In stately surrounds at Parliament House in Sydney, top category winners in the 2023 NSW Sommelier’s Wine List Awards were announced.
In its fifth year running, the awards showcase the very best sommeliers and venues in NSW that support local businesses and highlight the quality and diversity of wines across the state.
A record 42 sommeliers entered this year’s awards, competing with the best in the state across eight categories, including the ultimate prize, the NSW Sommelier’s Wine List of the Year, which this year was awarded to Piers Haszard from Botswana Butchery, Sydney.
The NSW Wine President’s Award for Outstanding Support of the NSW Wine Industry is another special prize awarded at the discretion of the President of the NSW Wine Industry Association, Mark Bourne.
This year, Matt Underwood from The Newcastle Club, Newcastle came away victorious. When describing The Newcastle Club, Bourne said: “They have an extraordinary international winelist, extraordinary service and attention to detail, a wide breadth of NSW wine regions and an impressive 82 NSW wines on their list, which must make them one of the largest NSW wine lists in Australia.”
Last years winner of the President’s Award, William Wilson Food and Beverage Manager and Sommelier from ICC Sydney, said the quality of the wines produced in NSW was on par with the best in the country and around the world.
Winning the award for Best NSW Wine List by a Caterer or in a Functions venue again this year, Wilson said: “I congratulate all other category winners and finalists in this esteemed award program, it’s great to see more and more venues entering each year, and I encourage more venues to follow in our footsteps of showcasing our state’s superb labels.”
See below for a full list of the winners:
Best NSW Wine List in a Regional NSW venue (under 60 seats) Winners: Pete Cutcliffe and Jen Paquet from Bill Fishhouse + Bar, Port Macquarie
Best NSW Wine List in a Regional NSW venue (over 61 seats) Winner: Louella Matthews from Bar NSW at The Lookout Echo Point, Blue Mountains
Best NSW Wine List in a Regional NSW accommodation venue Winner: Andres Aragon from Blaq at The Kyah Hotel, Blue Mountains
Best NSW Wine List in a Sydney venue (under 60 seats) Winner: Angelica Nohra from The Blue Door, Surry Hills
Best NSW Wine List in a Sydney venue (over 61 seats) Winner: Piers Haszard from Botswana Butchery, Sydney
Best NSW Wine List in a Sydney accommodation venue Winner: Vincenzo Sanna from Atelier by Sofitel, Sydney
Best NSW Wine List by a Caterer or in a Functions venue Winner: William Wilson from ICC Sydney, Darling Harbour
NSW Wine President’s Award for Outstanding Support of the NSW Wine Industry Winner: Matt Underwood from The Newcastle Club, Newcastle
NSW Sommelier’s Wine List of the Year Winner: Piers Haszard from Botswana Butchery, Sydney
Supported by the NSW Government, NSW Wine also unveiled new branding at the event and the founding of the NSW Parliament Friends of Grape Growers, a cross-party group co-chaired by Clayton Barr MP (LAB), Dave Layzell MP (NAT) and Phil Donato MP (IND) which provides a regular opportunity for the NSW wine industry to meet with its Ministers, local members and other elected officials.
Image: Mark Bourne (L) presenting the President’s Award for Outstanding Support of the NSW Wine Industry to Matt Underwood from The Newcastle Club, Newcastle.
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