AUSTRALIA’S SOMMELIERS SET TO BATTLE IT OUT FOR TOP WINE LIST
4
March 2010
Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards presented by Fine Wine Partners and Gourmet Traveller
WINE set the industry benchmark for wine lists. Between now and April 9, 2010, sommeliers and
restaurateurs around the country will be fine-tuning their lists for the keen eyes of the judging
panel in this annual competition.
For consumers, the wine list offers an opportunity to taste an exciting array of wines, but there is a
serious business behind the scenes in creating and managing lists, big and small.
At the larger end of the scale is last year’s winner of Australia’s Wine List of the Year, Rockpool Bar
& Grill. This list, managed by Sophie Otton, winner of the Judy Hirst Sommelier of the Year,
features 4,000 wines. A team of ten sommeliers is required to manage the logistics of ordering,
delivery, allocation and sale. “The real art with a collection this size is its seamless integration
and maintenance,” says Sophie.
Last year Rockpool Bar & Grill’s mammoth list swept up many of the major awards, but this year
they will enter the Hall of Fame, leaving the field wide open for a new contender to win the 2010
Australia’s Wine List of the Year.
Fierce competition among the country’s finest restaurants is expected by Peter Forrestal, Chairman
of Judges. “With 20 awards being decided over the next few months, there will be interest
Australia-wide in places ranging from those with tiny lists to those offering a lively eclectic range in
our best bars, value-for-money gems in our clubs or monumental lists at our
five star hotels.’ says Forrestal.
Rob Hirst, Chairman of Fine Wine Partners and President of Wine Communicators of Australia is
committed to growing recognition across all venues to reward the investment in time, skill and
resources spent in developing a quality wine list. Both he and Judy Sarris, editor of Gourmet
Traveller WINE are excited by the prospect of including more medium to small lists in this year’s
competition. “Some of the pubs and smaller venues are doing fantastic food and have well
designed lists. Just because the list is small does not mean it can’t achieve a high rating.” says
Sarris.
Lists will be rated with one, two and three glasses – with the highest ranking signifying their ability
to compete with the world’s best. Results will be announced at the Awards presentation in
Melbourne on Monday 2 August and published in the Aug/Sept 2010 issue of Gourmet Traveller
WINE.
FOR MORE INFORMATION:
MEDIA INFORMATION:
Fiona MacDonald Fine Wine Partners, 02 8335 80 16 fiona.macdonald@finewinepartners.com.au
JUDGING PANEL AND LAST YEARS AWARD WINNERS
CHAIRMAN OF JUDGES
Peter Forrestal (WA) Wine writer, member of Gourmet Traveller Wine's tasting panel, author of
Quaff, show judge, restaurant reviewer for Gourmet Traveller and Qantas Magazine, judge of these
Awards since their inception.
THE JUDGING PANEL
The judging panel of about a dozen wine writers and sommeliers evaluates the wine lists entered in
Australia's Wine List of the Year, with two judges (independently) assessing each list. Peter
Bourne (NSW), Maryann Egan (Vic), Jane Faulkner (Vic), Ken Gargett (Qld), Nigel Hopkins (SA),
Ray Jordan (WA), Graeme Phillips (Tas), Jeni Port (Vic), Louise Radman (SA), Nick Ryan (NSW),
Nick Stock (Vic), Kim West OAM (Vic)
FINAL ROUND JUDGING PANEL
In order to underline the impartiality of the judging process, the top half dozen wine lists are rated
by the final round judges. These include the judging panel as well as a distinguished group of
Australian and international wine writers and sommeliers. Nick Bulleid MW (ACT),Andrew Caillard
MW (NSW),Huon Hooke (NSW), Toni Paterson MW (NSW),Banjo Harris Plane (NSW).Sophie Otton
(NSW), Gerard Basset MW, MS, MBA (England), Bob Campbell MW (NZ), Felicity Carter
(Germany), Cameron Douglas MS (NZ), Evan Goldstein MS (USA), Robert Joseph (England), Brian
Julyan MS (England), James Lawther MW (France)
AUSTRALIA’S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARD RESULTS 2009
Presented by Fine Wine Partners and Gourmet Traveller WINE
OVERALL – NATIONAL WINNER OF THE 2009 AUSTRALIA’S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS:
-
Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney, NSW
NATIONAL WINNER OF THE JUDY HIRST AWARD: - Sophie Otton –Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney
STATE WINNERS
ACT- The Ginger Room, Canberra
NSW - Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney
QLD - Cru Bar & Cellar, Brisbane
SA - Appellation, Barossa Valley
TAS- Terrace Restaurant, Prospect Vale
VIC - Vue De Monde, Melbourne
WA- Must Winebar, Perth
CATEGORY WINNERS
BEST RESTAURANT LIST - Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney, NSW
BEST NEW LIST – THE TONY HITCHIN AWARD - Rockpool Bar & Grill, Sydney, NSW
BEST REGIONAL LIST - La Petanque, Main Ridge, VIC
BEST SMALL LIST - Fino, Willunga, SA
BEST FOOD AND WINE MATCHING - Bilson’s, Sydney, NSW
BEST INTERNATIONAL HOTEL RESTAURANT LIST - Glass Brasserie, Sydney, NSW
BEST WINE BAR LIST - Must Winebar, Perth, WA
BEST COUNTRY RESTAURANT LIST - Royal Mail Hotel, Dunkeld, VIC
BEST PUB RESTAURANT LIST - Settlers Tavern, Margaret River, WA
BEST CAFE/BRASSERIE LIST - Bistro Vue, Melbourne, VIC
BEST CLUB LIST - Racv Members Dining Room, Melbourne, VIC
READERS’S CHOICE AWARD - Wildfire, Sydney, NSW
NEWS 
