The lowdown
If you’re of a mind to put up a chardonnay from new-breed local star Mulline against a Raveneau Chablis, you can do that here, paired with some of the best food in the region. If it’s hot, you can then kick off your shoes and walk across the sand to cool your heels in the ocean. Perfect.
The nuts & bolts
Opened 2014
We know you’re not in Europe right now, and that’s ok. There are venues like Noble Rot Wine Bar, an elegant wine bar in the small coastal town of Point Lonsdale, that has a very European feel. While you can’t yet sit by the Mediterranean with the turquoise expanse of gentle ocean before you and a light breeze that lifts and cools the brilliant sunshine, you can immerse yourself in Noble Rot.
Open since 2014, owners Trish Berry and her son, Jordan, wanted to open a wine bar that they would like to go to in the small community. They’ve been enthusiastically embraced for not only the welcoming atmosphere they’ve created but for outstanding quality wines – local and international – as well as a smart menu by new chef Sam Baddeley.
On the wine list, Jordan says, “Wines I like will get a run, but I also try to keep a really broad and interesting selection that can appeal to a wide range of guests. When you stand back and look at the list there is certainly a lot of smaller producers, many of whom employ minimal intervention techniques to varying degrees but that isn’t the main factor in deciding whether or not to stock a wine. The main factor is, is it delicious?”
Being a coastal town means it’s very seasonal and the recent Covid restrictions saw the venue change and adapt to offer a four-course tasting menu for a limited number of guests inside, while offering a charcuterie and cheese snacking menu for outdoor dining.
The plan coming into the summer is to continue the snacks as well as offer a small, seasonal, sharing-style a la carte menu for the whole venue.
“We love the pop-in wine punters at Noble Rot,” says Jordan. “Having so many regulars, we try to keep the wine by-the-glass list on fairly high rotation, covering a broad range of regions, grapes and styles. For those looking for something special, we also have a Coravin system which allows us to open pretty much anything, within reason.”
