Since the launch of the Star Wine List in 2017, the best wine bars and restaurants around the world are regularly awarded on the excellence of their wine lists. Austrian Wine Marketing has been working successfully with the Star Wine List for years. Therefore, the category "Best Austrian Wine List" is a staple in the Star Wine List awards.
Star Wine List chose four of the six finalists for the Best Austrian Wine List from Nordic countries. And that's no coincidence! The acidity and flavour volume of Austrian wines complement traditional Nordic cuisine beautifully. Here are our local nominees:
- Geranium, Copenhagen, Denmark
- Heaven 23, Gothenburg, Sweden
- Palace, Helsinki, Finland
- Happolati, Oslo, Norway
In each category six finalists are named (the UK and Australia were the other two), and a jury of experts evaluate the exclusivity and the extravagance of the wine list. The winner of the category “Best Austrian Wine List” for the year 2021-2022 is the Swedish restaurant and bar Heaven 23. Andreas Hiller, sommelier at Heaven 23, says it feels amazing and it is a boast for the whole team! He thanks the Star Wine List, who have helped them along the way.
Not only is Geranium the only three-star Michelin restaurant in Denmark, but it also has a substantial Austrian wine list with classics from Lower Austria, white and red wines from Styria and Burgenland, and Orange Wines from Weingut Schmelzer, Werlitsch, Tscheppe and Muster. They are not afraid to get creative! Geranium's wine list has its own heritage, led by Wine Director, Partner & General Manager Søren Ledet.
The Heaven 23 restaurant in Gothenburg has much more to offer than just a breath-taking view of the city. The wine bar features the world's best Austrian wines for the year 2021-2022 and having the best Austrian wine list in the Nordic region means a lot in the face of stiff competition. Raimonds Tomson speaks of an Austrian wine heaven. Heaven 23 offers the full diversity of Austrian wine culture with a special focus on Austria's liquid gold: sweet wines.
With Finnish restaurant and wine bar Palace on the nominee list, that's no surprise to Marc Almert, Best Sommelier of the World 2019. "A classic menu with many verticals and many well-known producers and a great selection of Austrian wines distinguishes the only two-starred Michelin restaurant in Helsinki from the rest."
Happolati, the modern restaurant in Oslo, shows great diversity in its wine list, focusing on classic areas like Austria in particular. It's no wonder that the star wine list has attracted attention. "While there are several restaurants with fantastic wine lists where you can drink amazing Austrian wines, Happolati, in my eyes, offers a depth that is hard to beat. Bravo!" said Arivd Rosengren, member of the jury.
For more information on the topic, please contact our office in Copenhagen at copenhagen@advantageaustria.org
