‘Sampling the wares’ has taken on new meaning at Wine Experience, a bottle shop in Paddington that has evolved into a wine bar, the culmination of the owner’s nearly two decades of experience operating a retail wine store in Rosalie Village.
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After 16 years of running a bottle shop, Michael Nolan established the bar within his retail store, giving oenophiles a place to enjoy their wine.
Nolan, who has visited many bars across Europe, wanted to create something like the tiny bars in Spain, which encourages intimate get-togethers.
Every bit of this bar takes inspiration from typical European bars, from the compact seating that can accommodate a small group to the selection of food options for guests to enjoy with their wines.
“The space itself is intimate; designed so that guests can chat freely with the chef and staff about their experience. We have capacity for only nine guests around the curved timber bar, but there are two small outside tables for those who prefer an al fresco experience,” Wine Experience said.
They bring the taste of Spain into the wine bar with their Sardine and Green Mojo Pintxo, which goes perfectly with a glass of sparkling white wine.
What sets it apart from most bars in Brisbane is that they have wines that people struggle to find elsewhere.
The ‘Winemaker Series,’ for instance, features wines that are made just for them by some of Australia’s leading winemakers sourcing grapes from exceptional vineyards in the most sought after regions. The current selection includes a juicy Barossa Valley Shiraz from ninth-generation winemaker Marco Cirillo.
They also run free weekly Friday night tastings, where everyone is welcome to come in and try what’s on offer each week.
Over the past year, they quickly built a following, with customers popping in on the way home from shopping or stopping for an afternoon drink before heading off to a restaurant or movie.
Anthony, one of their patrons, shares that visiting the bottle shop and wine bar “feels like entering an Aladdin’s cave of fabulous wine.”
“A huge range and some very knowledgeable and helpful staff who take the time to assist you in choosing the right wine,” he shared.
Wine Experience’s bar and kitchen are open on a walk-in basis Wednesday to Sunday from 3:00 p.m.