etch. by Steven Edwards in Hove has been announced the winner of the AA Wine Award England and Overall Wine Award at the prestigious AA Hospitality Awards 2026, which took place at JW Marriott Grosvenor House, London.
Over 1,000 industry professionals gathered to celebrate excellence across the UK hospitality landscape with the AA Hospitality Awards recognising the very best of British hospitality, shining a spotlight on the businesses and people that deliver outstanding guest experiences, exceptional service and genuine passion for their craft.
Previous winners of the National Wine List award have included three Michelin-starred restaurants Sketch in London and Moor Hall in Lancashire.
The recognition follows another strong year for the restaurant’s wine director, Sam Weatherill. Sam was ranked 17th in this year’s UK Sommelier Edit Top 100 and named Best Performer in Food and Wine Matching at the UK Sommelier Awards 2026.
The wine list at etch. is highly regarded by guests who praise the ‘unusual but really interesting choices’ and the ‘surprisingly great value for the high calibre of bottles on offer’.
Situated in the epicentre of the UK’s first protected wine region of East and West Sussex, etch. has been a champion of English wines since it opened in 2017, serving a selection of English sparkling wines instead of champagne. Sam is also committed to promoting family run producers with an emphasis on sustainability, a sense of place, and terroir.
Sam’s pairings from the current menu include Sweetcorn Soup, Coriander and Beef Tartar Tartlet served with Voski 2023, produced by Zorah Wines in Armenia. Sam said: “The first wine on our pairing comes from Armenia. Grown at an altitude of 1300m the wine is a blend of two indigenous grape varieties, Garandmak and Voskéat. The altitude brings freshness and zestiness in to the floral peachy fruit which cuts through the richness of the sweetcorn soup but also matches its aromatic mealy flavour. The wine is aged in clay amphora and concrete which allows a micro-oxygenation, broadening the texture of the wine, allowing it to stand up to the richness of the creamy sweetcorn soup, and the beef tartare tart sidecar.”
Steven Edwards, chef owner and founder of etch. said: “Winning this award is a huge moment for etch. and something we’re incredibly proud of. We’ve always wanted the restaurant to be about the complete experience. Not just the food, but the wine, service and the way everything comes together for our guests.
A huge amount of credit has to go to our wine director, Sam Weatherill, whose knowledge, passion and commitment have been instrumental in developing our wine programme. Sam has built a list that complements our food while having its own identity, and his approach to pairing and introducing guests to new and interesting wines has become a really important part of the etch. experience.
To receive this recognition from the AA is testament to Sam and the hard work, knowledge and passion of the whole team. As an independent restaurant, recognition at this level means a great deal to us. We’re constantly looking at how we can improve and push the experience forward, so to have that acknowledged is incredibly rewarding.”
Simon Numphud, Managing Director of AA Hotel & Hospitality Services said: “Congratulations to etch. on being named Wine List of the Year at the AA Hospitality Awards 2026. Our annual Awards celebrate the businesses and people that set the standard for the industry across the UK, and etch. by Steven Edwards is a brilliant example of a team that deliver true hospitality for their guests. Their commitment to delivering exceptional experiences is exactly what these awards set out to celebrate. A truly deserved recognition of their hard work, commitment and love for what they do.”
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