The World's Best Wine Lists 2021 is a prestigious global awards program organized by The World of Fine Wine magazine that recognizes excellence in wine selection and service across restaurants, hotels, and bars. The 2021 edition highlighted establishments that demonstrated resilience and innovation during the global pandemic, with top honors going to New York City's Terroir Tribeca and Eleven Madison Park. The awards are judged by an international panel of experts, including Masters of Wine and Master Sommeliers, based on criteria such as breadth, depth, value, and organization.
How many of these have you visited?
Discover on Pearl
Macau, China
Perched on the 43rd floor of the Grand Lisboa, Robuchon au Dôme holds three Michelin stars, a 99-point La Liste ranking, and a wine inventory of 500,000 bottles across 17,400 selections. The seasonal French set menus under Chef Julien Tongourian are the primary draw, served beneath a crystal chandelier inside a 780-foot dome with a formal dress code in effect.
Portland, United States
Open since 2001 on East Burnside, Pix Pâtisserie brought French dessert culture to Portland before the city's dining scene fully found its footing. The adjoining Bar Vivant adds Spanish pintxos and conservas to the mix, while a wine list focused on small, boundary-pushing producers gives the whole operation a distinctly European register. Walk-ins are generally welcomed, making it one of the more accessible stops on the Portland dessert circuit.
Voss, Norway
On the banks of Lake Vangsvatnet in central Voss, Park Hotel Vossevangen positions its Elysée restaurant as a seasonal kitchen drawing on Norwegian regional produce. A cellar tradition spanning more than three decades anchors the wine program, now carried forward by wine director Francesco Marzola. For visitors to western Norway, it represents a considered option where ingredient provenance shapes the menu rather than decorates it.
Walland, United States
Set within the storied Blackberry Farm estate in the Great Smoky Mountains foothills, The Barn at Blackberry Farm brings American farmhouse cooking to its most considered form. Chef Cassidee Dabney leads a kitchen grounded in Tennessee's agricultural calendar, supported by one of the country's deeper cellar programs. The wine list runs to 8,200 selections across 135,000 bottles, with particular strength in California, Burgundy, and the Rhône.
New York City, United States
Operating from 11 Madison Avenue since 1998 and holding three Michelin stars continuously, Eleven Madison Park runs a fully plant-based tasting menu of eight to ten courses under chef Daniel Humm. Reservations open on the first of each month for the following month and fill within hours. The wine program spans 4,700 selections across 22,000 bottles, with particular depth in Burgundy, Rhône, and Champagne.
Find out on Pearl and keep score across every place in World's Best Wine Lists 2021.
Overview
The World's Best Wine Lists 2021 is a global awards program by The World of Fine Wine that honors the most exceptional wine programs in restaurants, hotels, and bars worldwide. In 2021, the top prize for Wine List of the Year was awarded to Terroir Tribeca in New York City, while Eleven Madison Park took the Champions' League Best Overall Wine List title. The awards recognize excellence across 20 categories, including regional specialization, by-the-glass selections, and wine list design.
The World's Best Wine Lists is managed by The World of Fine Wine magazine and is widely regarded as the 'Michelin stars' of the wine world. Winners are selected through a rigorous judging process by an international panel of experts who assess thousands of entries based on their selection's quality, value, and suitability to the venue's cuisine. The awards are prestigious because they provide a global benchmark for wine service, covering everything from massive 'Long Wine Lists' to specialized 'Micro Wine Lists.' The 2021 edition featured winners from ten countries across three continents, highlighting the truly international scope of the competition.
The World's Best Wine Lists 2021 represents the pinnacle of global wine service excellence, celebrating the most thoughtful and diverse wine programs in the hospitality industry. Organized by the esteemed World of Fine Wine magazine, these awards provide a definitive guide for oenophiles seeking exceptional dining experiences across six continents. On this Pearl page, readers will find a comprehensive breakdown of the 2021 winners, from legendary grand award recipients to innovative newcomers redefining the modern wine bar. This list serves as both a tribute to the industry's dedication and a curated roadmap for the world's most discerning wine lovers.
The 2021 edition of the World's Best Wine Lists was notable for its focus on the hospitality industry's resilience during the COVID-19 pandemic, with the awards ceremony held virtually from London. New York City emerged as a dominant force this year, securing the two most prestigious titles: Wine List of the Year for Terroir Tribeca and Champions' League Best Overall Wine List for Eleven Madison Park. The awards also introduced a renewed emphasis on by-the-glass programs and regional specialization, reflecting changing consumer habits during the recovery period.
