As with the Fitzroy accommodation guide, the information presented here is not intended to give preference to any individual business. The opinions expressed here about Fitzroy bottle shops are my own based on my experiences searching for the regional Victorian wines I like drink. In between trips to the cellar doors I need to buy locally and it’s surprising what you can find if you look carefully.
The new arrival on Brunswick St is St Jude’s Cellar wine shop (in the front of the restaurant at 389-391 Brunswick St). It’s probably the most expensive bottle shop in Fitzroy with a highly selective range that suits their food and serious wine connoisseurs. They have some Victorian wines in the $20-$30 range, including the Silver Wings mourvedre shiraz, the Dal Zotto sangiovese cabernet sauvignon and the Jamsheed La Syrah shiraz. Join the mailing list to receive a 10% discount on take-away purchases.
The Evelyn hotel bottle shop (351 Brunswick St) has a reasonable range including the Galli Estate sangiovese.
Brunswick Street Cellars (409 Brunswick St) used to stock rubbish cleanskins and little else. After several changes in ownership over the past few years the current owner seems to have a much better idea about what Fitzroy drinkers want. The shop has been revamped and stocked with a surprisingly diverse range including lots of organic wines. It has a good though seemingly random selection from regional Victoria, including the Box Stallion arneis and the Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi shiraz.
The recently redeveloped McCoppins (165 Johnston St) has the Zilzie tempranillo, the delicious Sticks cabernet merlot petit verdot at a bargain price and the Trentham Estate nebbiolo.
IGA (424 Brunswick St) has an average range but is not competitive on price. They have the Sticks chardonnay viognier for about $3 more than McCoppins and many of the same things as Brunswick Street Cellars, all for about $1 more.
Safeway (243 Smith St) is unremarkable, but they have a few different things in stock including the Miranda high country merlot, which I consider to be the best tasgting $10 everyday bottle of wine in Australia.
Smith St Cellars (195 Smith St) is quite similar to Brunswick St Cellars, with an eclectic range including the Rutherglen Estates mourvedre, shiraz and grenache. I think they also had the Mount Langi Ghiran Billi Billi shiraz for $1 cheaper than Brunswick St Cellars.
Cellarbrations (169 Gertrude St) has probably the least interesting range of any bottle shop in Fitzroy. It stocks mainly large selling low cost well known brands.
The Fitzroy Bottle-O (115 Brunswick St) is avoided even by alcoholics because its shelves are mostly empty. It is the worst bottleshop in Fitzroy. Don’t waste your time.
The Gertrude St Enoteca (229 Gertrude St) is a fabulous little shop if you have money to spend. Like St Jude’s its range is aimed at the connoisseur end of the market, and it has the best range of foreign wines in Fitzroy.
Should you wish to go a little further, the wine selection at Piedimonte’s (corner of St George’s Rd and Scotchmer St, Fitzroy North) is good, and Carlton has two excellent shops: Carlton Cellars (corner of Richardson St and Canning St, Carlton North) and King and Godfrey (corner of Lygon St and Faraday St).