Glou

Last week, while walking along Smith Street in Collingwood and thinking about which venue I should try, I found myself at Glou. What first caught my attention was the atmosphere and overall vibe at the entrance. But once I stepped inside, I came across something even more surprising, and I immediately wanted to try it and share it on Eatmap. In Melbourne, on tap beer is very common and comes in many different varieties. But at Glou, the format felt a little different. Here, you are met with on tap wine. Seeing wine served in this format genuinely surprised me. On top of that, there were so many options. In fact, there were enough choices to make anyone who wants to try them all a little too happy. On this visit, I tried two wines: Pinot Noir and Pinot Meunier. Even though I am usually someone who prefers Pinot Noir, at this venue I liked the Pinot Meunier more, just letting the interested ones know. Also, there were not only red and pink options. There were white wines as well, but I forgot to take a photo of them. Since my main goal during this visit was really to experience the surprise of seeing on tap wine as soon as I walked in, I only tried Chappy’s Crisps from the food side. Still, I can say that the bar food options looked good enough to make wine lovers happy. I also shared a photo of that, so you can check the images. Next time I go, I will definitely try the bar food option that looks like a cheese board and includes olives. By the way, the cheese is vegan cheese. Another detail that caught my attention was the rows of bottles displayed on one of the walls. At first, I thought they were there just as decoration. But when I looked at the menu, I realised they were actually takeaway bottles available in half-litre, 1-litre, and 2-litre sizes. So if you visit the venue and really like one of the wines you try, you can choose one of those bottle sizes, have it filled, and take it home with you. The fact that the prices are not too expensive and that the wines taste good is also a big advantage. If we think about how standard bottle shop wine bottles are usually around 700–750 ml, the 1-litre wine prices here ranging from $36 to $48 feel quite notable. Another detail I should mention is that these are reusable wine bottles, which is something important to me. I also shared the detailed pricing as a photo, so you can have a look there if you want. The staff were also definitely friendly, warm, and attentive. They were especially knowledgeable about wine. You can ask any questions you want, of course about wine, and they can also help you make a choice. But be careful, because their knowledge and suggestions may convince you to try more than you planned. Yes, we can definitely call this place a wine bar. Maybe I was this impressed because it was my first time coming across this concept, but it really is a venue that deserves to impress. With its flavours, its ambience, and the interest shown by the staff, it stands out. Also, this is not only a place for people who prefer wine. It is also a very suitable venue for those who prefer cocktails, and of course there are non-alcoholic options too. So it should not be thought of as only a wine-focused place. I did not think I would give 5 stars for atmosphere to a venue, but I think this place truly deserves 5 stars. I definitely think this is a place that deserves a chance. And once you give it one chance, the second chance will probably come naturally. Go and try Glou, and share your thoughts with us.