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards are a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the achievements of sommeliers and venues as they enhance appreciation among diners of the amazing wines our country produces.” 

Judy Sarris, editor of Gourmet Traveller WINE said she is looking forward to seeing the same high standard of entries as in previous years, from venues big and small. "It is the quality not the quantity of wines listed we care about and we, therefore, urge any restaurant or bar with a worthwhile wine list to share it with us."  
Grant Dickson, from fermentAsian, which took out the top award in 2016 (pictured right) said: “Winning the Wine List of the Year award has legitimised a less-than-conventional, narrative-based approach to listing and selling delicious wine. I’m sure that other sommeliers with a song in their heart and a fierce yearning to tell stories will be heartened by our success and feel more confident in submitting their offering.”

Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards founder Rob Hirst noted: “The combination again of our valuable long term Consumer Media Partner – Gourmet Traveller WINE and our valuable Trade Communications Partner – the drinks Association – is an ideal one, and it is great to also see with the entries each year, the continually growing focus on Wines by the Glass, Food and Wine Matching and also the renewed focus on the best of Regional Australian Wines!" 

Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards has again assembled an extraordinary selection of outstanding local and international judges to maintain the integrity and independence of the Awards. The judging panel is headed by leading wine commentator Peter Forrestal as Chairman of Judges, with Deputy Chairs Toni Paterson MW and Jeni Port, and a long-term panel of 30 global industry figures. 

The panel reviews the wine lists for many qualities, including user friendliness, the quality of the wines and how well the list fits the style of the venue.

There are a wide range of categories to cater for the styles of different venues large and small from Best Small Wine List – 50 or 100 wines, Best Restaurant List – City and Country, Best Hotel List, Best Pub List, Best Club List, Best Wine Bar List, Best Food and Wine Matching List, Best Wine by the Glass List and more.

In 2017, Wine Australia will continue to promote the exceptional quality of Australian wine with their sponsorship of the ‘Best Listing of Australian Wines’ Award. The Award recognises the venues that celebrate our local winemakers and highlight the diversity of Australian wine. In 2016, Wine Australia extended the award to also include the Best Listing of ACT, New South Wales, Victorian, South Australian, Western Australian, Tasmanian and Queensland Wines.   

Results will be published in the Aug/Sept 2017 issues of both Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine and drinks Trade magazine and all venues that receive one, two or three-glass ratings will all be awarded certificates, will feature on the Awards website, as well as gourmettravellerwine.com and on GT WINE’s tablet and iPhone apps.

Entries close on Friday, March 10, 2017.