I tried exceptional wines from award-winning Scottish restaurant in new 'hidden' location
A cellar space in a recently opened wine bar is a cosy space to visit this winter, finds Rosalind Erskine.
I have been delighted by the number of wine bars that have opened up across Scotland, though in particular the ones in Glasgow, as it’s my home city. The trend for good wine and snack-y small plates has been going strong for a number of years, and they’re laid-back spaces where you can pop in after work or for lunch without worrying about putting on a fancy outfit for the night.
One of the best is Brett in Glasgow’s west end. Opened in 2019 as a ‘younger sibling’ to the Michelin Star Cail Bruich, this wine bar and restaurant has been getting rave reviews ever since.
It has been mentioned in the Michelin Guide with the inspectors’ mentioning how the compact menu showcases the breadth of Scotland’s larder and commenting on the natural wines. It’s a place I enjoy visiting in the summer, as I can chill on their terrace with my dog (who the staff love despite him being a bit bonkers).
The team took over a former caravan shop across the road, and opened it as Caravan Shop wine bar earlier this year. Now they’ve launched Cellar at Caravan Shop, a standalone, cosy Parisian-style wine bar and cellar. And it’s an ideal spot on a chilly, dark night.
Tucked away underneath The Caravan Shop, the Cellar is a cosy den offering an escape from the everyday. It offers a curated, evolving wine list full of hidden gems at exceptional value, both by the bottle and glass. Guests can enjoy Coravin-poured wines and cellar exclusives not available upstairs.
When we visited, on a rainy Tuesday, we descended the stairs into the candle-lit cellar ready to try some wines.
The evening started with a punchy sparkling Staffelter Hof, 'Rizzy Starmust’ Pet Nat, Riesling, 2020, Germany, Mosel followed by a wonderfully mineral white, a Gabriëlskloof, 'Elodie', Chenin Blanc, 2023, South Africa, Coastal Region and finally a red - Clos du Jaugueyron, Haut-Médoc, Cabernet Sauvignon, 2016, France, Bordeaux.
Chris Brewer, general manager was on hand to talk through the wines and make suggestions which were welcome.
If all this wine - they can be served in 74ml pours which is ideal for tasting a few and not feeling too bad the next day - made us hungry and the Cellar, thankfully, serves bar snacks, charcuterie and cheese all of which can be paired well with the wines.
Dishes include: Cantabrian anchovy gildas, beef tartare with house crisps and pickles and the Caravan Shop’s signature mac and cheese waffle served with mustard, pickled onion and parsley.
The taramasalata was a creamy, salty dish ideal with a white wine, and served with radishes and crisp bread. On a night like this, chips are always a good idea, and the Caravan Shop has you covered thanks to their decadent fries served with duck egg mayo topped with caviar and two dirty gin martinis.
The cellar’s stone walls come to life under the candlelight, and there’s not much furniture in this small space, just a mahogany cabinet for glassware for tastings, while generously-filled wine racks, wooden wine boxes and moody lighting introduce an inviting, warm bar atmosphere. There is also an extensive vinyl collection, spinning throughout the evening to provide the soundtrack to the space.
The Cellar at the Caravan Shop seats 10, and is open on Friday and Saturday evenings only. Bookings are recommended online.
Comments
Want to join the conversation? Please or to comment on this article.