in wine today

Harbouring Wine

By Georges Meekers

Predictions are a dangerous business. You start off trying to be like Nostradamus and end up more like Nosferatu, giving the kiss of death.

But believe me when I tell you that in no time we’ll all be seen drinking fine wines like they were going out of fashion before any waiter can pull a fast one.

Part of it is down to the sprouting of new wine bars in Malta and Gozo. They are taking over from pubs and the pop-and-glue-glue rhythm of the wine pour is edging out the sluggish hiss of the pint pump.

Malta’s latest wine bar is located in the Portomaso marina and is called ‘Porto Vino’. With a name like that, you can’t really mistake the true intention of this bar-cum-club.
In fact, it makes a change to visit somewhere that hasn’t jumped on the gastro-brasserie-pub bandwagon and isn’t so designer as that you are scared to walk through the door.

That’s not to say this place doesn’t have style, aimed as it is at ‘the grown-up wine set’ - on the contrary. Porto Vino also lowers the barrier for newcomers to wine, making it easy and most affordable for them to wet their tongues offering a wide range of wines by the glass or flight.

There is the service of a team of experienced staff and of a gentle giant sommelier who’s well in the know. But have them strolling over waxed wooden floors and along big leather sofas and the whole feeling is more laid back than pumped up – you could quite easily be persuaded to spend your whole evening sipping in such agreeable surroundings.

No need to be too laid back in your choice of drink, however. The professional wine list is as fat as the Old and New Testament together, but it reads with ease as it offers a fine selection of fine Malta wines and imported bottles.

Whether you indulge in a bottle or choose to imbibe by the glass, note that the prices (and mark-ups) are as affordable and reasonable as it gets.

Porto Vino already acts as a magnet for wine lovers hitting the terrace deck or pulling a chair in the cigar room in the back. You can collapse in Courvoisier or bath in Chardonnay but the place never gets poky and smoky thanks to a terrific air quality system.

Porto Vino conveniently leads to ample underground parking and opens from around eight in the evening till early morning.

Although Porto Vino is within spitting distance of Paceville, this is a first class port of call to swirl, sniffle and sip.