Lamaro's

Outwardly, Lamaro's shows all the signs of a solid local pub. But one look at the wine list tells you you're not in Kansas anymore. Dom Perignon's 2010 vintage, a Coravin list featuring Vieux Telegraphe Chateneuf-du-Pape, and bottles from leading Australian wine families like the Farrs add up to tough choices. But would you expect anything less from hospitality veterans Paul Dimattina and Geoff Lindsay?

279 Cecil Street, South Melbourne lamaroshotel.com.au

Mr West

It's easy to get waylaid by all the good juice for sale downstairs but the real fun starts when you snag a booth on the second level. Wines on tap and in carafes keep things affordable but there are premium choices too. Don't like what's pouring? Select a bottle from the shelves downstairs. Bar snacks are basic but you're in Footscray: order in and enjoy the neighbourhood's riches.

106 Nicholson Street, Footscray mrwest.com.au

Kisume

Whether you want to dip a toe with a half-glass of 2017 Giaconda chardonnay poured by Coravin or drop several hundred dollars in the Chablis bar, at Kisume you've got options. Chablis and sushi are a match made in heaven, but the rest of the menu will be just as sympatico with a Yarra Valley pinot noir, a Mosel riesling or your favourite Champagne. It's a big wine list with big price tags, but when on Flinders Lane...

175 Flinders Lane, Melbourne kisume.com.au

The Alps

The name nods to the benchmark wine regions that stretch from France to Slovenia, but this wine bar and shop casts the net even further in its quest for deliciousness. Showcasing 400 bottles from Australia and Chile, alongside Europe, the team prioritises fruit over winery intervention, and the tasting notes for the 20 by-the-glass options reflect this. Educational and delicious.

64 Commercial Road, Prahran thealpsprahran.com.au