Three To Try: New Wine Bar-Bottle Shop Hybrids Serve the Best of Both Worlds

When comedian Matt Okine and bar veteran Dan Wilson opened LPO in March last year, it was revolutionary. LPO took advantage of new liquor licensing laws that allowed wine shops to sell drops by the glass for customers to drink in-venue, as well as bottles to take home. People – including Tamara Husler – loved it. Husler reached out to Wilson to ask for guidance and soon after opened Ruby’s Wine Shop.

The two drink-in bottle shops joined venues like Alfred St Bar & Bottlo, Wineism, Barrels & Stills, Arcade Wine and Malt Traders, where you can buy a bottle to drink in or take home.

Here are our favourite wine bar-bottle shop hybrids that have opened in Brisbane in the last year.

LPO, Tarragindi

When comedian and radio host Matt Okine returned to Brisbane from Sydney, he struggled to find a good neighbourhood wine store. So, alongside long-time friend Dan Wilson, he opened one. LPO, which arrived in late March, is a wine store, but its licence allows it to sell wines by the glass for guests to sample. As a result, there will always be four whites and four reds available to taste – each of which can also be purchased by the bottle. Education is a key focus. Wilson, who previously ran wine bars in London, isn’t afraid to crack open a special bottle and sell glasses at cost. Many bottles ring in under $20, while others are priced for special occasions.

100 Windmill Street, Tarragindi

Ruby’s Wine Shop, Albion

If you’ve noticed similarities between Ruby’s Wine Shop and LPO, it’s no coincidence. Nurse and wine lover Tamara Husler had been mulling over opening a wine shop or bar for years, but after watching Dan Wilson successfully combine the two at LPO, she saw a path forward and launched Ruby’s Wine Shop last month. On the shelves you’ll find around 100 bottles of minimal-intervention wines, six to eight of which will always be open for tasting. Named after Husler’s rambunctious dog, who you’ll see on the shop floor, Ruby’s doesn’t have a kitchen, but you can order from Olive Thyme next door or BYO food to enjoy.

3/297 Sandgate Road, Albion

Fountainhead Winehouse, Newstead

It’s not a wine store. It’s not a wine bar. It’s a winehouse. This new opening from LPO’s Dan Wilson and his friend Chris Banham is shaking up the stagnant wine shop scene. The pair have transformed a former storeroom into a personality-filled space that looks like a cross between a wine cellar and an ancient Roman living room.

There’s an ever-changing list of wines by the glass, but guests can also buy a bottle to enjoy in-house or take away. Education is paramount with the team poised to roll out bookable advice sessions and masterclasses with visiting winemakers. But with bottles coming in at entry-level price points, it’s not exclusionary or overly fancy.

54 Doggett Street, Newstead