Enter the Awards

Entering the awards annually is essential to retain your glass rating and listing in China's Wine List of the Year Award Best Lists.

You can enter your list under different Categories each year. Choose your category, and you are automatically entered for Best List for your Type of Venue, Best Regional List and the Main award, Best Wine list of the Year.

Hall of Fame - You can only win the main China Wine List of the Year Awards once. The following year you secure your place in history with entry into the prestigious Hall of Fame provided you enter your list and maintain your same high standard. Achieving a listing in the Hall of Fame can also be achieved by winning best wine list in a Category, State or Venue Type three times.

Make sure you are part of this important annual event, showcasing your list to some of the world's most respected local and international expert judges, including Master Sommeliers, Masters of Wine, Sommeliers and Wine Communicators.

See Award Categories

There are several categories that offer you a chance to win an award. Click below to see full list of categories that you can enter to showcase your list's strengths in alternate areas.

What you need to provide

You will need to supply PDFs of your wine list and your menu to see how your list compliments your cuisine. We will also require two high-resolution images of your venue. These should be attached with your submission.

Complete your submission

'Sign up' to register, or 'Sign in' to complete your submission.

Enter the 2025 Awards

Entries for the 2025 China's Wine List of the Year Awards will open in May, 2025. The winners will be announced at an Awards Presentation Ceremony and Celebration in October, 2025.

Main Awards

Wine List of the Year Awards

There are thirteen (13) main awards in China’s Wine List of the Year Awards determined by location. When entering the awards, your establishment is automatically entered into four (4) of these following 13 awards depending on your location:

China’s Wine List of the Year – Mainland China

China’s Wine List of the Year – Mainland China
China’s Outstanding Sommelier of the Year – Mainland China
Outstanding Owner or F&B Director or Wine Manager – Mainland China

China’s Wine List of the Year – Hong Kong, Macau and Taiwan

China’s Wine List of the Year – Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
China’s Outstanding Sommelier of the Year – Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan
Outstanding Owner or F&B Director or Wine Manager – Hong Kong, Macau, Taiwan

Best Wine List in Your Region

China’s Best Wine List – Eastern China
China’s Best Wine List – Northern China
China’s Best Wine List – Southern China
China’s Best Wine List – Western China
China’s Best Wine List – Hong Kong SRA
China’s Best Wine List – Macau SRA
China’s Best Wine List – Taiwan

Best Wine List Venue Category Awards

China’s Best Independent Restaurant Wine List
China’s Best Hotel Restaurant Wine List
China’s Best Chinese Restaurant Wine List
China’s Best Club Restaurant Wine List
China’s Best Wine Bar Wine List

Hotel Group/Restaurant Chain Awards

These awards are for Hotel Groups OR Restaurant Chains ONLY

China’s Best Restaurant Chain Wine List
China’s Best Hotel Group Wine List
China’s Best Wines by the Glass in a Hotel Group (not the biggest)

Hall of Fame

Past Main Award Winners

Establishments can only win China’s Wine List of the Year Award once, but are still eligible to win any of the other Awards at least three times provided they continue to enter the Awards and maintain their high standard.

Three Time Award Winners: Region, Type of Venue or Specialist Category Award Winners

Once an establishment wins the same Region, Type of Venue or Specialist Category Award three times, they will then be eligible for entry to the Hall of Fame and be ineligible for that award in the future, but eligible for any other award, provided they continue to enter the Awards and maintain their high standard.

In all of the above cases, the successful establishments will each year be recognised and listed in the China’s Wine List of the Year Awards – Hall of Fame, providing they enter and maintain their Glass Rating each year.

Individual Awards

This prestigious award is presented periodically to recognise an outstanding individual and their contribution to education and the service of fine wine within the Chinese Hospitality and Tourism Industries over recent times – With a major beneficiary of this contribution being the standard of wine lists of China.

Judging the Awards

The Judging Process

There are two panels of Judges – the Judging Panel and the International Supreme Panel and both these panels are made up of a specially selected group of experts from China and around the world.

Impartiality is a key consideration in the judging process. No judge is judging a list that comes from where they live, and the Judging Panel has the responsibility to judge every single list and determine the finalists. Should a conflict ever arise with any outlets being judged then the effected Judge abstains from judging.

The Judging Panel selects the finalists from each Region and Award Category, which are then submitted for final selection by the combined Judging Panel and International Supreme Panel.

Each establishment across China will be given a rating. The best will receive either one glass (Recommended), two glasses (Outstanding) or three glasses (Excellent).

Regional winners will be those establishments scoring highest points in each region, regardless of the Category in which they enter.

Each of the Categories will have a China winner. This will be awarded to the establishment scoring the highest points. There will be a final round of judging for the highest scoring wine lists, to decide the two China’s Wine Lists of the Year, where the Judging Panel will be joined by a group of Chinese and International judges to add an extra layer of impartiality to the final judging.

Establishments can only win China’s Wine List of the Year Award once, but they are still eligible to win their Regional and Category Awards three times. Once they achieve these milestones they will be listed in the China’s Wine List of the Year Awards Hall of Fame each time they enter provided they maintain their high standards. To retain Glass Ratings all restaurants must enter each year.

Each entering establishment is given a rating:

Three glasses (excellent)

Two glasses (outstanding)

One glass (recommended)

What are the Judges looking for?

Content

Quality is key to the choice of wines
Having an original & innovative choice, with some mature wines from good vintages, avoiding poor vintages
Carefully matching varieties and regions
Having an appropriate variety of wines by the glass
Adequate list of aperitifs, beers, spirits, liqueurs and waters/non-alcoholic

Balance

Balance of pricing relevant to your establishment
Domestic & imported wines, regions and wine styles

Suitability

To cuisine, style and image of establishment

Presentation

Includes vintages
Accurate and consistent presentation of information
Clear design for easy navigation

Pricing

Appropriateness, value

Download Judging Criteria

Who are the judges?

China’s Wine List of the Year Awards bring together a selection of some of the most respected independent experts in the world of wine, wine service, judging and commentary from China and around the World. These international authorities will ensure that China’s winning lists, a proud representation of China’s food and wine industry, receive the worldwide recognition they deserve.

MORE ABOUT THE JUDGES

Enter the 2025 Awards

Entries for the 2025 China's Wine List of the Year Awards will open in May, 2025. The winners will be announced at an Awards Presentation Ceremony and Celebration in October, 2025.

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