By Amy Looker
Manly restaurant, Pilu at Freshwater, can lay claim to having Australia’s best wine list after winning the top gong at the 2011 Wine List of the Year Awards.
Hosted by Fine Wine Partners and Gourmet Traveller WINE magazine, Australia’s Wine List of the Year Awards acknowledge the best wine lists in the country across a range of categories, including best wine bar list, best pub restaurant list and state and territory awards.
A panel of 28 judges from Australia, Europe, New Zealand and America were tasked with assessing the submitted wine lists which numbered 380.
Chairman of judges, Peter Forrestal, said the quality of the entries has steadily increased in the awards 17 year history.
“Our fine dining wine lists rank with the best in Europe. Across the board, we are putting together much better lists than you would generally find in France or Italy –I’d go so far as to say we whip them,” Forrestal said.
Marilyn Pilu, Judy Sarris of Goumet Traveller WINE, Giovanni Pilu, Lara Caraturo of Pilu and Rob Hurst of Fine Wine Partners.
The winners are:
Australia’s Wine List Of The Year – Pilu at Freshwater, NSW
Sommelier Responsible For Winning List – Judy Hirst Award – Lara Caraturo, Pilu at Freshwater, NSW
Categories
Best Restaurant List – Pilu at Freshwater, NSW
Best Food and Wine Matching List – Jacques Reymond, VIC
Best By the Glass List – Glass Brasserie, NSW
Best New List, The Tony Hitchin Award – Rockpool Bar & Grill Perth, WA
Best International Hotel Restaurant List – Galileo, NSW
Best Wine Bar List – Melbourne Supper Club, VIC
Best Digestif List – Acqua e Vino, VIC
Best Country Restaurant List – Royal Mail Hotel, VIC
Best Café/Brasserie List – European, VIC
Best Beer List – Healesville Hotel, VIC
Best Small List – Blancharu, NSW
Best Aperitif List – Rockpool Bar & Grill Sydney, NSW
Best Pub Restaurant List – Settler’s Tavern, WA
Best Regional List – Ortiga, QLD
Best Club List – Brisbane Club, QLD
State and Territory Winners
ACT – Rubicon
SA – Apothecary 1878
TAS – Me Wah
QLD – Aria Brisbane
NSW – Pilu at Freshwater
VIC – Royal Mail Hotel
WA – Rockpool Bar & Grill
Gourmet Traveller WINE Readers’ Choice Award
Aria, Sydney, NSW