Top 5 summer wine bars

There’s no reason why you can’t enjoy a few drinks over the holidays if you want to. The key here - as with everything - is moderation. There are various methods you can use to keep your drinks under control this Christmas. Try cheeky tricks such as making a glass of wine last twice as long by turning it into a special sparkling wine with some sparkling mineral or soda water. By taking Weight Watchers’ advice, it’s easier than you think to keep up your lifestyle while maintaining a healthy diet and having fun over the summer.

1. 121 BC

At 121BC, most of the wines are around $8 a glass, some at $6 and very few above $10. The by-the-glass gear runs the gamut, from Friuli to Abbruzzo, Sardinia and Basilicata – it’s all there and we are loving it. 

2. 10 William Street

There’s a huge range of wine on offer at this bar, brought to you by the Fratelli Paradiso folks. It’s all scrawled on a blackboard wall, and with an emphasis on Italian varietals. Give the bar snacks a nudge too.

3. Bentley Bar

An old favourite turned new again with a makeover by star Melbourne architect Pascale Gomes-McNabb still has one of the most interesting, ever-evolving wine lists in the city.

4. The Wine Library

The winner of Time Out’s Wine Bar of the Year award last year is up the pointy, pricey end of Oxford Street. Happily, though, the Wine Library has plenty on the wine list that’s easy on the wallet and the tongue.

5. Love Tilly Devine

Sommelier Matt Swieboda and chef Tim Webber have turned a dank storeroom into an excellent wine bar where riesling rules and every wine has a story.

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