Blackhearts & Sparrows

Looking to blow people away at your next pot-luck?⁠
Take some inspiration from a couple of born cheesemongers, Ellie & Sam Studd.⁠
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Swipe for the recipe to this gooey, deliciously luxurious recipe that has effortless, "oh, you just..." simplicity, but is loaded with wow factor.

There are few things we love more than Victorian wine and a bottle that punches well above its price tag.⁠
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So we've brought the two together to celebrate Drink Victorian month.⁠
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Swipe through for reds that hit the mark every time, or shop Victorian reds at the link in bio.⁠
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Change your clocks, drinks start earlier.

The end of daylight savings has come, now is the time to welcome in the long night, which gives you the excuse to pop the top on something a little earlier.

For this weeks Cellar Drop we head to our Sydney Road store to hear from Alex and Charlotte and what they’ve been enjoying lately.⁠
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Alex’s Picks⁠
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Little Reddie NEW! Nebbiolo / Refosco, 2023 ⁠
I took this bottle to my mum’s place for dinner to show her how wines can have complex aromas and notes on the palate. Her feedback was simply “”It’s really, really yummy””, and I can’t say she’s wrong. Drink it chilled or at room temp, at your wine mate’s place or dinner at your parents - Little Reddie NEW! Nebbiolo Refosco is wine for the people!⁠
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Domaine de Montbourgeau, Jura AOC L’Etoile Chardonnay, 2020 ⁠
The kind of wine you whip out to casually impress a date. Pair it with a Comte if you’re feeling subtle yet sophisticated, or a bit of lobster if you’re going all out. Guaranteed date two coming your way.⁠
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Charlotte’s Picks⁠
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Domaine Duseigneur Cotes du Rhone ‘ La Goute du Seigneur ‘ Rouge 2022⁠
Drank this alongside a 1800 Lasagne and it was a great pair! Easy drinking, with bright complexity and a touch of minerality. ⁠
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Beechworth Bitters Beetlejuice Amaro⁠
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I love drinking amaro as a little after dinner treat. This one from Beechworth has a nice note of rhubarb and a subtle bitterness to balance it out⁠
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We’re hosting a free Friday night knock off, with our limited edition Sopra Paradisco Granita Seltzer on pour.

Drop by for a tasting and take advantage of our ‘buy 4, get one free’ offer running all weekend on Sopra Paradisco Granita Seltzer.

Tasting Times:

1-3pm:
Prahran

4-6pm:
Abbotsford
Elwood
Richmond

5-7pm:
Smith St, Fitzroy
Scotchmer St, North Fitzroy
Sydney Rd, Brunwick
Lygon St, East Brunswick
Victoria Gardens

We’re hosting a free Friday night knock off, with our limited Sopra Paradisco Granita Seltzer on pour.

Drop by for a tasting and take advantage of our ‘buy 4, get one free’ offer running all weekend on Sopra Paradisco Granita Seltzer.

Tasting Times:

1-3pm:
Prahran

4-6pm:
Abbotsford
Elwood
Richmond

5-7pm:
Smith St, Fitzroy
Scotchmer St, North Fitzroy
Sydney Rd, Brunwick
Lygon St, East Brunswick
Victoria Gardens

Sangiovese is life in Tuscany, and can be drunk day to night—you could say it even runs in a Tuscan’s blood.⁠
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The varieties hallmark bricky tannins are there and elevated by bold yet delicate cherry, plum and to***co. We don’t need to tell you to open this with your crush.⁠
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Hit the link in bio to shop some of our favourite Pinot alternatives.⁠
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Need an in with the Italians in your life? Step into a very exciting world where the cherries and roses are framed by firm tannins, and rolled with savoury spices.⁠
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Demanding of a feast, that involves mushrooms and slow roasting which we know you’ll love putting on.⁠
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Hit the link in bio to shop some of our favourite Pinot alternatives.⁠
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Ready to dial up the juice? Say hello to Gamay.⁠
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This French grape may look similar from a distance but it’s got its own lush je ne sais quoi thing going on.⁠
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Chilable or great with a roast—the grape’s got range!⁠
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Hit the link in bio to shop some of our favourite Pinot alternatives.

We're heading south for this weekend's Cellar Drop!

Over in North Hobart, they love splashing a little vermouth around and all-round legend, Amalia, is letting us in on a couple of her faves at the moment.

First up is Lacerba Vermouth—think sweet wine notes, dried apricot, hints of grapefruit and a delicate bitterness. Next up is Melbourne's own Soma Red Vermouth made with locally sourced and native Australian ingredients, it's bright, playful and SO delicious.

Give them a run over ice with a simple citrus garnish but we won't stop you if you feel like getting a little adventurous with some other choice ingredients from the booze shelf.

Lacerba Vermouth, $72
Soma Red Vermouth, $50

Buckle up, it's Aries season.⁠
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The second instalment of our Zodiac Drinking Guide is dedicated to the passionate—and fiery—Aries.⁠
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A little spicy and a lot of fun, Aries dive heart-first into life and into their glass. They're direct, love a little competition and aren't ones to back down. ⁠
Hit the link in bio to get a lil spice in your life.

Pinot Gris, Fiano... Where's next on the Chardy-alternate journey? We're so glad you asked.⁠
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It's time to acquaint yourself with Chenin Blanc.⁠
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Hailing from France's Loire Valley, Chenin Blanc (or Chenin to friends) is endlessly versatile. Spanning the full crisp/dry - rich/sweet spectrum, from dialled-up acidity to pillowy cushioning texture and always ready to sparkle, there's no food nor occasion Chenin won't make a perfect plus one for.

We know it's early in the week but if you're already longing for the south of Italy (or just to be near a body of water) we suggest you say Ciao to Fiano!⁠
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Easy to love with hallmark fruit notes like pear and apple; savoury characters of almond/hazelnut meal, and citrus-lined acidity; plus the textural waxiness and structural richness to stand up to a meal.

Safe to say, Fiano has carved out a special place in the Australian wine landscape—and our hearts.⁠
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Hit the link in bio to find Fiano!

Big fan of Chardy but ready to spice things up a little? Allow us to introduce you to Pinot Gris.

The mercury has risen again, so it's only fitting that our beachside bottle slingers down in Elwood have taken the reins for this weekend's Cellar Drop.⁠
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Ralph's pick is absolute gold if we dare say so! " has me in the palm of their hands. With Hypergold, expect a generous time on skin and tropical goodness with whispers of oxidative characters. Delish!"⁠
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As for Joffa, well, let's just say our tickets are booked! ⁠
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"Pack your bags, we're going to Piedmont. Pelaverga, a native variety to the region, is the perfect sidestep for Pinot Noir drinkers. Light-bodied and wonderfully aromatic with the characteristic Piedmont alpine herbs. Bellissimo!"⁠
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Head down south and say Ciao to the Elwood team, get yourself a bottle (or two) and you're set for the weekend!⁠
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We're throwing a Pinot Party this weekend and everyone is invited!⁠
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Head into your local tomorrow for a taste of just a few of our favourite Pinots. We're opening... ⁠
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🍷 Onannon Mornington Peninsula Pinot Noir 2023⁠
🍷 Field Walk Pinot Noir 2023⁠
🍷 Bellarine Estate Portarlington Ridge Pinot Noir 2023⁠
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Plus, our Smith St, Fitzroy North, Sydney Road and Richmond stores will be serving special pours of our Pinot Noir Gin made in collaboration with ⁠
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Hit the link in bio to find out when your local's pouring and add it to you calendar STAT!⁠
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Has autumn finally arrived?⁠
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You really never know in Melbourne but what we DO know is that Pinot Noir is the perfect pick for trans-seasonal drinking.

From LoFi drops waiting to be opened on a warm afternoon to those that dive deeper into a little more substance for seasonally appropriate weather (whenever that happens...)

Do yourself a favour, get yourself some Pinot.

We're celebrating International Women's Day the way we always do, by cracking a can of The Brewer.

Our ongoing collaboration with is made to put women at the forefront of beer and to raise not only awareness, but funds to support women in the beer industry. We're stoked that a portion of the profits being used to fund a scholarship for education for women in the beer industry.

We also marked the occasion by hosting a discussion panel with just a few of the women our beer buyer, Cherry Murphy, admires in the drinks industry.

Join us for a live panel discussion on International Women's Day, March 8th—the best part? It's free!⁠
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It shouldn't be particularly ground-breaking to put women at the forefront in beer, but the reality is that it is.⁠
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That's why we'll be hosting, together with our friends , a few of the many women we admire in the drinks industry at the CoConspirators Brew Pub.⁠
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Our very own beer buyer, Cherry Murphy, is hosting a live panel where we'll discuss the direction we'd all love to see the drinks industry moving towards and how more women can join in on this journey. ⁠
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And of course, to try The Brewer, too!, our ongoing collaboration with CoConspirators that aims to create a safe space for female-identifying folks and allies to enjoy a good brew.⁠
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If past years are anything to go by, it's going to a great time—reserve your spot at the link in bio.⁠
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The Brewer is back!⁠
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We're more than a little excited to announce we had the opportunity to conspire with our friends create our third annual beer celebrating International Women's Day!⁠
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For this year’s iteration, we chose to make a style of beer that’s much-loved amongst both teams—the ESB! Headlined by a bold malt profile and complemented by a firm bitterness, it’s a delicious reminder of why the ESB has cemented its status as an enduring classic.⁠
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It's just landed in our fridges so we suggest your run—don't walk—to your local, or you could hit the link in our bio and we'll bring it to you.⁠
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We've partnered with our pals .seltzer to create Paradisco Granita—a limited-edition seltzer made to taste good and do some good.⁠
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We'll be celebrating the launch of this über-refreshing drop THIS Sunday at our Smith St store as a part of the Pride Street Party and we're more than a little stoked that 50c from every single can sold goes towards Queerspace and supporting our LGBTQIA+ community.⁠
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Available in Melbourne metro stores from today—excluding Vic Gardens, keep your eyes peeled next week 👀 —we suggest treating yourself to a 4-pack and getting ready to boogie with us this weekend.⁠
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Stock up on the good stuff before the real start of the year (a.k.a. February) arrives. We suggest going for versatile drinking ready for all occasions and moods.⁠
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Live within 12km of the Melbourne CBD? Order by 11.59pm tonight and we'll deliver it to you tomorrow.⁠
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Hit the link in bio to shop summer sips for the long weekend.⁠
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Feel like drinking good and doing good? ⁠
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Well, allow us to introduce you to Ocean Grown Gin made by the legends at — it's not only the hero of our Salty Summer, but (one of) the heroes working towards regenerating reef along the QLD coastline with ⁠
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True to form, this coastal gin uses locally sourced coastal rosemary and saltbush, along with sea blight and sea purslane which all impart a delicately salty tang to the gin.⁠
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We're pouring this and a few other salty treats at our Abbotsford, Elwood, Fitzroy, Fitzroy North and Prahran stores this weekend! Drop in from 2pm and season your weekend.⁠
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If you're wondering how to spend the second half of your Saturday, this weekend's Cellar Drop is all the inspiration you'll need.

Abe from our Fitzroy North team suggests getting yourself a bottle of the Portuguese gem that is the Dominó Sao Bento White Blend and parking yourself somewhere beachside.

In the glass you can expect stone fruit, dried florals and a fine line of acidity that's crying out for freshly grilled fish or oyster a la natural. Delicious!

Need a little food for thought when it comes to gifting this silly season?⁠
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Head into your local Blackhearts & Sparrows to create a one-of-a-kind hamper or pick up one we've already put together!

A personalised beer lineup a.k.a. the ultimate gift that says "I bought this for you weeks ago"⁠
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Head into your local to create a one-of-a-kind hamper or pick up one we've already put together!

Staying dry this silly season or know someone who is?
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Head into your local to create a one-of-a-kind hamper or pick up one we've already put together!

This weekend's dispatch comes to us from Tassie where Corey, North Hobart store leader and all-round legend, Corey, is keeping things fresh with his picks for Cellar Drop.⁠
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"I'm always very excited to see some new Melon de Bourgogne land in the shops. Whether it hails from its home in Muscadet or its historical home in Burgundy they are always wines with incredible energy and freshness. Grab one of these fine examples to get your Xmas party rolling. Just don't forget the oysters!"⁠
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Domaine Haute Fevrie Clos De La Fevrie Muscadet Sevre et Maine $35⁠
La Soeur Cadette Melon de Bourgogne 2022 $71⁠
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No matter where you are, get yourself some Muscadet and oysters this weekend and if you're in Hobart, swing past and say hey to the gang.⁠
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This is peak summer holiday drinking and if you're not already on holiday—you'll soon feel like it.⁠
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This year's Tankini from sommelier extraordinaire, Chris Ryan, is as slurpable as ever and exactly the bottle you're going to want to bring to Friendsmas this weekend. ⁠
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Head into your local or hit the link in bio 🔥
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Hosting can often foster fear, especially when it comes to trying to please everyone. The short answer is you can’t. The longer answer is to go for broad appeal. ⁠
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Our user-friendly guide has everything you need to make you a great host (or a great guest) and leave a good thirst impression.⁠
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Hit the link in bio to shop and download the guide.⁠
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