There aren’t many better-loved bottle shops than Winespeake. Jen Latta’s Daylesford corner shop is a beacon of quality and great editing in Central Victoria, an area of the state that doesn’t want much for wine bars or providores or fancy bottle shops. That’s probably because Winespeake is a Goldilocks mix of all three: both a place to discover new favourite bottles and a cosy nook in which to drink them – with a little A-grade charcuterie on the side.
Now, in excellent news for the Surf Coast, that mix of discovery and delight is coming to Anglesea when it opens in March.
“We love the Anglesea community and often visit in the cooler, quieter months,” says Jen Latta. “We’ve always found the sea air so refreshing, and the Anglesea community, being a little quieter than other seaside spots, suits our small but growing family.”
The brief stays largely the same for the new shop: a keen selection of local and international juice, but with more shelf space dedicated to the producers of the Great Ocean Road. Expect bottles from Heroes Vineyard, Reed Wines, Bannockburn Vineyards and Wine By Farr, to name just a few. “I’m sure we’ll discover many more gems along the way; there’s some good stuff coming from down there and I can’t wait to have my finger on the pulse more,” Latta says.
The top-drawer grazing remains at the new digs, with cheese and charcuterie from Long Paddock in Castlemaine, terrine and pate from Obelix and Co, and Saison smallgoods all featuring alongside pickle blankets – “literally pickles wrapped in fried cheese,” says Latta – gildas, pâté, tinned fish, toasties, labne, caviar and more.
As for the wines by the glass, Latta will keep a dozen local and international bottles pouring at any one time. Hopefully, she says, wines that the Anglesea community might be less familiar with. “At the Daylesford shop right now, for example, we’re pouring Envinate ‘Benje’ Blanco from the Canary Islands, alongside Victorian producers like Jamsheed, Blood Moon and Eastern Peake,” she says. For the red drinkers, expect drops like Mortellito Rosso from Sicily and Olek Bondonio Langhe Nebbiolo pouring alongside breakout Victorian producers such as Mahmood Fazal, Latta Vino and ECK wines.
It’s the same Winespeake you know and love, but with a seaside twist. “Great produce in a relaxed atmosphere. Epic team, winemakers on the floor, floor staff becoming winemakers,” says Latta. “And tunes, excellent tunes.”
By Frank Sweet
Winespeake, 2/141 Great Ocean Rd, Anglesea. Follow @winespeake on Instagram for updates on the new store.