Jennie Wine Bar

A good wine bar should take you out of your comfort zone. That’s what Scott Tadeo believes. Tadeo wants guests at his snug Peel Street wine bar to come feeling a little adventurous.

If you bring the attitude, he’ll provide the adventure. Taddeo, who previously managed Alfred’s Bar across the street, has curated a list of 40–60 international and local wines, including tough-to-find bottles and the usual suspects (think single-vineyard chablis and Delinquente pét-nat). There’s also a clutch of beers and spirits tucked away at the back. In keeping with his vision to take drinkers out of their comfort zone, he deliberately sourced hard-to-find drops. One of his rarest finds is a single-vineyard palomino from Jerez in southern Spain. He says there are only 300 bottles worldwide.

That exclusivity also translates to the intimate space, which feels a little like walking into a mate’s wine cellar. An 18-seat African mahogany table – built by Sam Weckert of Tiger Build – runs down the centre of the bar; close to 200 bottles line the walls on one side, with a mural by artist Alex Bellas on the other.

Taddeo, alongside business partners Scott Quick (Alfred’s Bar), Matt Holding (Malt & Juniper) and brothers Lachlan and Matt Harrison, designed the bar themselves with inspiration from Wines of While in Perth, The Alps in Melbourne and communal dining spaces across Europe. There’s no service bar, removing the barrier between staff and guests and establishing a relaxed, informal and intimate vibe.

The tight food menu makes for an even more intimate setting, with bar snacks that are designed for sharing. You might find Ortiz anchovies, chicken pate, duck terrine, and mixed olives with smoked almonds, basil and za’atar. To finish there’s also Basque burnt cheesecake made by Adelaide chef Leo Loureiro – which you don’t have to share at all.