A new innovative way of finding and enjoying some of the best wines in Wales' capital city, while supporting local indepedent hospitality businesses post-pandemic, is coming to Cardiff this August.
The 'Cardiff Wine Passport', created by wine-lover and independent PR consultant Jane Cook, is an "unconventional way to explore some of Cardiff’s best-loved independent bars and restaurants" and hopes to get people back into the local eateries and watering holes that have suffered as a result of Covid-19.
Available for six weeks from Sunday, August 7, the passport, which you will get as a physical 16-page booklet, will allow vino venturers to claim one 175ml glass of wine - or 'wine flight' - from different destinations across the city from Sundays to Thursdays. The venues taking part will offer a choice of one of two different wines in return for a stamp in your passport.
Read more: 11 Cardiff wine bars you need to visit
Jane says: “The act of popping out for a quick glass of wine with friends or colleagues after work seems to have fallen away a bit since the pandemic. I thought that this would be a fun and accessible way to bring that ritual back - and a great way to support some of the city centre’s best-loved indie businesses at the same time.”
The 'wine passport' has been created with the support of the For Cardiff City Ambition Fund. This funding helps support external ideas and projects which hope to contribute to the future of the city.
Speaking of the project, Rob Cooper of Little Man Coffee & Bottle Shop, which features on the tour, said: “So many independents have had to make significant changes over the last few years and months - this is a great way for us to join together and encourage people to enjoy a glass or two of wine in some of our unique spaces in the city centre."
With 11 local bars and restaurants in total to choose from, this is the perfect opportunity to take a thirst-quenching culinary holiday in your own city for £25 and explore some new, and old, places to sip and savour this sweet tipple.
The bistros and bodegas taking part in this Cardiff Wine Passport scheme include Venetian cafe bar Bacareto, Spanish deli bar Curado as well as sustainability-focussed outdoor restaurant Kindle, whose wines are natural. Read our review of the restaurant here.
Spanish tapas bar Bar 44 is also included alongside its sister restaurant, Spanish grill Asador 44, gastro pub Daffodil, bistro and gin bar Gin & Juice, board-game café-bar Scaredy Cats, cosy hole-in-the-wall wine, sherry and vermouth bar Vermut, speciality rum, prosecco and wine destination Rum & Fizz and Chilled & Tannin pop-up at Little Man Coffee.
Becca Thomas, owner of Bacareto on Church Street, said of being involved, “We’re really delighted to be part of this first year of the Cardiff Wine Passport, alongside some of the other exceptional independent bars that the city centre has to offer."
She added: "A very special part of Venetian culture is the ‘Bacaro Tour’, the custom of hopping from one bar to another, enjoying a drink and a bite to eat at each. We hope the passport will mean that Cardiff can enjoy a little bit of this tradition - and people can discover some new favourite haunts along the way!”
Kindle's co-owner Deb Lewis also commented on this new venture: "Innovative schemes like the Cardiff Wine Passport are needed more than ever in post-pandemic times. Highlighting the incredible offerings of our local independents not only helps us to raise our profiles again, but it allows us all to be part of something totally unique to our city, giving it a real sense of community and identity."
Alongside the different wines you get to try, if you're feeling peckish you can match your glass with a seasonal small plate or bar snack - at an extra cost - for the ultimate delicious experience.
There are only 1,500 passports available to purchase for the scheme's first year, so if this sounds like your cup of tea - or glass of wine, even - keep an eye on the website here.. The Cardiff Wine Passport will be valid from Sunday, August 7, for six weeks and can be enjoyed Sundays to Thursdays. You can also sign up for priority access on the site to be the first to know when tickets are released. For more information, visit the website or Cardiff Wine Passport's social media.
Read next:
- Wine merchant Spanish Wines Direct is setting up a Cardiff branch
- The Welsh vineyard named as most beautiful in the UK
- The 14 new Cardiff restaurants and bars you couldn't visit this time last year
- The Welsh beach bar where people drink on the sand with an idyllic backdrop
- The Cardiff food tours you probably didn't know about that take you to some of the city's best restaurants, delis and cafes
