Newtown wine bar and bottle shop Famelia, which opened on July 19, is pouring wine knowledge by the half-glass.

Owner and sommelier Amelia Birch aims to showcase a different selection of 12 wines each week, with a strong focus on small-batch vineyards run by women.

“I want people to be able to learn about the wines, where they come from and what went into making them, as a way of enriching the wine-drinking experience,” Birch says.

“It’s important to me that people feel really comfortable, like they’re coming into my home, and they can hang out and have fun.”

Birch hopes to encourage wine enthusiasts to try new or more unusual varietals by offering each wine by the bottle, the glass or as part of a flight of three, six, or nine half-glasses (starting from $27).

“There will always be some sort of theme to the wines, whether it’s a certain region, or varietal, or something more abstract,” she says. “I’m not into all-natural, or all-international. I just buy what I like and what I know my customers will like.”

The 25-seat venue is a bricks-and-mortar extension of Birch’s online business, Your PersonalSommelier, in which she creates tailored monthly packages of wine for subscribers and helps engaged couples to choose wines for their coming nuptials. Birch previously owned The Book Kitchen in Surry Hills.

The small space on Enmore Road has an “earthy, lo-fi vibe” with exposed brick walls and a cosy window seat overlooking the bustling street.

The shop, meanwhile, features ice buckets built into the dusty pink marble countertops – the better to allow customers to try before they buy.

And while there’s no kitchen on site, there will be a small selection of Mediterranean offerings to snack on (think charcuterie, Birch’s family’s egg dip, and mushroom pâté for the vegan crowd).

Customers will also be able to buy a bottle of wine from the adjoining bottle shop, to drink in-store for $15 corkage. It’s a deliberate strategy to help keep prices down.

“I think it’s a cool concept, to be able to purchase wine at retail price then pay corkage to drink it in the bar just a couple of metres away,” she says.

“There’s a cost-of-living crisis, but people still want to feel that they can continue to eat and drink out.”

Open Wed-Sat noon-late, Sun 2pm-9pm; bottle shop daily noon-10pm.

55 Enmore Road, Newtown, famelia.com.au