Northeast restaurant recognised with UK Restaurant Wine List of the Year award

The team at Pine recently received UK-wide recognition for the quality of their wine list at an awards event held at The Guildhall in London. During the International Wine Challenge (IWC) UK Industry Awards, they were honoured with the title of Restaurant Wine List of the Year at this prestigious annual event.

Launched in 1991, these annual awards recognise and celebrate outstanding achievements in the UK wine trade. Other notable winners across the 15 categories included Tesco, recognised as Supermarket of the Year; Majestic, which received the Large Multiple Retailer of the Year award; and Highbury Vintners, awarded Small Retailer of the Year. Graft Wine won Small Agent of the Year, Liberty Wines were honoured as Communicator/Educator of the Year, and Tazaki Foods of London earned the title of Sake Specialist of the Year.

Each year, the awards celebrate the remarkable accomplishments of the inspiring individuals behind the UK’s most innovative wine retail businesses. They recognise the efforts of merchants, educators, distributors, and agents; everyone who contributes to bringing the joy of wine to consumers across the UK.

The judging process for the IWC Industry Awards is one of the most thorough, rigorous, and respected in the wine industry, ensuring that the awards maintain a high level of integrity and recognition. The goal is to provide entrants with a comprehensive evaluation of their business while ensuring that all awards are distributed fairly and meritocratically.

A panel of expert judges, carefully selected by the International Wine Challenge, determines the winners. The judges create a shortlist of entries for each category and may disqualify an entry if it does not meet the criteria. They can also reassign an entry to a different or additional category if deemed appropriate. Each category is judged based on the criteria outlined in the category entry form. The expert judging panel for 2026 included Neil Bruce, Julia Jenkins, Laura Jewell, Stephen Mosey, and Angela Mount.

IWC director Chris Ashton said: ‘’The International Wine Challenge is about recognising excellence at every level of the wine industry, from the producers creating world-class wines to the retailers, suppliers, educators and hospitality businesses helping bring those wines to consumers.’’

Adding: ‘’I’d like to congratulate all of this year’s Industry Award winners, whose expertise, passion and innovation continue to strengthen the UK wine trade and raise standards across the sector.’’

Vanessa Stoltz, Pine’s Restaurant Manager and Head Sommelier, remarked: ‘’This award means so much to our team, especially as it shows British wine now has its place on a fine dining list and can be paired with high-end, intricate food. To have our list recognised alongside some of the UK’s leading wine businesses is incredibly humbling, and I hope it gives other sommeliers the confidence to add British wines to their lists too.’’

Sian Byerley, Pine’s co-owner and operations director, said: ‘’It goes without saying we’re immensely proud of Vanessa and the whole team at Pine. This award is a testament to the dedication, expertise and passion. To be recognised at a UK-wide level, competing against the very best in the industry, is a huge moment for us and for hospitality here in the Northeast.’’