Calling All Vino Guzzlers, These Are The Award Winners Of Australia’s Best Wine Bars
There is something about going to a wine bar, more than other other place that serves alcohol, that makes me feel fancy. I’m far from a wine connoisseur, but I thoroughly enjoy swirling a glass of red around and pretending that I am. So you’d better believe I plan to visit the four wine bars named by the Aussie Wineslinger Awards.
The what?
The Wineslinger Awards are voted on by over 100 of Australia’s leading sommeliers, winemakers, hospitality tastemakers and journalists — you know, the people who actually know what they’re talking about. The top 50 wine bars around the country were finalised earlier this year (and you can check them out here), and now the four trophy winners have been decided.
The top spot, or THE ‘wineslinger’, if you will, was given to Carlton Wine Room in Victoria. The win came after the owners had been forced to close for the last seven-ish months thanks to Covid lockdowns. The Wineslinger Awards said the bar was a stand out for “blurring the lines between wine bar and restaurant to serve up Australia’s best wine experience in a cool, unpretentious environment”.
The ‘Best New Haunt’ title went to Adelaide‘s Leigh Street Wine Room, “a temple of natural wine” that “made an immediate impression on the national Wineslinger panel of industry experts and announced itself as one of Australia’s best wine venues within just over a year of opening”. Apparently the grub is also spectacular.
The ‘Maverick’ trophy was awarded to Snack Man in Brisbane‘s trendy Fortitude Valley, an award that recognises venues trying to push boundaries.
“Snack Man serves up a tricky-to-match Chinese snacks with European wine gems, and they debunk wine and food pairing conventions,” said the Wineslinger Awards. “There’s a cellar of around 300 ‘unlisted’ wines at Snack Man, which guests have got to chat to the bar staff about to order – so patrons have to engage. This gambit could backfire but here it turns into an adventure”.
Snack Man has also has a restaurant next door called Hoppy Boy, which is dedicated to showing emerging Australian wine producers.
The final award was a little different, as it was your regular Joe’s who voted for it. Union Street Wine in the Melbourne suburb of Geelong nabbed the ‘People’s Choice’ trophy for the perfect blend of local heroes and unique international wine makers on their wine list.
“2020 has been the toughest year ever for Wineslingers in this country, and that’s made it equally tough on cutting edge winemakers who rely on the passionate individuals and their brilliant venues to capture the imaginations of wine lovers.,” said Wineslinger Founder Rory Kent in a statement.
“We’re so excited to celebrate the places and hospitality professionals serving up the best wine experiences in the country, and after months of lockdown and restrictions, getting back to supporting them in person”.
You heard the man, time for wine.
(All Images: Provided / Wineslinger Awards)
