Renton Carlyle-Taylor, Lyndon Kubris and Mark Hopkinson – the minds behind The Valley Wine Bar – also have a hand in a collective of Melbourne-based bars The Alps, Milton Wine, Toorak Cellars, The Hills and The Moon. Across each venue, the group’s aim is to remove the pretension surrounding wine and placing paramount importance on enjoyment. The newest addition to the family – The Valley Wine Bar – is no exception, with a cool and casual fit-out crafted by Jason Blake boasting white marble bench tops and tables made from cypress pine, and shelves of incredible wine sourced from around the globe. The venue is part bar, part bottle shop, with each bottle available to take home or drink in house for $15 extra – and that’s not even including the wines available by the glass.

So, what makes the wine here special? The tasty drops stocked at The Valley Wine Bar are predominantly biodynamic and organically grown – wines that show a sense of place and boast something a little bit different to the norm. The bar operates on a one in, one out system, where varieties that go out of stock are replaced with something new to ensure variety. Therefore, smaller volumes of particular wines will be brought in, so wine lovers will need to move quick to get a taste. The bar also stocks a selection of premium spirits with a focus on artisan Australian distilleries, and a curated range of beers is also on offer. The Valley Wine Bar also serves up cheese and charcuterie boards, supplemented by a selection of pates, smoked almonds and olives, with rillettes and terrines to come in the near future. In addition to this, patrons can also BYO food from other Fortitude Valley joints if they desire!

Need to find a bottle for a dinner party? The Valley Wine Bar is open now and can help you out. Check out the Stumble Guide for more details.