Twelve Stones Restaurant at Pontville and The Glass House on Hobart’s waterfront have been announced as the recipients of the 2016 Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Awards.
At the Tasmanian Hospitality Association’s Awards for Excellence Gala Evening on 29 August, Wine Tasmania CEO Sheralee Davies announced the Judges’ Choice as Twelve Stones Restaurant and the People’s Choice as The Glass House.
The judging was undertaken via a two stage process. First, an independent panel reviewed all applications, selected its winning venue and shortlisted 10 venues. The finalist venues were then promoted for a period of eight weeks, with the public encouraged to vote for their favourite.
“The response to the Tasmanian Wine List awards has been very positive and it’s great to see so many businesses recognising the outstanding wines produced in Tasmania and promoting them as part of their offering,” said Davies.
“The awards consider the representation of Tasmanian wines by the glass and by the bottle, in the context of each venue, as well as the depth and diversity of the wine range, the structure, accuracy and professionalism of the wine list and staff training and wine knowledge.”
Davies recognised the other finalists – Ball & Chain Grill, Black Cow, Grape Bar & Bottleshop, Market Square Restaurant, Mures Upper Deck, Stillwater, Tasmanian Food & Wine Conservatory, and The Terrace Restaurant – noting that it was a particularly strong field of finalists and acknowledging them all for their support of the local wine sector.
Wine Tasmania and the Tasmanian Hospitality Association (THA) first partnered on these awards in 2014, in order to recognise licensed Tasmanian businesses supporting and promoting the island’s wines as part of the THA’s annual Awards for Excellence.
The Tasmanian Wine List of the Year Award aims to encourage licensed premises to feature local wines as part of their overall offering and recognises those businesses offering significant support to Tasmanian wine producers.