Circl Wine House

THE VERDICT

The world of wine can seem daunting and distant to your typical Melburnian grub and pub type. But Punch Lane's new wine-centric restaurant with accessibility at its core is about to make it a whole lot easier for all of us—Circl. 

Its name pays homage to the simplicity of how it began, started by a circle of friends, the wine house stands as a shared passion for wine, bringing you a new direction for quality vinos, centred around knowledge, inclusivity and discovery. 

Circl provides a jam-packed by-the-glass list of drops, that include everything from limited-edition wines to hard-to-get bottles, crafted to perfection by award winning head sommelier and venue manager, Xavier Vigier. 

All good things come in pairs, so you’re guaranteed a decadent choice of wine pairing cheeses, offering both artisanal Australian and international cheese, served alongside onion jam, Vivian’s honey, quince paste and bread. 

As for the food, it speaks for itself. Brought to you by exec chef Elias Salomonsson who has previously worked for Scott Picket (Smith St Bistro, Longrain, Matilda), nodding to his Swedish heritage.

Produced with Australia's finest seasonal ingredients and local produce, this everchanging menu is built to be enjoyed with a vino in hand. For starters, you can expect anything from Sydney rock oysters and caviar with crumpets, to a goats cheese eclair or a smoked eel tart, followed by hearty-mains like a blackmore wagyu tri-tip steak with mountain pepper cafe de Paris butter, or a Loddon Estate duck with a drizzle of Davidson plum barbeque sauce. 

As you enter the two-story building you’ll see the beauty of the reimagined space, curated by Melbourne-based architects MARCH.STUDIO. The welcoming interior features polished concrete floors, tastefully interrupted with red leather seats. 

While the upper floor delivers a unique backdrop, showcasing the available bottles in a room-length, glass-enclosed wine cellar, serving a delicious view.

Book your table over here.

Images: Circl Wine House | Supplied
Words: Mika Gerrish

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