Carmen Street Wine has been popular since its launch night in November. It is the sister site to Caper and Cure, a much loved restaurant in Stokes Croft, which was named last year among the Good Food Guide’s 100 Best Local Restaurants for 2024.
Outside of events and private dining, Carmen Street Wine – on Carmen Beckford Street, just around the corner from Caper and Cure – is open Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays. It serves not only an incredible selection of wines, but also beers, spirits, oysters and more.
But on Wednesday, February 12, the bar in the new Carriage Works development hosted its first ever wine tasting event, so I went along to try its selection and learn a bit more the process.
Walking into the small but cosy venue, my partner and I were seated at the bar, as were other pairs, whilst larger groups sat around tables along the edge of the venue. There was a bit of shuffling around with some tables whilst it seemed arrangements were still being perfected, but in a small venue, I understand how key it is to try and maximise space.
Holly, the sommelier for both Carmen Street Wine and Caper and Cure, greeted us as we took our seats, with a plate of snacks, two glasses of water, and empty wine glasses placed in front of us.
The theme of the evening was ‘low-intervention wines’, a term I had not heard of before the night, but refers to wines that have no additions of chemicals, commercial yeast, added sulphites, or sugar. Low-intervention wines also mean the grapes are handpicked, and the wines are unfiltered and often made using organic farming practices.
The wines may also be farmed biodynamically, Holly explained, which means “farmed by the moon”, where the “vineyard [is viewed] as an ecosystem that looks after itself”. Holly assured us that the moon that night was perfect for drinking wine, so I was relieved.
But simply put, Holly said: “Low intervention wines give a truer expression of the grapes, vineyard and vintage. And importantly that they make more interesting wine to drink.”
We waited roughly 15 minutes before Holly came over to pour the first wine, a sparkling white, from Peasmarsh, East Sussex. After pouring everyone a glass, Holly gathered the room’s attention to share more about the wine, explaining its origins, the history of the vineyard, and the winemaking process.
We took our first sip after Holly’s explanation and knew we were going to be in for a good night, Holly then made her way around the room, answering any questions we had.
Throughout the evening, Holly’s explanations, answers and approach, were very friendly and knowledgeable, allowing for a pleasant learning experience. Some may approach wine tastings with hesitation due to the occasional snobbery associated with the activity, but Holly removed this without taking away any of the value of the event, making it both accessible, and enjoyable.
No matter what question we asked, whether on the larger history of wine making and vineyards, or down to what specific terms mean, Holly had the answers ready, showcasing how skilled she is in her profession.
The event was advertised as each wine being paired with a snack, and whilst in front of us was a delicious plate consisting of manchego cheese, cured meat, olives, chutney, and a sweet tortilla, we had to ask Holly which food was meant to be eaten with each wine. She then happily explained which snack went best with each wine, but it would have been great to have had this explained at the beginning of the night, or have had each snack brought out with the different wines, to clear up the initial confusion we had.
As well as the white from East Sussex, we tried three other wines. An orange wine from Piedmont, Italy, a red from Caunes-Minervois, France, and finally a sparkling red from Andillac, France. Every time we moved onto a new wine, Holly introduced the bottle and answered any questions we may have had.
It was genuinely hard to pick a favourite from the night. Each wine chosen was like nothing I had tasted before, and really kept me engaged with what I was drinking, with a range of flavours coming out every time I took a sip.
Overall, it was a really enjoyable night, and for just £25pp it felt like a steal. As with any first-time event, some minor details, such as guidance with the snacks, are bound to need ironing out, but Holly’s knowledge and charming personality, alongside the ever-growing love for Carmen Street Wine and Caper and Cure, means this is bound to become a must-attend event in Bristol.
If you missed last night’s tasting, there is another taking place next month, so keep a look out for when bookings are available, as it’s almost sure to sell out fast.