wined up: our bottle shop roundup
Clinkety-clank the bottles go. Arms are laden, bags are full. A sign of a successful shop? We think so. Yes, you can easily pop to the local grocery store (well, so long as you're not in Sweden), but there’s something about a bottle shop that brings you into a whole new realm of excitement. Natural wine is abundant, craft IPAs from down the road and the occasional bottle of fine gin or whisky tucked away on the shelf. Forget falling for book covers, bottle shop labels are our new jam.
It was in Ambleside, a rural town in the Lake District, that I stumbled across Beer Ambleside. For not such an imaginative name and not a particularly wine-centric location, the mahogany shelves are piled surprisingly high with hazy pales, sparkly pilsz and some of the finest double hop citra dipa. For a 50p bottle charge, you can pop open the tinny in-store or join a friend for a glass of one of their pét nats. Bottle shops are having their moment, so it’s about time we embark on our roundup of the best spots you can nab a bottle or two of your favourite tipples.
levain et le vin
While there's no shortage of bottle shops and natural wine emporiums in the 'dam (Chateau Karlito, Chabrol and Rebel Wines to name but a few), levain et le vin takes the cake. In the mood for a roast cabbage, miso mayo and spicy-almond topped focaccia? Suddenly craving one of those deliciously gooey choco rye cookies or hunting down a good cookbook? levain et le vin is the answer to most of our culinary pickles. Though it's also the answer when we're hunting down that perfect bottle...and pretty label.
Vinoshis Beverage Shop
We don't know what draws us most to Melbourne's Vinoshis Beverage Shop: the electric buzz or its merriment of bottle-filled shelves. Though the Lazio-made, chestnut oak-aged, Procanico Bianco Dritto is the glug of choice for those summer BBQs, don't skip a browse through the beer and spirits. It may be a neighbourhood wine bar, but Vinoshis Beverage Shop is a bottle shop above all else.
Crus et Decouvertes
A wine cave? Quite possibly. Stepping into Crus et Decouvertes is like stepping into the Harry Potter's Ollivander's. There may be no wands, but the helterskelter bottles and cluttered, unemptied cardboard boxes dispel a similar sort of magic. To say they've got thousands to choose from would not be an understatement; thankfully, shop owner Mikael Lemasle is always on hand to help.
Ahiru Store
Though I'm inclined to steer away from recommending Ahiru Store in the off chance it becomes a not-so-secret hole-in-the-wall, no bottle shop roundup would be complete without a mention of this terrific bar. Getting a booking is near impossible, so join the natural wine fiends and start queuing as soon as the clock chimes 6.
Kinross Winery & Cellar Door
Hopping over the pond, there's Kinross. A winery-cum-cellar emporium of goodness packed with some of the finest bottles in New Zealand. Naturally, after a wine tasting in one of the five local wineries, surrounded by field after field of verdant vines, you're going to want to swing by the Cellar Door to stock up for your next in-house wine night.
Comida Independente
Home to affordable wines (and great ones at that), Comida Independente is not only our deli of choice when lumbering through gloriously, sun-kissed days in Lisbon but also our bottle shop of choice. Our baskets might be laden with oils, conserves and chutneys, but we're always drawn to the array of blancos and tintos.
Spry Wines
Whisky, move over. You're going to want to fill those glasses with Les Varrons Pinot Noir, a Linn Cider pét nat, a Chard from Crémant and the iconic "Bag lighting call you later" Merlot. Spry Wines is a spot where we'll quite happily shop until we drop.
Hannah Rees-Middleton
Wild swimming. Natural wine. Excellent exhibitions. And glorious country walks. These are a few of our editor Hannah Rees-Middleton’s favourite things. Whether she’s bouncing around Mexico, paddling through the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond or ogling another mound of butter at a fabulous supper club, Hannah is always in the midst of something cool. A consummate planner, a lover of beautiful things, a traveller never without a camera and a deck of cards. Hannah is many things (including the perfect resource for perfect travel tips).
