There is a fab new independent wine shop opened at the top of Albert Road called Wines By The Sea! Owned by Lucy Reynolds, who absolutely loves wine and decided in lockdown to chase her dream of becoming a fully qualified wine connoisseur.
Starting this journey in 2020, Lucy worked hard to graduate and pass her sommelier course so that she could go on and plan a premise, where she could meet wine enthusiasts as well as advise on wine stock she has instore and be a physical presence on the high street.
When we invited Lucy on the podcast back in January (which is Episode 47), she told us that her love of wine grew by going on holiday and tasting wine in different regions, whether that be France or Italy, and other parts of the world. If she hadn't been stuck in the pandemic, she might never have left her corporate job in London to achieve an independent role doing what she loves!
If you wander past the premise which is located at 2c Albert Road you will see the distinctive wine and butterscotch colours that stand out on the pavement. The shop now open Tues – Saturday, sells a whole array of alcohol from natural wines to supporting local vineyard businesses including Wickham and Tinwood Vineyards means Lucy is helping to promote the local drinks economy. Displaying new beer fridges with local craft beer from local breweries around Portsmouth from Staggeringly Good Beer and Fallen Acorn to Powder Monkey means Lucy can provide for beer lovers too!
I really like that there is a local wine shop we can all visit and especially the fact the owner has become an expert just from a hobby she has always loved. I feel that it gives a sense of gratitude from Lucy as she is enthusiastic about her vocation and also that we don't have to travel off the island to visit a nice wine shop. The tasting barrel that sits at the side of the counter always has a wine of the week on there so if you feel overwhelmed by all the labels then this is always a good option. Supporting local gin companies too, Wines By The Sea is stocking Mermaid Gin as well as Southsea Spirit, and Portsmouth Distillery. Although the shop is quite small it is actually perfect as a wine location and has enough room to stock lots of bottles that might take your fancy!
This residence is more than just a place to buy nice wine as it also offers private wine tasting evenings for a great social night out or as the perfect gift for the wine lovers in your life. Offering personalised wine tasting evenings in the shop after opening hours for private parties of up to 6 people, it is a fab idea for that special birthday or occasion! If you think you would like more than 6 people then Lucy can bring Wines By The Sea to your chosen venue.
Having been opened and settled for a good 8 weeks now, Lucy is loving her walk to work which takes only 15 mins and has no rush hour traffic to tend with! Constantly coming up with ideas, Lucy has decided to launch wine tasting events in collaboration with By The Beach cafe and if the last one was anything to go by it looks like a lot of fun. Priced at around £30pp with a fab location just near the seafront at Eastney means you could have a nice evening stroll on the seafront to get there. Look out for more dates in June.
One of my favourite things about this new wine stop is the focus on English wines which is a growing trend in the UK. Stocking a great range of sparkling wine from vineyards across the South Coast makes this an ideal choice to try. My favourite wine to hit the spot so far has been the Italian Timo Vermentino, San Marzano 2021 which has a description of “Crisp, delicate and floral. Great with seafood and perfect to enjoy in the sun” and has been glugged 3 times so far!
Have a read below for news of stockists, the latest wine of the week, and wine tasting evenings happening locally.
