“Because I drink beer a lot for my job, when I go out I’m more inclined to drink wine,” says Cherry Noble, senior beer buyer with Blackhearts and Sparrows. “I’m more of a wine bar gal.”

For her Blackhearts colleague, wine buyer Adam Cotterell, the philosophy on where to drink is a little different. “I go to restaurants, I go to places that serve food with wine as well,” Cotterell says. “My personal relationship with alcohol is it’s not about drinking, it’s about what glasses of wine and gin and tonics and little cute vermouths do with food and with company.”

Careers spent curating what the public is drinking has left both Cotterell and Noble with an encyclopaedic knowledge of what’s good and where to get it. Let’s leave the decision-making to the professionals.

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Osteria Ilaria

“What they do from a wine and drinks perspective is amazing,” says Cotterell. “It’s a really interesting combination of highly tuned and welcoming hospitality combined with some really insightful, interesting drinks selected on their list.” The sister restaurant to famed Tipo 00, Osteria Ilaria showcases an Italian influence across its menu of small bites and pasta. For Cotterell, though, the beauty is in the wine. “It’s very Italian-leaning, both with those Italian varietals in the context of Australia and Victorian winemaking, but it’s obviously very European and Italian-inspired.”

Pope Joan

“Pope Joan I have always really liked just because I feel it’s a real Melbourne institution,” Noble says. “It’s really produce-driven and simple but well done.” All-day cafe Pope Joan wears a few hats, equally the spot for a pastrami-stacked Reuben and coffee or an arvo cocktail.

With the homestyle food, Noble heads for classic wine styles. “I love pinot and gamay,” she says. “I try to be conscious of the way that I match my food and wine, but in saying that, if something is a bad match but it’s actually just what I want, sometimes I think you just do that.”

Byrdi

From the mind of acclaimed bartender and owner Luke Whearty, Byrdi is right at the top of Melbourne’s incredible cocktail scene. “Luke’s relationship to creating drinks is so thoughtful and deep-thinking,” says Cotterell. The selection is known for Whearty’s use of non-traditional ingredients and techniques like corn husk and fermented apple. “What he does with his drinks is quite explorative, but there’s something quite comforting at the same time. You can always find these little reference points of reasonably classic ideas within his drinks but they can also be quite challenging.”

Tipo 00

Best known for its unfussy menu of outrageously delicious pasta – it’s named for a type of pasta flour, after all – Tipo 00 also boasts an impressive wine selection. “It’s a good wine list but it’s fairly classic,” says Noble. “More structured wines, less trendy wines. A little bit more old school, which is what I lean towards when drinking.” Expect plenty of easily matched Italian styles like sangiovese and barbera.

Cumulus Inc.

Once upon a time, when Noble worked at the Westin, it was a short walk up the street to Cumulus. “It used to be my knock-off place to go with a girlfriend and have an afternoon glass of wine – a 3pm wine,” she says. Andrew McConnell’s Cumulus Inc is stacked with classic dishes taking inspiration from across the globe, but its extensive wine list is worth diving into.

In the afternoon, Noble recommends a textural, skin-contact white wine. “As much as I’ve harped on about preferring classics, I really love a skinsy white wine,” Noble says. “You get a bit more tannin structure and mouthfeel and a bit more body. It adds complexity and depth and that can feel quite lovely.”

Find more CBD venues participating in this years Drink Victorian program here

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