Hellbound Wine Bar

When a top sommelier/winemaker and the owner of a wine and spirits distributing company decide to join forces and open their own joint, Hellbound is what you get. Just off one of the busiest main streets of Adelaide, Hellbound has been created in the basement of one of the original buildings, in what used to be a meat locker for a butcher’s shop upstairs. Step down one flight of stairs, and you will be welcome by the neon light installation proudly sporting the name of the bar on the brick wall. With a seating of about 60, you can either choose one of the tables or lounge in one of their chesterfield sofas set up in both corners of the room. Empty unicorn bottles and magnums reminiscent of the good times, helps tickle your thirst for a good drop.

There is no kitchen, but the appetizing and very well curated bar food menu is more than enough to accompany you through a bottle of Conterno or Commando G. There is a good reason why this bar is amongst my top five in Australia. I always find what I am looking for when I am there. The service is laid back but on point… I am all for serving top wines with a relaxed attitude.

Expect a nifty winelist showcasing some of the most interesting wine regions, ranging from places like Tenerife, Madrid D.O to an eclectic off-the-beaten selection of some cult producers from Jura, Languedoc with some of the best producers in Australia. There is a great love of local South Australian producers but also a clever pick of some of the most cutting-edge winemakers from regions like Canberra District, Gippsland, Henty, Tasmania, Great Southern, amongst a few.

You can see that co-owner and sommelier Louis’s love of Burgundy is sincere, whilst co-owner Mark’s obsession with vermouth and shrubs takes you to a dedicated list of various botanical infusions. There is a strong focus on producers who work sustainably. The list will satisfy both the curious drinker who is looking for a strange amber wine and the safer one, who prefers to retire with a classic.