Cardwell Cellars

Name: Cardwell Cellars
Telephone: +61 (03) 7042 1022

Wine Bar

Melbourne, Australia

Cardwell Cellars Wine List

Cardwell Cellars Updated 02 April 2025

Cardwell Cellars Updates

About Cardwell Cellars

A small wine shop/wine bar in Abbotsford that defines itself with a geographic approach and a widespread selection where East meets West. The listing spans from classic AOCs and declassified parts of Europe, a thoughtful selection of Australian wines from smaller producers, along with a trajectory of lesser-known bottles from countries like Japan and Lebanon, to name a few. What really puts this wine shop apart is the way they navigate the wine world and present their selection. Cardwell Cellars, awarded a 3-glass rating from Wine List of the Year Awards in October 2023, explores wine with a detailed geographic lens.

Bespoke maps designed by co-owner Martin von Wyss, a reputable cartologist and avid wine lover, adorn the list and demystify regionality to both the inquisitive and the unassuming drinker. Wines are presented by countries, then by style, with specific regions of the listed wines highlighted on the maps. If you want Tuscany and it is highlighted on the map, you know you can navigate the page.

This pondered list named Wine Atlas of the World is written by squire and co-owner Andrew Wyse and reflects an in-depth knowledge of the wine world. Beyond just knowing the producers, he has history facts that correspond to a particular wine region or country, or the intention or cultural influences of the producer around what was happening in his/her life at the time. There is plenty to contemplate… Picking a bottle is an adventure, as it should be when the experience comes with surprising facts and anecdotes. They run a wine import business under the same name where they bring in gems from Austria, Slovakia, Hungary, Romania and Czechia.

They also have a wine club called the Melbourne Wine and Geographic Society where they deliver monthly selections curated around Geography, Ampelography, History, and Culture. Wine trivia nights bring in groups of regulars in a convivial atmosphere, other nights will see wine experts join Andrew to deliver fun educational tastings.

You can bring in your own food from a wide choice of Chinese and South-East Asian shops off Victoria Street or get anything you like from pizza to burgers from Uber Eats, or just order some charcuterie, cheese and canned goodies from the wine bar itself. Pick your wine, pay a small corkage fee and you’ll find it very easy to spend quite a few hours in this little wine cove.