Where once Warsaw’s wine scene was frustratingly one-dimensional, nowadays it has a vigour and a buzz that’s reflective of the city. From golden oldies to the new generation check-ins, we bring you the essential names that everyone needs to know.
Sierakowskiego 4A
As resistant as traditionalists may be to the very notion of Polish wine, Brać rip-up the rule book to present on-edge sips from niche domestic producers you’ve probably never heard of. Bathed in a rich, red neon glow at night, forego the stylish interior to sip outside on a pristine side street of a newly mapped residential estate in the heart of old Praga.
Zajęcza 1A
Bathed in the soft light of the 70s style vintage lamps scattered about, the natural wines are of the cutting edge and are ably supported by the cooking of co-owner Oleg. The floor-to-ceiling windows afford plenty of summertime people watching.
Burakowska 5/7
Tangled in vines and creeping ivy, this brick warehouse comes into its element each summer when drinkers pile outside to drink amid rustling trees and pristine lawns. Set within a former factory compound, this institution is a flagbearer when it comes to consistency and quality.
Krochmalna 56
This beautiful store / tasting room is defined by its sophisticated simplicity and sense of light and space. The offer is A-class: “Wines from Champagne, Jura, the Loire Valley, Burgundy, Etna, Tenerife, Moselle are our essence,” they say. “And also natural wines as well – organic, biodynamic, low-intervention, modernist, terrorist, authenticist and naturalist.”
Moliera 6
Reputedly the largest bar in Europe specialising in natural wines, this former canteen for ballet dancers became one of the hottest addresses in town when it launched last year – a point not lost on the Vogue staffers encamped here. Crowned with a veneered, marble-topped bar, the interior is a chic work that’s outdone only by the walled Insta-friendly garden in the back.
