17 August 2020. Words by YGOW.
The 2020 Wineslinger Top 50 venues have been announced!
As voted on by over 100 of the country’s leading sommeliers, winemakers, hospitality tastemakers and journalists, Wineslinger is the ultimate guru’s guide to Australia’s best wine haunts.
This year’s Top 50 includes 14 venues from New South Wales, 12 from Victoria, eight from Western Australia, five each from South Australia, Tasmania and Queensland, and one from ACT — with 20 venues named for the first time.
While many favourites have kept their spots, the raft of new entries shows what a dynamic industry it is. From a temple of French-influenced Vietnamese cuisine in Albany – 500 km south of Perth – to a Brisbane favourite that pairs Chinese regional snacks with unicorn bottles. From a two-decade-old champion of Tasmanian produce to a nearby wine bar that opened its doors mid-pandemic. From a Sydney CBD pasta-focused diner by lo-fi wine pioneers to a McLaren Vale classic in the form of its life. From a natural wine mecca with house-made smallgoods to a regional Victorian wine-store-deli-wine-bar that would be the envy of any capital city. It’s certainly an excitingly diverse lot.
The trophies will be revealed on Monday 19 October, with voting now open for the People’s Choice Award. There are some amazing prizes on offer, plus the chance to support the industry we all love, which has been doing it tough of late.
“COVID-19 has made it a pretty tough year for venues nationwide, with forced closures across the industry. We’ve all been bottled up. …It’s a time to celebrate those places and hospitality professionals that we love. Additionally, we’re determined to raise funds through Tip Jar that will feed, house, employ, upskill and support the food and beverage industry,” says Wineslinger Founder Rory Kent.
Wineslinger is supporting Tip Jar with a $1 donation for every member of the public* that enters the People’s Choice competition. Tip Jar is a hospitality relief fund that raises money for those in the industry that need it most. When voting, further donations can also be added to Tip Jar.
This year’s Wineslinger trophies include top spot ‘Wineslinger’, ‘Best New Haunt’, the ‘Maverick’, which recognises a venue pushing the boundaries of possibility, and the publicly voted ‘People’s Choice’.
For the first time, each trophy-winning Wineslinger will receive two immersive wine experiences – one in Victoria hosted by Ocean Eight and one in South Australia hosted by Henschke Wines.
Everyone that votes in the ‘People’s Choice’ can go into the draw to win a host of amazing prizes, including a Liebherr wine cabinet, a year’s supply of wine from www.younggunofwine.com, and curated red and white wine packs from Henschke. People’s Choice voting is now live online via younggunofwine.com/wineslinger. Voting closes on Monday 9 November at 12:00pm.
The 2020 Wineslinger trophy winners will be revealed in a virtual presentation on Monday 9 November.
*Up to $5,000
