Amanda Yallop, wine director at FINK, leads the first annual ranking of Top 100 Sommeliers in Australia as Country Ambassador.
12 March 2026, Sydney, Australia – The first Top 100 Sommeliers has been launched in Australia partnering with leading, Australian sommelier Amanda Yallop , FINK Wine Director and 2025 Australian Sommelier of the Year, and newly appointed Country Ambassador for Top 100 Sommeliers.
This annual ranking recognises the very best, working sommeliers in Australia including emerging talent, top female and top young sommeliers.
Top 100 Sommeliers was launched in the UK in May 2023 by Sommelier Edit – an online membership for beverage professionals. Following its success and popularity amongst wine service professionals then went on to be celebrated in Madrid, Spain and in Auckland, New Zealand in 2025.
International Ambassadors
Amanda joins a stellar line up of international sommeliers who lead the Top 100 Sommeliers annual ranking in their countries: Cameron Douglas MS, well-known sommelier and wine critic in New Zealand, Agustin Trapero, leading Spanish sommelier, and Stefan Neumann MS and celebrated wine expert in the UK.
Amanda Yallop commented: “I’m genuinely thrilled to be involved as the chair judge in the inaugural Australian edition of the Top 100 Sommeliers 2026. It’s exciting to see a global benchmark arrive on Australian soil and create a platform for our sommeliers to step forward.
“Our community is full of talent, curiosity and a strong sense of hospitality. Awards like this celebrate the many hours spent learning formally and informally, along with the time spent honing our craft on the dining room floor, showcasing the service, storytelling and care that elevate the guest experience. It’s a privilege to be part of the judging panel and to support an event that highlights the depth, passion and growing confidence of our sommelier community.”
Amanda Yallop,
Top 100 Sommeliers’ Country Ambassador Australia
This annual ranking is not a competition or about an individual’s profile or the size of their wine list. It is objectively and independently judged on a combination of factors, making it an all-encompassing validation of each sommelier’s responsibilities, experience and accolades.
Curated by Sommelier Edit’s own, constantly updated database of working sommeliers, the list has been honed to select Top 100 Sommeliers, based on a points system, which includes:
- Expert wine knowledge– achieved through qualifications and/or experience.
- Level of responsibility– cellar mastery, wine buying, list curation and staff management.
- Working experience– length of time working in restaurants as a sommelier.
- Professionalism– proven excellence in customer service/experience.
- Competition success– achievements over others.
