On 15 June 2025, Star Wine List will celebrate the best wine lists in Austria for the fourth time, with an awards ceremony held in Vienna. The esteemed judges have just announced their 33 finalists spread across the country.
May 1, 2025 — Star Wine List of the Year is a competition designed to recognise the greatest wine lists in the world – and the teams behind them. In Austria, Gold Stars will be awarded in seven categories and, whilst the shortlist spans 18 cities, there is a strong representation from Vienna (which accounts for 13 out of the 33 finalists).
All winners announced on 15 June will receive a Gold Star and automatic entry into the Star Wine List of the Year International Final, which will be held the next day, also in Vienna.
“Austria is not only an exciting wine growing country but also a great place to enjoy gastronomy and exciting wine lists,” says Krister Bengtsson, Founder and Publisher of Star Wine List. “We can’t wait to go back to Austria to celebrate with the Austrian sommeliers and restaurateurs in June.”
The judges
The world-renowned sommeliers judging Star Wine List of the Year Austria 2025 are:
- Heidi Mäkinen – Master of Wine
- Salvatore Castano – Best Sommelier of Europe and Africa 2021 (ASI)
- Mikk Parre – Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa & The Middle East 2024 (ASI)
- Stefan Neumann – Master Sommelier
The finalists
International categories
Grand Prix, presented by Premium Estates of Austria
The best list overall
The finalists and winner will be announced at the event
Best Long List, presented by Esterházy
For wine lists with more than 600 references
- Die Weinbank, Ehrenhausen
- Döllerer, Golling
- Fux Restaurant, Lech
- Gastwirtschaft Floh, Langenlebarn
- Heunisch & Erben, Vienna
- Hotel Alpenstern, Damüls
- Mühltalhof, Unternberg
- Restaurant Amador, Vienna
- Steirereck, Vienna
Best Medium-Sized List
200-600 references
- Esslokal, Hadersdorf am Kamp
- Gasthaus Restaurant Thaller, Sankt Veit am Vogau
- Hotel Post Lech, Lech
- Pramerl and the Wolf, Vienna
- Restaurant Esskultur, St. Jakob in Haus
- Sattlerhof, Gamlitz
- Stern, Vienna
Best Short List
Fewer than 200 references
- Artis, Graz
- Café Azzurro, Vienna
- Oak107, Vienna
- Restaurant Kornati, Graz
- Restaurant Spitzbuam, Brixen im Thale
- Strandcafé, Altaussee
Best By the Glass List
- Döllerer, Golling
- Heunisch & Erben, Vienna
- Hotel Alpenstern, Damüls
- Hotel Schöne Aussicht, Sölden
- Hotel Sonnenhof Tirol, Grän
- MAST Weinbistro, Vienna
- Pub Klemo, Vienna
- The Ritz-Carlton, Vienna
Best Sparkling Wine List
- aend, Vienna
- Champagne Characters, Vienna
- Die Weinbank, Ehrenhausen
- Fux Restaurant, Lech
- Gastwirtschaft Floh, Langenlebarn
- Heunisch & Erben, Vienna
- Hofmeisterei Hirtzberger, Wösendorf
- Hotel Alpenstern, Damüls
- Restaurant Amador, Vienna
Sustainable Wine List
Recognises a wine list that has put extra emphasis on the wine program’s overall impact, including vine growing, winemaking, packaging and transport. Assessed via a questionnaire during the application process.
- Die Weinbank, Ehrenhausen
- Gastwirtschaft Floh, Langenlebarn
- R&Bar, Vienna
- Restaurant Esskultur, St. Jakob in Haus
- Rote Wand, Lech
- Trautentalwirt Gasthaus Rainer, Geistthal
About Star Wine List
Star Wine List is the award-winning guide to great wine bars and wine restaurants around the world. It is available as an app and on www.starwinelist.com. It was launched in Stockholm (Sweden) in 2017, and is now live in more than 45 countries in the world. All venues are selected by top wine professionals.
