If you’ve had the pleasure of Poodle’s wine guy Alex Pineo serving your table, you’ll know he knows his way around a wine list. He’ll take it as seriously as you and your table mates would like, but he’s equally as happy to point you in the direction of a rosé that goes best with a couple of ice cubes – because, in his words, “guilty pleasures don’t exist”.
His list recently took out Australia’s Best Wine List in the under-200-bottle section at the Australian Wine List of The Year Awards, perhaps because it doesn’t get caught up in too much wine snobbery, maybe because it’s a list that’ll service the snacks on the menu as it would those robust main courses, and its stellar Victorian offering almost certainly had something to do with it, too.
When someone hands me a drinks list I hand it to my partner. I’m notorious for going to the same wines when I’m out at a restaurant and it’s great to try something new and exciting. She’s also way better at picking wines than me.
There’s no better value on a drinks list or in a bottle-shop in this state than Dazma Prosecco! It’s prosecco not meant for a spritz! It’s dry, a little lo-fi in production but still pleases all palates. I’m very keen to see the new release which, fingers crossed, is coming very soon.
As far as I’m concerned, the defining place to get a drink in Victoria is Public Wine Shop. It has such a great natural wine selection and at great prices as well. Its owner, Cam Burton, is one of my favourite people to talk about wine with. In an industry with a lot of pretentiousness, Cam has a genuine passion and love for wine shines in his service and this is reflected in all the front of house at Public. Ben Sears’ menu also is amazing; the stuffed chicken wing with mustard gravy always rocks.
The last three delicious Victorian things I drank were…
Matéo hibiscus yerba maté: my mid-week Diet Coke alternative. Super delicious and super flavoursome and a great coffee substitute to get your caffeine hit. Good for you as well. Josh Cooper rosé: the king of cabernet makes a ripping rosé for all palates. Inspired by Clos Cibonne, the wine is full of blood orange and grapefruit, super savoury, and a delight in a courtyard with friends. Pirlo Syrah: a little side-project of Rory McCallum who’s in the vineyard for Oscar Hermann. Cool climate syrah from the Yarra Valley. Lil’ bit of carbonic maceration to bring out the fruits for an exceptionally quaffable lighter bodied syrah.
My guilty pleasure at the bar is… Guilty pleasures don’t exist. Nobody should feel guilty about ordering an Espresso Martini or a refreshing rosé with ice in it. Both are bloody delicious, and I applaud all drinks selections and choices. (But to answer your question, it’s a white-wine spritzer or a Daiquiri.)
The Victorian wine I’m loving most right now is the new Bobar chardonnay. It has always been a staple on the Poodle list and this latest release I think is Tom and Sally’s best yet. Great acidity and use of oak result in a fresher style of chardy that will impress natty cool kids and also your parents’ mates.
I’d love to see Victoria growing more pears and apples to put into cider. The demand may not be there for uber-premium farmhouse ciders, but we could do a bit of a Field of Dreams build-it-and-they-will-come kind of situation. Everybody should drink more cider. It’s awesome.
When It comes to drinks, our key strength is breadth. Such a great variety of styles of wine in Victoria, especially alternative grapes varieties, which are always super fun to try.
The best or most important change to the way people drink in Victoria in recent years has been a growing awareness of the value in buying local. Why buy a $200 bottle of some average Burgundy, when you can get some top-quality Victorian gear for a fraction of the price?
For me, the most inspiring person in the Victorian drinks world is Tessa Murray. She trained me from the ground up when I started in hospitality and her meteoric rise to running Chauncy, one of the most celebrated restaurants in Victoria, is amazing to see. Her wine recommendations are always killer, and she is the most talented sommelier on the floor I’ve ever seen.
Poodle, 81-83 Gertrude St, Fitzroy, poodlefitzroy.com.au, @poodlefitzroy