CELLAR DOOR TAKES FLIGHT

The Cellar Door takes on an important mantle, as the very latest wine bar and tasting room in the centre city. Set in the historic School of Art building in The Arts Centre, the space – formerly occupied by Annie’s Wine Bar – has been swiftly brought into the now.

After major structural overhauls, the co-owners and Christchurch wine industry stalwarts Kate Hide and Tim Ogle, said they ‘let the building speak to them’ and set to work on making the spot their own. And own it, they do. The sensitive restoration is pared back, comfortable, and rustic – meaning you’ll experience the Arts Centre spot in a whole new fashion.

A fun fact: you’ll sit on bentwood chairs from famed and long-gone institution Le Bon Bolli, and latticed features on the bar and walls are made from barrels that held Pegasus Bay Pinot Noir a mere few months ago.

Make sure you investigate the offer of ‘Wine Flights’. In the world of vino, a ‘flight’ describes a group of wines that are tasted side by side for comparison. The cheekily named flights (I Can’t Believe It’s Not Buttery, Everything Happens For A Riesling, et al.) are four 40ml tastes – adding up to a little more than a glass of wine, but with the added bonus of demonstrated differences in region, variety, winemaking style, and provenance.

The seasonal menu on offer is simple, classical, and perfectly matched – tasty dishes for nibbles through to large plates for sharing, all designed to complement the large variety of wines on offer. Make sure you check out the ample list of daily cheeses behind the bar.

There’s also plenty for the non-winos amongst us – craft beers, gin, whisky, cognac, aperitifs and digestifs, cocktails, as well as local soft drinks and a range of house-made soda syrups.

There is no need for booking, just head on down. Kate, Tim, and the entire Cellar Door team will be chuffed you came to visit. Tell them we sent you!

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