Australia’s Wine List of the Year 2013 winner announced as Print Hall, Perth
Australia’s Wine List of the Year Award 2013 has been won by Perth restaurant Print Hall. Opened just 12 months ago by the Colonial Group who owns several pubs including Melbourne’s Botanical, Print Hall has transformed Perth’s old Newspaper House into an exciting dining destination.
Young sommelier Daniel Wegener, who moved from Sydney’s Quay restaurant to head up the wine team, has shone in the west, creating a multi-award winning list that scooped the pools this year. Print Hall’s record tally of wins includes Best New List, Best Aperitif List, Best Restaurant List (Metro), Best Western Australian List and the top gong, Australia’s Wine List of the Year. As architect of Australia’s best list, Daniel was also awarded the Judy Hirst Award.
Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards established in 1994 are presented by premium wine distributor Fine Wine Partners and leading magazine Gourmet Traveller WINE. To maintain integrity and independence lists are judged by a 28 strong panel lead by Chairman of Judges, Peter Forrestal. The group includes some of the world’s finest wine commentators, Master Sommeliers and Masters of Wine from across Australasia, the UK, Europe, the USA, and Asia.
“Our annual mission to identify Australia’s most exciting and well-crafted wine lists has seen escalating standards in bars, pubs, brasseries, hotels and restaurants – with 65% of the lists judged this year achieving a record two or three glass rating” said Rob Hirst, Chairman of Fine Wine Partners.
“This year, we noticed in particular how by-the-glass selections are more captivating than ever before, often leading us down an adventurous path to new and intriguing wines to explore,” said Judy Sarris, Editor, Gourmet Traveller WINE Chairman of Judges Peter Forrestal adds – “As a group, Australia’s sommeliers continue to rise to the challenge improving their skill-set and serving the hospitality industry with panache. Having a compact, brilliantly-chosen wine list is rapidly becoming a badge of honour.” He said the increasing level of professionalism in the industry came from both the work of Sommeliers Australia as well as these Awards and the Court of Master Sommeliers Programme facilitated by Fine Wine Partners.
As always, winning wine lists came from the length and breadth of the country with Victoria strongly represented including Lake House, Daylesford – Best Country Restaurant Wine List, RACV City Club – Best Club Restaurant Wine List, The Botanical – Best Pub Restaurant Wine List, Spice Temple, Melbourne – Best Informal Dining Wine List, Attica – Best Food & Wine Matching List and the Healesville Hotel – Best Beer List. NSW winners were Chiswick – Best Small Wine List, Felix – Best Regional Wine List, Black by Ezard – Best Hotel Wine List, Glass – Best Listing of Australian Wine, and Love, Tilly Devine – Best Wine Bar List. Perth’s Rockpool Bar & Grill won this year’s Best Wine by the Glass List and Best Digestif List.
Top lists in each state were won by Aubergine – ACT, Char Restaurant – NT, Aria – QLD, The Barn Steakhouse – SA, The Source at MONA – TAS, Print Hall – WA, Est – NSW and Attica – VIC. This year we also welcome Perpetual as the inaugural sponsor of our Readers’ Choice Award, which was once again won by Sydney’s Aria restaurant.
Winners will be listed at winelistoftheyear.com.au on July 29. Full results and entrant reviews will be published in Aug/Sept 2013 Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine and at gourmetravellerwine.com.au on Aug 1.
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Royal Sydney Yacht Squadron (Best Club) 2003, 2004, 2008
The Brisbane Club (Best Club) 2010, 2011, 2012
The European (Best Cafe) 2010, 2011, 2012
Royal Mail (Best Country) 2009, 2011, 2012
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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.
