IT’S ALWAYS WINE O’CLOCK
MANCHESTER has wine bars by the barrel load, from romantic champagne bars to laid-back wine merchants where you can try before you buy. We’ve rounded up some of our favourites for your drinking pleasure. Let us know yours - tweet us @CityLifeManc. Salut, Cooper Street Cooper Street wine bar Salut offers a fun introduction to the world of wine with its enomatic ‘wine jukebox’ dispenser, containing 32 types of wine to try in 50ml, 125ml and 250ml samples. Just load up a card with credit and away you go. A further 12 wines are also available by the glass and a whopping 350plus by the bottle, to drink in or take home. The bar also hosts regular tastings, showcases and courses for those wanting to widen their knowledge.
11 Cooper Street, Manchester, M2 2FW Hanging Ditch, Victoria Street Independent wine merchant Hanging Ditch is stacked to the rafters with top tipples, which customers can drink inside. There’s a rotating selection of wines by the glass to choose from, or you can buy a bottle to drink in with just a £6 corkage charge added to the retail price. The shop often welcomes wine-makers and experts for masterclasses, tastings and talks, too.
42-44 Victoria Street, Manchester, M3 1ST BistroVin, Deansgate Situated upstairs from Deansgate’s Spirited Wines shop, BistroVin offers 20 wines to try by the glass. Customers can also pick from the 250 bottles in the shop to enjoy there and then with a small corkage fee. Platters of cured meats, cheeses and other antipasti-style nibbles are also available to soak it all up.
63 Deansgate, Manchester, M3 2BB Veeno, Brazennose Street Specialising in Italian wines, Veeno sources all its stock from its owners’ family vineyard Caruso & Minini in Sicily, ranging from silky red Sicani (nero d’avola) and oaky white Le Selezioni (catarratto/grecanico/ inzolia) to sparkling prosecco and franciacorta. There’s a simple selection of Italian appetisers such as bruschette topped with Sicilian yellowfin tuna or nduja and cured meat and cheese.
14 Brazennose Street, Manchester, M2 6LW Epernay, Watson Street Feeling fancy? For the best champagne head to Watson Street, just off Peter Street, and up the stairs to romantic little hideaway Epernay. The speciality bubbly bar offers 15 types of fizz by the glass, as well as an even bigger bottle selection. The cocktails are cracking as well.
Unit 1a, Great Northern Tower, Watson Street, Manchester, M3 4EE Bakerie, Lever Street Bread and wine are two of our favourite indulgences and Bakerie does both brilliantly. It’s recently doubled in size with the opening of its new cellar space, which is home to a wine jukebox serving 24 wines by the glass, as well as more than 70 by the bottle. Wine tasting events and bread-making classes are also regular fixtures.
45 Lever Street, Northern Quarter, M1 1DN
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