March 18, 2025 – Gold Stars have been awarded to the wine bars and restaurants with the best wine lists in Finland, at a ceremony hosted in Helsinki.
“Finland, this has been a real treat judging,” says judge Stefan Neumann MS. “So many well crafted and thought-through lists, all with their own identity and sense of place. I cannot praise enough how much the judging team was aligned and deeply impressed by the diversity and attention to detail.”
Star Wine List of the Year is a celebration of the great wine lists across the world and the teams behind them. In Finland, prizes were awarded in nine categories and, since these were all international categories, each winning venue will go on to compete in the Star Wine List of the Year International Final 2025, to be held in Vienna this June.
About the jury
The jury for the Star Wine List of the Year France 2025 included three top international sommeliers:
- Heidi Mäkinen – Master of Wine
- Mikk Parre – Best Sommelier of Europe, Africa & The Middle East 2024
- Stefan Neumann – Master Sommelier
Winners
International categories
Grand Prix
The best list overall
Gold Star: Pöllöwaari, Jyväskylä
Best Long Wine List
For wine lists with more than 600 references
Gold Star: Palace, Helsinki
Best Medium-Sized List
Recognises the best wine list with 200-600 references
Gold Star: Café Savoy, Helsinki
Best Short List
Recognises the best wine list with fewer than 200 listings
Gold Star: Pöllöwaari, Jyväskylä
Best By the Glass List
The best list for wines by the glass
Gold Star: Muru Winebar, Helsinki
Best Sparkling Wine List
The best wine list for sparkling wine
Gold Star: Minne Champagne & Wine, Helsinki
Best Newcomer List
For a venue that has recently opened
Gold Star: Ravintola Laivakoira, Helsinki
Sustainable Wine List
Recognises a wine list that has put extra emphasis on the overall wine program’s impact, including wine growing, winemaking, packaging and transport.
Gold Stars:
Restaurant Grön, Helsinki
Wellamo, Helsinki
Best Austrian Wine List, a category presented by Austrian Wine
The best wine list for Austrian wine
Gold Star: Savoy, Helsinki
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.
