Louis Sheffield and Kate Hibberson from The Boat House at the Australian Wine List of the Year Awards. Photo: Supplied.
More than 300 of the hospitality and wine industry’s finest gathered to celebrate the 33rd Australian Wine List of the Year Awards recently in Sydney.
The awards are the national bench mark for excellent wine lists in restaurants and bars and the ACT was once again well represented.
The Boat House is no stranger to these awards. Last year it was inducted into the Hall of Fame for its consistent excellence and this year it was again awarded the title of Best Wine List ACT.
Sommelier Kate Hibberson has been running the wine program at The Boat House for many years but has been training young mentee Louis Sheffield, who has stepped into the spotlight.
He started out pouring beers at Bentspoke, but fell in love with wine and has been steadily training and getting more experience.
“I’ve been learning on the job from Kate over the last two and half years, as well as doing a few education courses. I’ve now taken the next leap and I’m starting to put my own impression on the wine program here,” Louis told Region.
“My aim is always to make it more accessible for both staff and customers. I want choosing a wine to be an approachable, enjoyable and educational experience for everyone.”
The judges described The Boat House’s wine list as “a short, sharp list that’s loaded with liquid enticements”.
Capitol Bar & Grill at QT Canberra celebrated a hat-trick, winning the award for Australia’s Best Listing of ACT and Canberra District Wines for the third year running. Judges noted the breadth of its list, which incorporates many local producers from across the region.
Rizla won the national award for Best Wine List (under 100 wines) in 2025 and was a finalist this year. Photo: Supplied.
Braddon’s Riesling bar Rizla was a finalist for Australia’s Best Wine List (Max 100 Wines); a hotly contested category which it won last year.
Venues on the list receive a rating of one, two or three “glasses” (or “stems”), indicating that their wine list is recommended, excellent or outstanding.
For Louis, this award is a recognition of not only their own hard work at The Boat House, but a broader celebration of the local hospitality community.
“It allows us to showcase the Canberra district and how far Canberra hospitality and wineries have come. We have such a knowledgeable, understanding customer base full of people who want to try new things and explore what’s growing around them.
“It means the most that a lot of the wine producers we work with reached out to congratulate me. It feels good to put their stuff forward to say ‘we’re proud of you and here’s how your wine stacks up’.”
Louis is planning to start a Diploma in Wines through the Wine and Spirits Education Trust and hopes to share his new skills to the rest of The Boat House staff.
Results for ACT venues:
Australia’s Best Listing of ACT and Canberra District Wines: Capital Bar & Grill
Best Wine List ACT: The Boat House
Three glasses:
The Boat House
Rizla
Romanée Wine Bar
Raku Dining
Two glasses:
Bar Outro
Beltana Farm
Chairman & Yip
Capitol Bar and Grill
Les Bistronomes
Lunetta
Find the complete list of winners at the Australian Wine List of the Year.
Original Article published by Lucy Ridge on Region Canberra.
