Trio shortlisted for Star Wine Awards

Three northern restaurants are raising a glass after being shortlisted for national wine awards celebrating excellence in curation and sustainability.

Restaurant Pine in Northumberland, Solstice in Newcastle and The Old Stamp House in Ambleside have all secured places in the 2026 Star Wine List of the Year UK Awards.

Pine has been recognised in the Sustainable Award category, reflecting both its wine list and wider environmental commitment, having previously earned a Silver Star in the same prize. 

Meanwhile, Solstice and The Old Stamp House are shortlisted in the Best Short List category, which highlights wine lists featuring fewer than 200 selections.

The awards will take place on March 23 at 1 Hotel Mayfair, where 66 finalists across 13 categories will compete for Gold and Silver Stars.

Winners in ten international categories will then progress to the Star Wine List of the Year Global Final 2026, taking place this June in southern Sweden in association with Terra Skåne.

Laurentiu Bulprich, The Old Stamp House's restaurant manager and head sommelier, said: “We’re absolutely over the moon to have been shortlisted for the Star Wine List of the Year Awards UK in the Best Short List category. 

“Our wine list is carefully curated to complement the menu we serve. 

“With a short list, there’s no room for fillers, so we focus entirely on quality and character rather than familiar labels.”

Vanessa Stoltz, Restaurant Pine’s restaurant manager and head sommelier, added: ‘’I’m thrilled that we’ve been shortlisted in the Sustainability Prize category of the Star Wine Awards and hopefully we can go one better than the silver award we earned in 2025. 

“Pine’s philosophy is rooted in using only the finest seasonal, locally sourced ingredients from independent suppliers, from nose-to-tail butchery to extensive preservation techniques, all in the pursuit of cooking as sustainably as possible. 

“The same ethos runs through our drinks list, and hopefully the judges recognise the lengths we go to in finding inspiration in what’s right on our doorstep.’’

Rachel Lenham, Solstice’s restaurant manager, added: ‘’To be recognised in the Best Short List category at the UK Star Wine Awards is a real honour, and a reflection of the extraordinary care our sommelier, Conor, brings to every selection. 

“At Solstice, our list is deliberately intimate, just like the restaurant itself. 

“Every bottle has been chosen to elevate our cuisine, drawn almost exclusively from small, family-owned producers who respect authenticity and a true sense of place, crafting wines with character that help create lasting memories for our diners.”

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