Myrtle Wine Bar
15 Warburton Lane, Melbourne
myrtlewinebar.com.au
Buttermilk damper, locally sourced wine and an elevated potato cake are all on display at the newly opened Myrtle Wine Bar – a cosy 60-seater on Warburton Lane (below sister venue Murmur Piano Bar) in the heart of Melbourne’s CBD.
Myrtle is led by Chris Smith and Kirsty McAteer, who have relocated from South Australia after a two-year exploration of short-travelled produce and wine. They believe Australia’s small hands-on artisanal producers deserve to be showcased. Myrtle Wine Bar celebrates native produce, and cocktails with all local spirits and heralds an all-Australian wine list. “We wanted to celebrate all the incredible produce Australia should be so proud of,” says McAteer.
On the menu, you’ll find a wattleseed buttermilk damper baked daily, house-made chicken liver parfait alongside ‘chip shop’ potato cakes with Yarra Valley salmon roe, cultured cream and chives, that are sure to please the most discerning of diners. “It’s a little bit fancy, but with a dash of Aussie cheekiness.”
Myrtle Wine Bar celebrates native produce, and cocktails with all local spirits and heralds an all-Australian wine list. “We wanted to celebrate all the incredible produce Australia should be so proud of,” says McAteer.
McAteer’s wine list champions local terroir with small producers and harder-to-find drops in the limelight. Case in point – the ‘Cloudy but Fine’ Primativo Under Flor from experimental Adelaide producers Silent Noise and the exciting Japanese varietal made from vines here in Australia by producers Bella Ridge, Western Australia.
If that all sounds too high-brow, there’s always the Bunnings-style snag which you can wash down with a casual long-neck of Melbourne Bitter.
The venue, located down a laneway in true Melbourne-style, pays homage to its history as a blacksmith’s workshop. Slip through the heavy sliding door to find two levels of cosy seating, filled with the sound of vinyls from the 70s and 80s.