2024 Cape Bleue Rosé from Rhône: The Must-Have On-Premise Wine for Sommeliers in 2025.

The 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards have crowned the 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé from Rhône, France, as Best Wine for On-Premise, signaling a game-changing addition for sommeliers and beverage directors curating wine programs that truly deliver. For sommeliers focused on balancing quality, guest appeal, and versatility, this Rosé offers everything you need to elevate your list and meet today’s demanding hospitality landscape.

Why should sommeliers prioritize the 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé? First, it embodies the ideal profile for on-premise wine programs: bright, approachable, and food-friendly with enough complexity to captivate discerning palates. Its refreshing acidity and elegant fruit make it an excellent match for a variety of cuisines, from casual bar snacks to refined tasting menus, ensuring seamless pairings and enhanced guest satisfaction.

Secondly, the Cape Bleue Rosé is a powerhouse when it comes to versatility in service. Whether offered by the glass or bottle, its consistent quality and vibrant character make it a reliable choice for busy restaurants, hotels, and bars aiming to optimize their wine sales without compromising on excellence. Sommeliers will appreciate how this wine encourages trial and repeat orders—key drivers for profitability in the on-premise sector.

The Sommeliers Choice Awards are uniquely positioned to guide sommeliers towards wines that perform under real-world hospitality conditions. Judged exclusively by Master Sommeliers and leading on-premise professionals, this competition weighs wines on practical criteria such as balance, value, typicity, and guest appeal—criteria that directly impact your success behind the bar or wine list.

Sid Patel, CEO of Beverage Trade Network, explains, “For sommeliers, stocking wines like the 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé means having a trusted, crowd-pleasing option that supports diverse menus and enhances guest experiences. It’s not just about great wine; it’s about what works for your program every day.”

With growing consumer interest in Rhône wines and sustainable winemaking practices, the Cape Bleue Rosé also taps into current market trends, offering sommeliers a timely, relevant selection that resonates with modern wine drinkers.

For sommeliers building or refreshing their wine lists, the 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé is a strategic pick that promises to deliver both guest satisfaction and commercial success.

The 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé from Rhone, France, wins Best Wine for On-Premise at the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards. 

Available Through González Byass USA — Bringing Rhône’s Finest to Your Cellar

Sommeliers seeking to elevate their wine programs can find the acclaimed 2024 Cape Bleue Rosé through González Byass USA, the trusted importer known for its portfolio of iconic wines and commitment to quality. As the exclusive Importer of Record for Jean-Luc Colombo Wines—producers of the Cape Bleue range—González Byass USA ensures smooth distribution and support across the United States. To stock this standout Rhône rosé and offer your guests a top-tier, award-winning experience, contact González Byass USA directly or reach out to your preferred distributor for availability and ordering details.

Judges for 2025 included top sommeliers, on-premise buyers, and master sommeliers. View all judges here.

Key Highlights from the 2025 Competition:

- Master Sommeliers and top on-premise buyers served as judges, bringing unmatched expertise and insight into what today’s hospitality venues need.

- Winning wines include a dynamic mix of by-the-glass-friendly options, premium pours, and high-value bottles that support both profitability and guest satisfaction.

- An increase in sustainable, organic, and low-intervention wines signals evolving preferences across top-tier beverage programs.

- Approximately 1,500 wines were submitted to the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards. The United States lep d the way with 557 entries, followed by France, with Italy, Australia, and Spain rounding out the list of top participating countries.

- The top varietals were chardonnay, pinot noir, cabernet sauvignon, sauvignon blanc, and shiraz. The competition saw growth in white wines.

- The competition also saw Austria and Germany in the top 10 countries that participate for the first time once again showing the growth of White wines in the USA and on-premise markets.

Whether you're designing a seasonal wine list for a fine-dining restaurant, curating pairings for a hotel tasting menu, or building out a by-the-glass selection for a vibrant bar, the 2025 award winners offer a vetted, high-performing portfolio to work from.

Here are the top winners:

Special Awards	Product Name	Country	Vintage	Production Region
Wine Of The Year	JLC Rose Cape Bleue	France	2024	Rhone
Best Wine By Quality	2022 Domaine Serene 'Evenstad Reserve' Chardonnay	United States	2022	Willamette Valley, Dundee Hills
Best Wine By Package	Hecht & Bannier Coteaux d'Aix-en-Provence Organic	France	2023	Languedoc AOC
Best Wine By Value	Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc	New Zealand	2024	Marlborough
Wine Of The Year By The Glass	JLC Rose Cape Bleue	France	2024	Rhone
Winery Of The Year	Anhydrous Icon	Greece	2022	Santorini, Greece PDO
Chardonnay Of The Year	Larry Hyde Chardonnay	United States	2021	Los Carneros (Napa)
Cabernet Sauvignon Of The Year	Mérite Cabernet Sauvignon	Australia	2020	Limestone Coast
Pinot Noir Of The Year	2021 Estate Reserve "select cluster" Pinot Noir	United States	2021	Adelaida District
Sauvignon Blanc Of The Year	Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc	New Zealand	2024	Marlborough
Merlot Of The Year	Desiderio	Italy	2021	Tuscany
Sangiovese Of The Year	Il Campanile	Italy	2021	Umbria IGT
Shiraz Of The Year	Hare's Chase	Australia	2021	Australia, Barossa Valley
Tempranillo Of The Year	Veguin De Murua Gran Reserva	Spain	2016	Rioja DOCa
Riesling Of The Year	Riesling trocken	Germany	2023	Nahe
Malbec Of The Year	Notre Vue Malbec	United States	2021	Chalk Hill
Non-Alcoholic Of The Year	Pierre Chavin Zero Spritz	France	Non-Vintage	France
White Wine Producer Of The Year	Anhydrous Icon	Greece	2022	Santorini, Greece PDO
Sparkling Wine Producer Of The Year	Blanc de Noirs 2015	France	2015	France
Red Wine Producer Of The Year	Hare's Chase	Australia	2021	Australia, Barossa Valley
Wine Of The Year Brazil	Salton Prosecco Rosé	Brazil	Non-Vintage	Sierra Gaúcha
Wine Of The Year Greece	Anhydrous Icon	Greece	2022	Santorini, Greece PDO
Wine Of The Year Portugal	Herdade Paço do Conde Reserva Antão Vaz	Portugal	2023	Alentejano VRAlentejo DOC
Wine Of The Year South Africa	Aslina Chardonnay	South Africa	2023	Stellenbosch
Wine Of The Year Italy	Il Campanile	Italy	2021	Umbria IGT
Wine Of The Year Australia	Mérite Cabernet Sauvignon	Australia	2020	Limestone Coast
Wine Of The Year Spain	Veguin De Murua Gran Reserva	Spain	2016	Rioja DOCa
Wine Of The Year Chile	Schwaderer Riesling	Chile	2022	Maule Valley
Wine Of The Year Germany	Pinot Noir Wormsberg GG	Germany	2017	Baden
Wine Of The Year Austria	Grüner Veltliner Gottschelle Erste Lage	Austria	2023	Kremstal DAC
Wine Of The Year New Zealand	Stoneleigh Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc	New Zealand	2024	Marlborough
Wine Of The Year Romania	Syrah Reserve	Romania	2019	DOC Dealu Mare
Wine Of The Year France	JLC Rose Cape Bleue	France	2024	Rhone
Wine Of The Year United States Of America	Larry Hyde Chardonnay	United States	2021	Los Carneros (Napa)

View all results here.

About the Sommeliers Choice Awards

Jonathan Ross MS, Master Sommelier, judging at the 2025 Sommeliers Choice Awards, which took place in Chicago on May 19, 2025

Organized by Beverage Trade Network, the Sommeliers Choice Awards is a premier competition judged exclusively by professionals from the on-premise sector, including Master Sommeliers, wine directors, and beverage managers. It is the only wine competition focused solely on what works for hospitality venues, making it an invaluable resource for trade professionals worldwide.