Where to drink wine in Geelong, the Bellarine and the Surf Coast
FROM Spanish-style bodegas to cosy cellars, there are wine bars popping up everywhere in Geelong, Bellarine Peninsula and the Surf Coast. Here some of the places to enjoy a glass or two.
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THERE is a lot to love about Geelong’s wine scene.
As well as being abundant in award-winning wines and vineyards, there are also myriad places at which to enjoy them.
In Geelong’s CBD, there are wine bars and breweries popping up everywhere, with Little Malop Street the city’s main vino vein.
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This wine appreciation party extends along the Bellarine Peninsula and Surf Coast, where boutique bars and cellars are catering to increasingly sophisticated wine palates.
From Spanish-style bodegas to cosy cantinas, here are all the places to get your sip on in Geelong.
13 WINE BARS TO VISIT IN GEELONG, THE BELLARINE AND SURF COAST
97-99 Little Malop St, Geelong
Housed in a beautifully restored corner building, this sophisticated bar offers the ideal setting for a night of wine appreciation. Blonde timber benches, classic Spanish-patterned tiles and wrought iron fixtures are offset with exposed-brick walls, polished timber floorboards, a fireplace and worn-in chesterfield lounges, giving the space a vintage, industrial-inspired charm. Showcasing beautiful wines and interesting new varietals from the greater Geelong region, as well as a limited range of local craft beers and ciders, this contemporary city cellar is the ideal spot to kick back on a Friday night.
Try: A glass of award-winning Brown Magpie Pinot Noir.
8 Union St, Geelong
A neon sign flashing “wine” is the only clue as to what’s behind the roller door at Geelong CBD’s first wine bar. Union Street Wine, which opened in 2014, is an ambient space bookmarked by ceiling-to-floor wine racks filled with the finest bottles from near and far. The laid-back Spanish-style bodega has since expanded into the shop next door and now includes a fully-stocked cellar. Grab a glass of whatever’s on the blackboard menu for the day, or choose something from the cellar and enjoy it at the bar, where part-owner Andy Leigh can hit you with some knowledge about it. There is also an excellent array of premium, freshly-shaved jamon, manchego, olives and sardines to snack on while you sip.
Try: A glass of Best’s Great Western Pinot Meunier/Pinot Noir
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CUSTOMS HOUSE RESTAURANT AND WINE BAR
57-59 Brougham St, Geelong
For wines with a view, look no further than waterfront restaurant and wine bar, Customs House. The lounge bar, 1856, is decked out with regal thrones and chesterfield leather lounges, making it the ideal spot for a pre-or-post-dinner tipple.
Try: A glass of Clyde Park Pinot Gris.
66 Garden St, Geelong
If you’re in the market for fine wine and rare liquor, look no further than Wine {Domaine}. A specialty wine, whisky and liquor merchant, Wine {Domaine} has the ideal drop for any occasion. They often host whip appreciation wine and whisky appreciation masterclasses, where you can taste fine wines and spirits, accompanied by a great meal and friendly conversation.
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132 Aberdeen St, Geelong West
Stop in at Bottles and Barrels for a coffee or brunch and stay for a glass of wine or a craft beer. The light and bright wine store come cafe, which also offers drive-through bottle service, is not only well stocked with some of the region’s best drops, but also offers plenty of options to drink in or take away.
326 Pakington St, Newtown
Randall Pollard is one of Geelong’s original wine connoisseurs and fine wine merchants. And, having been in the wine business for more than 20 years, he knows his stuff. He studied wine production and marketing at university then, after cutting his teeth working for some of the country’s biggest liquor stores, opened Randall’s in 1999. He hosts regular tasting events in store, which feature a rotating line-up of local winemakers.
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271-273 Myers Street, East Geelong
East Geelongians can meet for a wine and some woodfired pizza at chic Myers Street watering hole and restaurant, Limeburners, where Sundays are for live music, local cheese platters and saltbush calamari washed down with a glass of local vino.
140 High St, Belmont
This Belmont wine bar offers a curated selection of wines by the glass, as well as craft beer and spirits from little-known distilleries. When there isn’t live music or an open mic, they’re spinning LPs or cranking their favourite playlists. It’s a laid back, wine-lovers and live music paradise, where the cheese boards come with marinated olives, dried figs, roasted almonds, crusty bread and gherkins. What’s not to love?
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2/86 Hitchcock Ave, Barwon Heads
A boutique wine store that stocks a wide selection of the region’s finest wines, beers, ciders and spirits. They also host seasonal Secret Society lunches, wine masterclasses and spirit tastings.
51 Point Lonsdale Rd, Point Lonsdale
It was a summer in Spain that inspired Noble Rot owner Jordan Berry to open his own seaside wine cellar. The retail store and restaurant, which has a distinctly Spanish feel, offers patrons the opportunity to purchase and sip in store, and the limited menu shines a light on fresh, coastal and seasonal produce.
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T11/222 Fischer St, Torquay
Bentwood chairs, black counters and polished concrete floors set the scene at this stylish Surf Coast wine den. Kick back with a glass of top-notch local — or Australian — wine, paired with cheese and charcuterie boards made using the freshest local produce. They also have Sunday jam sessions with live blues and acoustic music sets featuring local artists.
5 Bristol Rd, Torquay
If Friday night wines are your thing, then head to Corkscrew Cellars where you can try before you buy. With regular wine tasting sessions from 4-7pm, hosted by local winemakers, you can try something new or different and have the added benefit of expert tasting notes.
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