Chris Barlow has delivered a message in a bottle for visitors to Derby.
As the owner of the new premises on Sadler Gate - already packed with a vibrant collection of independent shops, restaurants, cafés and bars - Barlow has not only created a wine bar with tasting rooms, but has brought with it a little flavour of the continent to the city centre.
Relaxed, welcoming and already extremely popular, Wine Stories opened for business at the end of July with the promise of selling wines that you’d never find in a supermarket, from many independent growers in Europe and further afield, at affordable prices.
What makes this place so special is that as the wine flows so too will the conversation. And with that, will come the stories - from both sides of the counter.
“Wine is very subjective. I’ve set up a wine list which will get the conversation started, I want to see the list slowly evolve to suit customers’ palates,” explains Barlow.
“The wines we stock are all here for a reason. We’ve gone for interesting grower-specific wines with a superb representation of every wine-producing area in the world. I like the stories that lie behind the wines on this list. But the ownership of the list will change as we all share our preferences.”
Barlow’s own extensive knowledge of wines is supplemented by that of his wine-merchant brother. Alongside the reds, whites, sparking and even (Romanian) oranges, the shelves of Wine Stories are being stacked, as we speak, with world beers and an array of spirits including gin, rum and brandy.
There’s also space for a very special rye - which Barlow first tasted in a speakeasy in Brooklyn, New York.
Located on the corner of Sadler Gate and The Strand, Barlow has found it possible to set up outdoor tables that offer undercover protection within the historic arcade setting.
The ambience within the property fills three floors of this historic, Grade II listed property. It’s on the top floor that the wine tasting sessions will be offered with small plates of food for around £30 a head.
“We’ve taken ideas from everywhere we’ve been in the world. It’s like pieces of a jigsaw that we’ve collected and then put them all together to create something you’ll only really be able to find now in Derby,” he adds.
Sadler Gate itself has established a recent reputation for itself as a lively area of the city centre, with a wide range of independent shops and eateries for daytime shopping and dining, and with its restaurants and venues providing a lively night-time experience. It’s also the focus for a regular programme of events including the annual Spring and Winter Markets; a Food & Drink Trail; and is “home” to another new kid on the block, Electric Daisy.
For further details, visit: https://www.visitderby.co.uk.