Australia’s best wine venues have been revealed by a panel of the nation’s leading sommeliers and food critics, with a neighbourhood wine bar in Sydney receiving special mention.
The 2019 Wineslinger Awards, an annual event which took place in Melbourne on Monday, recognised 50 restaurants and bars across the country for their outstanding selections of quality wines and ‘by-the-glass’ options.
The list includes an underground wine cellar in Brisbane, a courtyard eatery in Melbourne and a secluded cocktail bar hidden inside one of Canberra’s oldest buildings.
A panel of Australia’s leading winemakers, sommeliers and food critics has revealed the best spots to grab a glass of wine Down Under in 2019 (stock image)
1. 10 WILLIAM STREET – Sydney, New South Wales
Taking the top spot is Italian neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar 10 William Street in the upscale Sydney suburb of Paddington.
The eclectic wine list changes monthly, offering fine vintages from far flung destinations including France and Japan.
Wineslinger founder Rory Kent said the eatery’s extensive food and wine menu makes it a cut above the rest.
’10 William Street has been a leader in this domain, offering exceptional food in a relaxed setting with a banging wine list that offers a sense of discovery to even the most well-versed wine lover,’ he told 10 Daily.
The restaurant boasts a 4.5 star rating and hundreds of glowing reviews, with many calling the huge range of wines by-the-glass ‘superb’.
10 William Street (pictured, Lorna Moffatt from @downtoawineart) changes its wine list monthly, offering fine vintages from far flung destinations including France and Japan
2. 1889 ENOTECA – Brisbane, Queensland
In at number two is award-winning Italian bistro 1889 Enoteca in trendy Brisbane suburb Woolloongabba.
The restaurant boasts a ‘natural’ wine list from some of Italy’s leading vineyards, and a food menu featuring handmade pasta and local Queensland seafood.
The venue has its own underground wine cellar for private functions, the only of its kind in Brisbane.
Trendy Italian restaurant 1889 Enoteca boasts a ‘natural’ wine list from some of Italy’s leading vineyards, and a food menu featuring handmade pasta and local Queensland seafood
3. AFRICOLA – Adelaide, South Australia
The third best place for a glass of wine Down Under is Africola, a South African-inspired barbecue restaurant in Adelaide’s CBD.
The fully licensed venue invites guests to bring their own wine, with corkage priced at a reasonable $20 per bottle.
Hailed as ‘the hottest restaurant in the country’ by John Lethlean, national restaurant critic for The Australian, Africola has won a string of accolades including 2017 Adelaide Restaurant of the Year and the 2018 Good Food Excellence Award.
4. ARC DINING AND WINE BAR – Brisbane, Queensland
Overlooking the Brisbane River, fourth place ARC Dining offers a wine list focused on organic, sustainably sourced wines and a food menu of ‘high-end but approachable’ dishes.
The extensive wine list, which was designed by Australia’s leading sommelier Ian Trinkle, contains a staggering 500 options, so there’s sure to be something to suit every taste.
Highlights from the small but brilliantly executed menu include pressed pork hock, tropical painted crayfish and goose prosciutto.
Instagram food page Brisbane Theory said they loved everything about ARC, ‘the food, the view and the furnishings’.
Last month, ARC Dining and Wine Bar was also named one of the nation’s top 10 best new restaurants by Good Food Australia.
ARC Dining on the Brisbane River (pictured) was also named one of Australia’s top 10 best new restaurants earlier this year
5. ARLECHIN – Melbourne, Victoria
Ranked fifth, Melbourne eatery Arlechin describes itself as the place ‘where food, drink and mischief meet’.
Run by the Grossis, by one of the city’s best known restaurateur families, this European style wine cellar serves Italian, French and Australian labels alongside a quirky menu of fusion food, including bolognaise jaffles and smoked-eel parfait.
Arlechin boasts a 4.8 star rating and hundreds of reviews praising the selection of premium wines and cocktails.
6. BAR LIBERTY – Melbourne, Victoria
In sixth place is Bar Liberty, a courtyard wine bar in the lively Melbourne suburb of Fitzroy.
The international wine list includes homegrown Australian blends as well as premium labels from New Zealand, Japan, Germany, Austria, Spain and even Georgia.
The bar’s unique selling point is its selection of ‘macerated’ white wines, which are – unusually – made from all parts of the grape, including the skin.
If wine isn’t your thing, the venue also serves bespoke cocktails, beer, cider and sake.
The unique selling point of Bar Liberty (pictured) is its selection of ‘macerated’ white wines, which are – unusually – made from all parts of the grape, including the skin
7. BAR ROCHFORD – Canberra, Australian Capital Territory
The seventh best place to grab a glass of wine in Australia is Bar Rochford, a wine and cocktail bar tucked away in one of Canberra’s oldest buildings, the iconic Melbourne Building.
The venue stocks blends from new and innovative winemakers, with a focus on Australian producers.
Last year, Bar Rochford was crowned the winner of Gourmet Traveller’s 2018 Bar of the Year.
8. BELLOTA WINE BAR – Melbourne, Victoria
At number eight is Bellota Wine Bar, a stylish Italian bistro in South Melbourne.
The restaurant is an extension of the neighbouring Prince Wine Store, which boasts an eye-watering selection of over 3,500 bottles.
Guests can buy a bottle to drink in Bellota, or choose from a wide range of by-the-glass options in the bistro itself.
The European menu features fishes including carbonara, French onion soup and braised duck legs.
9. BIBO WINE BAR – Sydney, New South Wales
Ninth is Bibo Wine Bar, a modern Mediterranean eatery in Sydney’s ritzy Double Bay.
Designed by head sommelier Louella Mathews, the international wine list features blends from Australia and Europe and a generous selection of by-the-glass white, red and rose.
The range was awarded ‘Three Wine Glasses’ in Australia’s 2018 Wine List of the Year Awards, with judges calling it a ‘delight’.
Rounding out the top 10 is the Carlton Wine Room (pictured), a neighbourhood bistro and wine bar in the lively Melbourne suburb of Carlton
10. CARLTON WINE ROOM – Melbourne, Victoria
Rounding out the top 10 is the Carlton Wine Room, a neighbourhood bistro and wine bar in the lively Melbourne suburb of Carlton.
The restaurant prides itself on serving food to fit its wine list, not the other way round, offering a selection of 100 bottles.
A by-the-glass ‘staff choice’ changes daily, and the menu changes to fit the seasons with more reds available in the cooler months and a wider selection of whites on offer throughout the summer.