The Ten Best Wine Lists in Sydney

The newest addition to Darlinghurst pays homage to the streets in Logroño, where you nibble your way through delicious fresh seasonal produce, charcuterie and terrines whilst having tasters of wine every place you stop at. The vision of owner Lucas Cristolfe is to have a neighbourhood bar with a constantly rotating wine list and food selection, after all. Here, the wines are displayed on a chalkboard, while glass cabinets host chef Ricky’s tasty morsels. To go with your drop, he’s on the pots and pans, ready to whip something up from whatever is new from the market that day — all you have to do is ask.

Perfect for: anyone eager to try something delicious and exciting without spending their life savings on a glass of wine.

With seemingly endless pages filled with more than 300 wines and 80 sherries, Tapavino’s obsession with all things Spanish screams loud and clear from the wine list. Celebrating the diversity of sherry and its natural cohesion with food, this is just the place to learn about the underrated drink in the wine world.

Perfect for: Spanish wine fans, and those after a sherry-fuelled education.

If you want to treat yourself to the ultimate in luxurious food and wine pairings, sit yourself up at the bar at Rockpool and order yourself a David Blackmore wagyu cheeseburger and a glass of Champagne. Champagne not your thing? That’s a-ok, you can browse the leather-bound, almost 1.5 kilogram book they call a wine list. With over 3000 bottles on offer, every major wine region in the world is extensively represented. Plus, some of the most knowledgeable sommeliers in the city are on-hand to help you decide what wine will go best with that mac ‘n’ cheese and onion rings on the side of your burger.

Perfect for: lovers of the old world, anyone with some cash to splash some cash, and those keen on upping their education on older wines.

Monopole has a huge focus on wine, from its name (taken from the French use of monopoly to refer to one vineyard, one winemaker) right down to its carefully compiled wine list by the restaurant’s co-owner Nick Hildebrandt. More than 500 wines from around the world are on offer, many of which are rare or museum releases, or exclusive to Monopole.

Perfect for: wine buffs searching for rare, obscure and hard to find bottles.

Named sommelier of the year in 2012, Stu Knox is known as the wine whisperer. Whenever a sommelier is searching for a new wine or even wants to be re-introduced to a grape variety they might have forgotten (like Stu’s dedication to Cabernet Franc during winter), they head to Fix. You’ll see him running the floor in his signature red sneakers, pouring tasters of curios out of a fancy contraption called a coravin, which allows him to give you a taste of wine without actually opening the bottle. In all seriousness though, he’s actually the first to remind you not to take wine too seriously, because, first and foremost, vino is meant to be fun. Located in the heart of the city, Fix has everything a good wine bar needs: delicious wine served by someone who loves talking about it and is happy to guide you through new experiences.

Perfect for: first dates where you can take the pressure off making conversation by talking about wine, and anyone after just a great place to sit and learn about wine.

One of the most natural pairings in the world is riesling and Asian food, with the natural acidity of the grape cutting through the oily flavours to freshen the palate. Master sommelier Franck Moreau (that’s not just a cool nickname, that’s his title — one of only three people with that level of qualifications in the country) celebrates this variety with over 100 rieslings on the wine list from all corners of the globe.

Perfect for: Riesling lovers, anyone eager to try riesling made from all around the world, and those who want to learn more about Riesling. 

The newly renovated Dolphin Hotel has made way for a great restaurant and an adorable wine bar downstairs. Sommelier James Hird (one of the founders of the Rootstock) has curated an amazing wine list of naturally inspired wines to pair with exciting dishes like bonito and foie gras crackers. Sit down, settle in and drink lots.

Perfect for: anyone looking for esoteric gems from around the world.

You’ve heard of vermouth before — or at the very least you know its comprises one-third of a Negroni — but, did you know that it was created in the early 18th century for its medicinal properties, thanks to its infusion of grape juices and various botanicals? We’ll tell you who does know that: Banksii sommelier and co-owner Bec Lines, who sources the more than 40 vermouths available behind the bar and oversees the creation of their Banksii Vermouth on tap. From vermouth-based cocktails to food and vermouth pairings, this is your one-stop shop for all things starting with the letter ‘v’ and ending with ‘mouth’.

Perfect for: those eager to know just what the vermouth fuss is all about, or anyone after something stronger than wine who isn’t ready for an afternoon of spirits.

When your wine list boasts that it covers “the length and breadth of Australia” on its front page, you know you’re in for a rapid-fire introduction into the Aussie wine scene. Want to try wine from the most southern wine growing region in Australia? They’ve got it. Obscure grape varieties from places in Australia you didn’t even know they made wine? They have that too. With 52 different wines by the glass, you can try things like Australia’s only plantings of Blaufränkisch or play it safe with a delicious Riesling from a young gun winemaker. Indeed, Nomad has made it easy for you to go on an adventure throughout Australia without leaving the comfort of your bar seat.

Perfect for: anyone keen to drink their way around the country without leaving the city.

With her calm disposition and overwhelming knowledge, sommelier Gabby Webster asks you to have an open mind when you peruse the pages of Love, Tilly Devine’s wine list. Focusing on wines made with minimal intervention from all around the globe, if you’re looking for the rockstars of the natural wine world, you’ll find them here. Too daunted to face the wine list on your own? Gabs has a plethora of wines open on the bar to guide you through (and if you ask nicely, sometimes even something super rare behind the bar can be splashed into your glass). A haunt for travelling winemakers, you might find yourself rubbing elbows with one of the new producers in the Adelaide Hills or be offered sage-like advice from a winemaker from Georgia.

Perfect for: those who want to drink the earth, lovers of natural and minimal intervention winemaking, and anyone eager to to brush up on their knowledge before this year’s Rootstock.

Samantha Payne is a freelance writer, sommelier and wine consultant who works on projects domestically and internationally. As such, she has worked on the wine lists at NOMAD and Black Bottle, which are both killer and included in this article.