Team Talk: The Tasting Team share their favourite spots to drink wine

Mike Bennie

As a wine lover it’s a well-worn path to the front door of 10 William St in Sydney’s inner-east suburb of Paddington. Long a standard bearer for the ultimate in wine focused venues, a perch at the bar, a peruse of the ever-changing by–the-glass offering and a leafing through the tome-like list and one captures not only the zeitgeist of contemporary drinking in Australia, but access to some of the world’s rare and exotic wines. Comfort, charm and education from staff, an excellent back bar, and beautiful food that fits the bill are all additional x-factors.

10 William St, Paddington
10williamst.com.au

Shanteh Wale

When I lived in the Sydney CBD and worked in restaurants, you couldn’t go past Mamak and Chat Thai for after-service, BYO late-night bottles. Bar Reggio and Sean’s Panaroma were the go-to spots for BYO long lunches – I’d often spot fellow sommeliers with the same idea. If I am choosing off a wine list, I want the whole kit and kaboodle, so places like The International or Bentley would be my first stops. Now that I live regionally, it tends to be the local Indonesian-Thai spot less than a street away. They kindly keep my RIEDEL glasses on hand for me. It’s the friendly welcome and the casually relaxed scene that I enjoy drinking in most. I know the wine will be honoured if the food is authentic and the company elite.

Philip Rich

For the past three years I have been helping to look after France-Soir’s 3000 bottle wine list, and even bigger cellar! Now that I’ve declared my conflict of interest, let me add that I have been a close friend of its owner, Jean-Paul, and, by extension, France-Soir for something like 35 out of its nearly 40 years. With its history of BYO (now it’s Mon–Wed for lunch) not only have I drunk some of my most memorable wines there, but there have been many equally memorable bottles of Chateau Rayas, Coche Dury et al., collectively bought from the list at the end of another three-hour lunch with close friends. It doesn’t get much better than that!

Jeni Port

What was once a humble greengrocer in East Ivanhoe (Melbourne) is now my third place – my local wine bar that is immediately welcoming, comfortable and, above all, a place for wine discovery. Vinoshis Beverage Shop doesn’t stock too many First Growths, but that’s not what I am after. I want to be challenged – low intervention and small family-run labels from around the world are a specialty. I want to enjoy great wines – the selections from Italy and Austria are particularly enticing. I want to talk wine and taste whatever owner/winemakers Jasmine and Yuri have open on the bar or recommend – a bottle of Domaine de la Bretonnière recently re-acquainted me with the joys of muscadet. That’s my happy place.

Katrina Butler

This place is my Sunday church, and the lunch ritual is as deeply ingrained in my wider weekend plans as tyre tread to fresh tar. The wine list at Old Palm Liquor (Brunswick East, Melbourne) isobscenely diverse. Generous and educated hospitality, a flawlessly executed (and approachable) menu, and the warmth of its rattan-clad ceilings, vintage fans and macrame wall hangings makes for fail-safe dining. Order a bottle of Domaine Moreau-Naudet Chablis and pair it with OPL’s Cape Malay spiced black mussels with obligatory fries to dip as you sip.

Jane Faulkner

When I venture beyond my front gate, to the other side of the Yarra to a place dedicated to great drinks including excellent wine by the glass or bottle, Gerald’s Bar in Carlton North (Melbourne) is my fave spot. For nearly 20 years, the framework has not changed. There’s a constancy and what’s that? Its website states it perfectly: “At Gerald’s sometimes the music is too loud, sometimes the wine flows too freely, sometimes the food runs out but no fear we’ll do it all again tomorrow and the next day and the day after.” And in recent news, Gerald’s Bar is set to relocate to the fabulous site of the old Enoteca Sileno – more space, more good times. I’m in.

Marcus Ellis

Although I don’t get there anywhere near as often as I used to, France-Soir (South Yarra, Melbourne) has long been my favourite place for wine. Yes, for the wine list, for its tantalising roster of vintage-deep treasures, from listings that are spectator sport to those affordable and those one might choose to afford. But also, for the buzz of the room, for the unpretentious clamour of the place, for the absence of a sommelier (no offense intended), for the paradoxical harried cheerfulness of Jean-Paul. It’s a place where post-lunch appointments get cancelled and another bottle ordered, where dinners spill late into the night. Legendary.

Toni Paterson MW

Entering She Loves You (Newtown, Sydney) is like stepping into a portal, where vintage jazz tunes warm the heart and nourish the soul. The vibe is intimate and authentic, with the walls lined with quirky collectables. Stephen Smooker presides over the bar while Sophie Otton collates an ever-changing, verbal selection of the best wines around. Tailored wine suggestions, fine glassware, curated snacks and ultrapersonal service make this one of my all-time favourite places to drink wine.

Dave Brookes

I fondly remember dining solo at Le Verre Voulé in Paris, 10th Arr and departing the wine bar with half a bottle of Pierre Overnoy Poulsard and two plastic glasses and sitting on a bench next to the Canal St Martin for a post-dinner glass. An old lady walking her dog sat next to me and I offered her a glass and we chatted for a good hour about travel, Paris and life before she stood up, kissed me on both cheeks, thanked me for the wine and walked off down the canal. It was very French. So, a park bench with complete strangers rates very highly. Connection. It’s all about connection and sharing.

This article first appeared in issue #79 of Halliday magazine. Become a member to receive all four issues per year delivered to your door, digital access to over 180,000 tasting notes, plus much more.

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