The best regional restaurant wine list in the nation can be found at The Salopian Inn in McLaren Vale, said judges of the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards.

The restaurant scooped up multiple awards last night including Best Wine List SA, Australia’s Best Restaurant Wine List (Country) and Australia’s Best Listing of a Region’s Wines.

The Salopian Inn – famous for its seasonal menu and eclectic cellar filled with the region’s top drops – was joined by fellow regional hotspots on the list of award winners, revealed last night at the Ovolo Hotel in Sydney’s Woolloomooloo.

Two Adelaide Hills pubs also snared national awards, with the Crafers Hotel named for Australia’s Best Pub Restaurant Wine List, while the Uraidla Hotel won Australia’s Best Listing of South Australian Wines for the second year in a row.

The Uraidla Hotel enjoyed back-to-back wins in 2024. Photo: Supplied.

Restaurant Botanic in the Botanic Gardens won two awards: Australia’s Best Food & Wine Matching List and Australia’s Best Non-Alcoholic List.

The Australian Wine List of the Year Award went to Gimlet at Cavendish House, a Melbourne-based dining destination.

Chairman of Judges Peter Forrestal said he was impressed by this year’s entrants.

“Never has the scene been more vibrant with a wide range of choices facing consumers; better-educated sommeliers and waiting staff, more thoughtfully curated lists, or more carefully assembled cellars,” he said.

“Nor more delicious wines from a wider range of countries as well as fantastic offerings from Australia. While the density of population means that it is scarcely surprising that the capital cities dominate, wining and dining in country areas has never been better than it is now.”

Restaurant Botanic won two awards at the Wine List of the Year Awards. Photo: Supplied.

The judging panel, led by Forrestal, included more than 30 industry professionals from across Australia and the globe.

Each list was assessed by a pair of judges, who considered content, balance, suitability to the venue, presentation and pricing.

There was a 10 per cent increase in the number of entries in 2024, said the awards founder Rob Hirst.

“It is wonderful to see that with this growth in entries, the industry continues to excel in compiling and presenting top-quality wine lists,” he said.

“Every Award and Glass winning venue should be very proud of all they have put into their lists, and we are very happy to bring the industry together to celebrate these outstanding venues and their talented sommeliers.”