Monday 4 April 2022: It’s that time of the year again for the talented creators and owners of Australia’s leading wine and beverage lists to be recognised, for their knowledge, talent, and experience, by the independent Domestic and International judging panel of Australia’s most prestigious such Awards program – Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards.
The Awards exciting new partnership with QANTAS magazine and Travel Insider presents an extraordinary opportunity for Australia’s best wine and beverage list creators – and the outstanding cellars behind them – to receive the recognition they so richly deserve for their continued pursuit of excellence, whilst at the same time deliver a guide for consumers that will uncover the best wine lists across the country.
Entries are now open, and sommeliers and business owners have until Monday 16 May 2022 to submit their lists to the judges.
JUDGES –
The 30-strong independent judging panel includes highly respected local and international Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, expert wine communicators,previous national Wine List Award winners and Sommeliers Australia representatives, assessing each year’s lists – large and small. Little wonder that Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards are now rightfully renowned as being the most prestigious award program for Sommeliers and Owners – be they Restaurateurs, Hoteliers, Pub, Club or Wine Bars Managers.
AWARDS –
Lists are ranked from one to three glasses. The best of the best are then in contention for the highly prized State / Territory, Type of Trade, and Category Awards and of course – Australia’s best Wine List – Australia’s Wine List of the Year! With the Category Awards, entrants can submit their lists in a diverse range of categories such as Best Listing of Wines by the Glass, Best Food and Wine Matching, Best New, Best Small, also by beverage specialities and lists showcasing the wines from specific States / Territories and/or regions – see Website for the full listing of categories: – winelistoftheyear.com.au.
From their establishment in 1994 by Tucker Seabrook and Rob and his late wife Judy Hirst, the Awards have always been a platform to recognise, reward and celebrate the very best Australia has to offer in the way of Wine Lists – that critical ‘other half’ of the perfect dining experience, and the outstanding individuals behind them. This continues to be the focus of the Awards today. Over the years, the quality of Australia’s wine lists has grown in line with the quality of the exceptional cuisine offered across Australia’s restaurants, hotels, clubs, pubs, and wine bars.
LAST YEAR’S RESULTS –
This unprecedented growth in the quality of Australia’s wine lists is reflected in the results now being achieved by the Awards entrants – from 9 x 3 Glass Lists in 1994 to 176 x 3 Glass Lists in 2021 – an outstanding result!
The most popular award category in 2021 remained Best Wine by the Glass, with preservation technology such as Coravin making this a perfect vehicle for offering premium wines to consumers. This was followed by Best Matching of Food and Wine – reflecting the close partnership between sommeliers and chefs. A renewed focus on Australian wines has also seen Best Listing of Australian Wines and Best Listing of a Region’s Wines rise in popularity indicating the desire to showcase the exciting work of local producers alongside imported wines and spirits.
Our communication partners for the 2022 Awards are again QANTAS magazine and Travel Insider (Consumer) and The Drinks Association (Trade), the pre-eminent supplier of information and services to the Australian liquor trade.
QANTAS magazine and Travel Insider return as the Awards’ official Consumer Communications Partner. Kirsten Galliott, Editor-in-Chief, said she is thrilled to partner with the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards again. “In the adversity of the past two years, we have seen some extraordinary innovations in the hospitality industry. Now, as Australians flock back to our restaurants, sommeliers are responding to their need to celebrate and reconnect with family and friends with new offerings. Qantas passengers are always looking for elevated experiences and I can’t wait to sift through the nominations this year so we can share them with our readers.”
Representing The Drinks Association – the Awards official Trade Communications Partner, Georgia Lennon, CEO, said “It is of the utmost importance that we continue to support our hospitality partners after these most challenging of years. There is such a depth of talent throughout the industry and The Drinks Association is proud to support the AWLOTYA again in 2022 and we look forward to celebrating the achievements of sommeliers and venues right around Australia. Come September, we’ll raise a glass to all winners and share their stories of success in Drinks Trade online and in print.”
2022 New Award: Australia’s Wine List of the Year (AWLOTY) – ‘Wine List Service Award’.
Over recent years, there has been feedback from industry professionals for an award to recognise and reward those venues and sommeliers who demonstrate that they understand the critical importance of carefully and professionally storing, ‘By the Glass’ preserving, and serving – in exceptional quality glassware, the wines on their Wine List.
To address this need they have invested significantly in their –
Temperature control / refrigeration infrastructure – for storing and serving their wines,
‘Wine by the Glass’ preservation systems for these wines, and
Glassware
Therefore, to recognise and reward this care and investment and to cater for this identified need in the future, a new Award is being introduced in 2022 – the AWLOTY – ‘Wine List Service Award’. (Note: Entering this Award is optional, and the score achieved has no impact upon a venue’s overall AWLOTY Awards score.)
AUSTRALIA’S WINE LIST OF THE YEAR AWARDS – 2022 KEY DATES:
On behalf of Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards and the Industry, sincere thanks to all the 2022 Awards Partners below for making this year’s Awards possible.
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Featured
Qantas magazine and Travel Insider, an official partner of the AWLOTY Awards, is the leading destination for travel content in Australia. It is not only a celebration of travel and all that it offers but also an insider’s guide to the best experiences in Australia and overseas. The partnership with AWLOTY is an opportunity to recognise Australia’s best wine lists and share the restaurants that are excelling with a very premium audience.
