Shanghai’s Top Wine Bars

A mere five years ago Shanghai was a wasteland for the wine connoisseur; today oenophiles are gradually becoming spoiled for choice. Over the last several months the city has witnessed yet another round of wine bar openings, further expanding the list of options for sampling a good drop. Yet in this increasingly saturated market, entrepreneurs still see tremendous opportunity for growth, making it a good bet the recent explosion of venues is a sign of things to come.

House of Wine

Located amongst the hustle and bustle of the Bund, House of Wine is a calming relaxing bar that caters to almost every budget. With a focus on smaller boutique names, they stock a variety of organic wines from France. Prices by the glass start as low as RMB 55 and get much much higher when you drink the fancier stuff.

7F, 3 Zhongshan Dong Yi Lu, near Guangdong Lu. Tel: 3366 4788

Fossette

Another top-notch establishment, Fossette describes itself as a place to ‘drink outside the box’. Founded on the belief that wine should be enjoyed without all the fluff and pretension that sometimes comes hand in hand with a corkscrew, it’s modern and relaxed interior makes for perfect place to enjoy a couple of glasses.

93-3 Xiangyang Bei Lu, near Xinle Lu. Tel: 6418 1138

Brick

With a pretty sizable wine selection and a good menu of Mediterranean food, Brick has the all the bases covered to ensure a good night. Between Tuesday and Saturday there are live jazz performances that add a little something to the experience. Top it off by lighting up a stogie and your night is pretty much as good as it gets.

30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Zhong Lu. Tel: 6093 2005

Dr Wine

Some medical practitioners sing the praises of wine as a preventative measure for all sorts of ailments. From preventing heart attacks and cancer, wine has well-documented health benefits. If Dr Wine deals in curative elixirs, that makes their sommelier the pharmacist extraordinaire at their well-stocked apothecary. The warm and inviting décor is a welcome change from the minimalist lounge scene that is currently in vogue.

177 Fumin Lu, near Julu Lu. Tel: 5403 5717

hoF

Located amongst the glittering lights of Luijiazui, this bistro style restaurant stocks a pretty impressive and very reasonable wine list for the average diner and wine expert alike. A perfect date location, hoF is the place to be if you want to step up the romance to the next level, and their Sinan Lu branch has some of the best chocolate-cocktail pairings this side of Europe.

Pudong Branch: DBS Tower, 1318 Lujiazui Hu’an Lu, near Dongyuan Lu. Tel: 5010 0800. Puxi Branch: 30 Sinan Lu, near Huaihai Lu. Tel: 6093 2058. Web: www.houseofflour.com