Baltic Wine & Drinks Awards
Welcome to the Baltic Wine & Drinks Awards 2023!
We are B-A-C-K with the Baltic Wine & Drinks Awards 2023 in association with LIEBHERR to discover the most wine-and-drink-friendly restaurants, bars, hotels, retail stores with good, great, and extraordinary wine offerings & drinks programmes in Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania!
We are teaming up with LIEBHERR, the world’s leading high quality wine cabinet producer, and the most impressive international Jury to decide on who’s who in the Baltic wine & drinks scene!
Who’s worthy of one, two, or three stars for their wine & drinks programmes? Who’s going to impress us with the most impressive champagne cellar? Who’s going to be the best fine dining restaurant for wine lovers? Best natural wine bar joint? The best Cocktail programme? We are sure the Awards will improve wine & drinks selection and service in the Baltics!
Jury:
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Raimonds Tomsons (Riga, LV)
World’s Best Sommelier 2023, Europe’s Best Sommelier 2017, and World’s No.3 Sommelier 2019. What else do you need to know about our Champ? -
Peter Liem (Epernay, FR)
Wine writer and author of ChampagneGuide.net, an award-winning and highly acclaimed online guide to the wines and wine producers of Champagne. A founder of La Fete du Champagne in New York, and the regular at Riga Wine & Champagne festival. One of our best drinking buddies ever! -
Billy Wagner (Berlin, DE)
A repeat Sommelier of the Year in Germany and the host at his eatery Nobelhart & Schmutzig (The World’s 50 Best Restaurants 45 (of 100) / 1* Guide Michelin / 16 points in Gault Millau) in Berlin. We’ve been visiting Billy in Berlin and seeing him in action every year since 2008 - the guy is a Genius! -
Jānis Volkinšteins (Riga, LV)
Importer of some crazy good burgundies, champagnes and natural wines at VIETA, a 3-time winner of Baltic Wine List Awards, Member of Confrérie des Chevaliers du Tastevin, and a top Graduate of WSET Diploma Programme in Rust, Austria. Legend! -
Aigars Nords (Riga, LV)
Founder of Riga Wine & Champagne festival, author of award-winning wine book “Vīns un Nords”, this guy just keeps running & drinking! Head of Jury! -
Kristjan Peäske (Tallinn, EE)
A leading figure in Estonia's wine industry, has distinguished himself as a two-time winner of the Best Sommelier in Estonia and Best Sommelier in the Baltics awards. Restaurateur and a sommelier at the helm of Lee Restaurant and Lore Bistro – two superb wining & dining institutions in Tallinn! -
Arūnas Starkus (Vilnius, LT)
Editor - in - Chief of Lithuanian wine journal Vyno žurnalas; founder of Wine + Dessert Lietuva – wine and dessert pairing contest, that will come soon to Latvia, Poland, other countries; co-organizer of Lithuanian Wine Exhibition Vyno dienos; study director at Lithuanian Sommelier School, co-owner of fine wine distributor Vyno klubas. As you understand – Arūnas pretty much owns Lithuania, cheers! -
Lauris Grass (Riga, LV)
One of leading cocktail and whisky experts in the Baltics. Lauris established his first cocktail bar in 2012 and has opened several more locations since. Now operating a cocktail bar and a corporate events cocktail catering service. Specializes in public cocktail and whisky masterclasses, travels the world to visit distilleries and spirits trade shows. Lauris will be the lead of our Drinks Programme!
