This September, 12 Coravin Guide venues in Sydney are offering vintage wines by the glass, including rare bottles aged a decade or more, sourced from private cellars from Whale Beach to Marrickville. There’s no need for a special occasion or a bottle purchase; simply pop in on a Tuesday evening and savour a mature wine that would typically only be available by the bottle.
For the whole of September, some of Sydney’s best-loved wine bars and restaurants are doing something they don’t do often: pouring their oldest, rarest bottles by the glass. It’s called Vintage By-The-Glass — 12 Coravin Guide venues across the city unlocking their private cellars for one month only, giving Sydneysiders the chance to taste wines that have been quietly evolving for a decade or more, no bottle purchase required.
A Rare Treat for Wine Lovers
Each of the 12 venues is setting aside a dedicated by-the-glass menu built entirely around wines aged 10 years or more — meaning you can walk in on a Tuesday night and order a taste of something that would otherwise sit behind a “by the bottle only” wall.
With older vintages becoming increasingly scarce on restaurant lists, this is an extraordinary chance to taste classic styles and iconic producers, some going back decades. Whether you’re curious about a 1980s Cabernet, an iconic 2016 Cristal or a legendary Sauternes, Vintage By-The-Glass is the ultimate playground for Sydney wine lovers.
Follow the Trail: Twelve Cellars, One City
With participating venues spread from Whale Beach to the Inner West, September is the perfect excuse to turn a night out into a proper tasting trail. Here’s the full route, area by area.
Northern Beaches & Upper North Shore
City Centre & Circular Quay
East & Inner West
Claret Club
Darlinghurst
The Pours Worth Planning Your Night Around
Every venue has its own vintage by-the-glass menu, but a few pours are already generating buzz:
- 2016 Louis Roederer Cristal ChampagneO Bar & Dining
- 2015 Château d’Yquem SauternesRestaurant Hubert
- 2010 Château Grand Mayne, Grand Cru Classé, Saint-ÉmilionRestaurant Hubert
- 2015 Torbreck ‘Les Amis’ GrenacheJonah’s
- 2012 Rippon ‘Mature Vine’ Pinot NoirOborozuki
- 1996 Vasse Felix ‘Heytesbury’ Cabernet SauvignonKipling’s Garage Bar
- 1988 Lindemans ‘Limestone Ridge’ Vineyard Cabernet SauvignonKipling’s Garage Bar
- 1988 Marc Bredif ‘Grande Année’ Chenin BlancOborozuki
That’s four decades of winemaking, poured one glass at a time. Vintage By-The-Glass runs across all 12 venues for the month of September only — once the cellars close again, these bottles go back behind the wall.
The Coravin Guide
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