We started out with a selection of 45 wines when we opened in April ’21, offering 15 by the glass at the height of summer!
Then it crept up to 80 odd by that September, then 120 and somehow we now find ourselves with a list of over 250 to choose from. Demand and interest from customers, and their willingness to try something different, has made the list far more interesting and varied than originally anticipated…
…of course there are familiar names and ‘Go to’ wines that people want, but there are a few that are lesser known and have fast become favourites with our customers, such as ‘Boa Vida’ produced by Dona Matilde from the Douro in Portugal using Touriga Franca & Touriga Nacional grapes; a great big juicy red wine. Roussane Grapes featuring in wines from the Savoie and the delicious, Bio, Côtes Du Rhone from M.Chapoutier, as well as surprises such as White Port in the shape of Barros white port (Gouveio) from Porto the heartbeat of port. And the Biggest surprise of all the Rijks Touch Pinotage, not many will believe you when you say your number one selling wine by the glass is a Pinotage… but it is!
During the Autumn & winter months we reduce our wine by the glass offerings to 9: 4 whites 4 reds and a rose, along with prosecco and champagne, and of course Port and Sherry, so still plenty to choose from. As we have done since the start we shall rotate the wines by the glass on a regular basis but keeping the most popular on the list as much as possible!
We are not just all about wine we do have a selection of Scottish bottled beers, lagers and ciders, a carefully selected choice of Whiskies, half a dozen or so Gins and other spirits most of which are local/Scottish plus an array of soft drinks
For fear of you falling asleep we won’t list all 200 plus of our wines but below is an seasonal top 10 well worth a try and like our rotation by the glass we will suggest a few more every couple of months.
Winter '24 Top 10
Grape, Region, Country, Producer/Name
Price per bottle
Riesling, Rheinhessen, Germany, Peth Wetz, ‘21
£29
Dry with hints of pear and lemon, with all the acidity expected. It’s been along while since we offered this wine up by the glass, probably because it is bought so often by the bottle a favourite since opening in the bar.
Pecorino, Marche, Italy, Carminucci ‘Belato’ Offida ’22
£40
For those who are new to Pecorino the wine not the hard sheeps cheese, this is a fresh elegant wine, crisp, dry with large fruit tastes, apple/pineapple. Like the Txakoli & Godello, Pecorino is making a comeback having been thought extinct during mid 1950’s. DOCG approved. We hope you will give it a try. Great with the cheese platter.
Domaine De La Villaudiere Sancerre Rosé ‘23
£45
Pinot Noir100% , What is not to like about anything Sancerre? Apart from the price! C’est la vie… salmon pink in colour this wine has a strong bouquet. Cherry and redcurrant come through, a smooth wine well balanced everything you would expect for this quality.
Viognier, France, Ventoux/SE Rhone, Château Pesquie, Le Paradou ‘22
£35
Peaches & Pears spring to mind with plenty of mineral taste, medium, soft. A perfect match with the dry cured meats and the cheddar.
Barbera, Piemonte, Michele Chiarlo, Cipressi Nizza ’21 DOCG
£56
Voted the best restaurant/hotel fine wine and overall red wine ’24 at the UK Sommelier awards. It really is exceptional Barbera. Full of red berries, wild raspberry and a hint of tobacco. It is really nice! One to savour.
Chenin Blanc, Late harvest (Sweet) Stellenbosch, Miles Mossop, Kika ’20 ½ Btle
£37 1/2 Btle
A fabulous alternative dessert/sweet wine to the Sauternes or the Tokaji options we have available. Well worth a try esepcailly in tandem with the Dolcetti. A great Christmas tipple too, like a large amount of our wines the Kika is available off sale from Merchants delicatessen on Castle Street.
Palomino, Jerez, Medium, sweet single bota aged 19 years, Diatomist Range
£7 per glass
Left field choice, especially as sherry is not my thing! But our customers have really taken to the new range of artisan sherry coming from the Diatomist range. This medium sherry oozes walnuts and marmalade. There are another 4 in the range, Manzanilla, Amontillado, Oloroso and Pedro Ximénez, all distinctly different and available in their own flights for you to try. Whisky fans will like the Oloroso, medium and Pedro Ximénez. Also available by the bottle from Merchant’s Delicatessen
Malbec, Cahors, France, Dom. Prince L’envol du Prince ‘20
£37
One of my favourite regions, everything you expect from the ‘Black Grape’ moniker. Dark, black fruit notes very earthy, quite dry. This is a go to wine for me if someone is looking for something heavy without sinking them. Bloody great!
Tinta Roriz/Touriga Nacional, Cortes Nr Lisbon - Vale Da Mata ‘22
£37
Another great replacement for the soon to be de-listed ever popular Boa Vida. From cooler climes due to the Atlantic influence, this is a lively red fruits number with hints of chocolate and possibly liquorice. Popular choice at the staff tasting and very popular with customers.
Virginie T Extra Brut NV, Premier/Grand Cru provide the backbone of this Champagne.
£89
And now for something a bit special and only available in this bar – in Scotland! Virginie T may sound pretty anonymous, that is because Virginie Taittinger can’t use her own name for her new venture – so she has done the next best thing. With 160 years of family history, she represents a double Champagne legacy as the daughter of Claude Taittinger, and Catherine de Suarez d’Aulan, whose family owned Piper- Heidsieck. Having worked alongside her father at Taittinger for more than 20 years, Virginie wanted to make Champagnes where each cuvée was independent of a previous one, to be a creator rather than a follower of recipes. It has been a slow-burn with wines launched individually over the past fifteen years; their first release was the 2008 vintage in 2015, after six years of ageing… We have secured a limited supply of 3 champagne styles for you to try!
This one is racy & rich!
Grape, Region, Country, Producer/Name
Price per bottle
Pinot Noir
Pinot noir is a red wine grape variety of the species Vitis vinifera. The name may also refer to wines created predominantly from Pinot noir grapes. The name is derived from the French words for pine and black. The word pine alludes to the grape variety having tightly clustered, pine cone-shaped bunches of fruit.
£30
Malbec
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.
£30
Deep red
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.
£30
Deep red
Malbec is a purple grape variety used in making red wine. The grapes tend to have an inky dark colour and robust tannins, and are known as one of the six grapes allowed in the blend of red Bordeaux wine.
£30
Chablis
The Chablis region is the northernmost wine district of the Burgundy region in France. The cool climate of this region produces wines with more acidity and flavours less fruity than Chardonnay wines grown in warmer climates.
£30
Sauvignon Blanc
Sauvignon blanc is a green-skinned grape variety that originates from the Bordeaux region of France. The grape most likely gets its name from the French words sauvage and blanc due to its early origins as an indigenous grape in South West France. It is possibly a descendant of Savagnin.
£25
Salmon tartar
Basil sour cream, horseradish oil, marinated radish, kale chips & warm red onion jam.
$30
Beef Burger
Chevre Noir, dill tomato, roasted onion mayo, arugula, Quebec Wagyu’s beef bacon, crispy potato & dijonase.
$25
Demi-poulet de Cornouailles
Portuguese spices rub, radicchio, lentil & aragula salad, goat cheese, whole grain mustard dressing.
$35
Grilled Calmari
Salsa Verde yogurt, quinoa, nappa cabbage, beet and fennel salade, pomegranate molasses dressing.
$20
Wine Flights
As well as the wine by the glass we offer a 3 x 50ml flight of any 3 of the wines that are opened for by the glass drinking, including Ports.
However, we do not include the Fizz’s or any blackboard specials that may be on.
Flights £7.50 last flight departs at 22:00 daily.
Magnum Night
Every third Friday of the Month will be Magnum night. Why a magnum? Well the bigger the bottle the better the wine keeps, and it’s just not always convenient to open a magnum or bigger when just two of you, so on these Fridays we will crack open a magnum or two depending on popularity to sell by the glass! Now there is treat to look forward to!