Vinotopia's The Wine Barn has opened its doors, marking Gloucestershire's first ever ‘wine barn’ of its kind.
Stocked with more than 400 varieties of specialist wines, spirits and cigars, it also has indoor and outdoor seating for wine fans to enjoy food and drinks.
Formerly housed in the Vinotopia Wine Box — a boutique shipping container — The Wine Barn marks huge growth for the independent wine merchants; quadrupling its retail space to satisfy demand for under-the-radar wines and spirits.
Managing director of Vinotopia, Andy Cole, said: 'We’ve been incredibly fortunate to have grown such a wonderful, dedicated client base over the past few years since launching our quirky Wine Box home, and – as a result – with this fantastic new space, we’ll be able to extend our offering ever-further.
'We very much wanted to launch an attractive gastro-destination that not only enabled people to come along to discover wines and spirits they’d likely never heard of, but in an environment that they could actually sit amongst and enjoy the fruits of their discovery. With our wonderful indoor cosy seating and al fresco bistro tables alongside the River Frome, we feel we’ve hit the nail on the head.'
The Vinotopia Wine Barn has floor-to-ceiling windows, wood panelled interiors, ambient lighting and a log burner surrounded by plush Chesterfield seating.
All 400 lines of specialist wines, spirits, beers and ciders — hand-picked by Vinotopia’s expert team — are on offer, as well as an Enomatic wine dispenser machine which lets customers try before they buy.
Specialising in sustainable and organic wines, the barn features a wide variety of wines exclusive to Vinotopia, including Bauget-Jouette Champagne, Figuiere Provence Rosés and Hundred Hills Preamble Sparkling Wine.
The Wine Barn also features a refilling station for Sapling gin and vodka — a sustainable spirit producer — which plants a tree for every bottle sold.
Cole said: 'We’re passionate about helping our customers discover the very best in wines and spirits from all around the world and make it our mission to help every one who walks through our doors find a tipple that excites and delights.
'There’s a huge misconception that visiting a wine merchant means you have to have a budget to suit, and that couldn’t be further from the case. Our vast range truly suits all budgets — the only thing we guarantee is that you’ll be able to find drinks you simply won’t find on any old supermarket shelf.'
The Wine Barn will play host to pop-up events, teaming up with local and specialist wine and spirit suppliers for tasting events, as well as festival-style pop-up dining dates with local, artisan food trucks.
Later this year The Wine Barn will be joined by an artisan food hall. The opening date is yet to be confirmed.
