Looking for an excuse to feel like a sophisticated vintage connoisseur, without actually knowing anything about wine? Then Loki is the place to be. Hidden away in the charmingly historic Great Western Arcade in the centre of Birmingham, this spot is a gem--like a treasure chest full of wine, with little tasting notes as the map. The magic happens with the tasting machines, where you can try up to 40 wines by the glass--not all at once, you rascal! Want to sample a few without committing to a whole bottle? You can try sips for around £1. It's a great way to find your new favorite drop without the commitment anxiety. Plus, they have these super cool self-service Loki cards, or you can (as I did) trade your credit card for a temp. Get guidance from the lovely staff if you're overwhelmed by all the choices (I was). The selection is as diverse as it is vibrant, with wines from all over the world, and the best part? They're all served at the exact temperature the makers intended--no warm, sad wine here. Looking for sweet wines, my partner and I enjoyed an airy Gewürztraminer, a super fantastic vintage port from Warre, and a delightful coffee-noted port from Penfolds. I also sampled a yummy, peppery and full-bodied Shiraz. While I didn't try the food, the menu looks like it would be the perfect pairing with any glass you pick. Cheese boards, meat boards, olives, focaccia, you know the stuff. Whether you're an aficionado or a casual enthusiast (like me), Loki Wine is a great spot for a laid-back yet luxurious experience. I'll definitely be back next time I'm in Brum. read more

Loki Wine Merchant & Tasting House - A taste of the Gewürztraminer, a larger taste of the Australian port. Both delightful. Upstairs seating. - Wine Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Loki is a technically a wine shop but it has a few unique selling points. 1. Phil is super knowledgeable and approachable. If you have a question about wine or need a recommendation he will help you! 2. The beautiful location in Great Western Arcade. The store itself is exceptionally stylish too, all wood shelves, tables made from barrels and a lovely upstairs seating area. 3. It's not just a shop- you can try wines too. You can pick up a card, load it with money, pop the card into the amazing wine dispenser (!) select a small or large taster or a whole glass, and the wine is dispensed into the wine glass you have taken from the rack above. There's a variety of decent reds and whites available. These are good quality wines so a full bottle isn't a cheap option. So having the option to have a good sized sample for anything from 90p-£2 means you can feel more confident buying the whole bottle. So when you've picked a glass of wine you like, you can take it upstairs, sit on the seats, order a cheese or meat board (from Anderson and Hill across the way) and have a completely relaxing afternoon. Even the olive oil is amazing. Highly recommended. read more

Loki, for me, is a real gem in the Birmingham independent scene. Firstly this is a very well stocked little wine shop, full of interesting wines which Phil, the owner, will happily talk you through to help you pick something ideal without any pretension. Secondly it's a wonderful place to go for a drink, just grab a card, top it up, put it in the wine vending machine (yes it's as awesome as it sounds) and select your tipple from the constantly rotating selection. You can then stand around the barrel or take it upstairs to the well appointed seating area and relax, maybe with a meat/cheese board made up fresh from Anderson & Hill, the independent deli opposite. This is a must visit place for any wine fans in Birmingham. read more

Loki Wine Merchant & Tasting House - Wine Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

Loki is a brand new winery and lounge in Birmingham's most attractive shopping arcade - Great Western. It seems like things are finally sorting themselves out here as more new and interesting businesses are opening and bringing a touch of class back to the arcade. That said, many units still remain empty but hopefully not for long. Loki is a fine addition to the gourmet food, gifts and fine clothing available in Great Western and is sure to appeal to CBD's after work crowd. I love the styling of the shop and the lounge upstairs is an unexpected treat. Everything smells so fresh and new and the furnishings are beautifully upholstered in bright green and plum with dark leather Chesterfields too; you won't want to leave! Loki sell wines, Champagnes and spirits ranging from £6.99 to a hefty £385. If you want to try before you buy, they have some very impressive preservation units to make sure that first taste is just perfect; just purchase a wine tasting card from the website and you're on your way! (Cards are available for as little as £10 and samples start at just 25p each.) Seating is available downstairs if you want to pop in for a quick glass after work or the lounge upstairs is also available for something more substantial. Please contact Phil if you are interested in booking the lounge for a corporate event for up to 40 people or are interested in wine tasting. read more

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I LOVE WINE BARS. This is a combo wine store and you can taste wines by the taste / glass with the cool machine - try a taste - get a glass. You get a card and off you go to the wonderful selection of wines that are perfectly preserved. The two young men - John and Jacob were passionate, very knowledgeable and open. No pretense. We picked up a great bottle of 1970 Rioja at a great price. read more

I am almost loathed to say this, but I first visited Loki just a few short weeks ago. I quite regularly wander through this Arcade to visit the venues and shops within, but I'm not here very often in the evening; hence not popping into Loki. Loki is a wine and spirits specialist with a twist. As well as a great selection of amazing wines and spirits by the bottle, you can purchase per glass or taster via a vending machine with a card. The actual experience of topping up a plastic card, grabbing a glass and picking your wine is something special in itself. Phil (the owner) was on hand the night we were in to help give some tasting notes on each one, but there are descriptions provided (and the wines in the vending machine change very regularly). If you choose this as an evening's entertainment, you can purchase a cheese and meat deli board from Anderson's over the way and enjoy the rustic surroundings and multiple wines in their upstairs tasting room. There are tables on the ground floor as well, but these can get quite busy of an evening. If you haven't popped into Loki yet, I thoroughly recommend a visit. These guys know their stuff and it's great to try various types of wine without committing to a whole bottle. Thumbs up Loki, you're a goodun! read more

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I love this little specialist wine bar. It's quite small downstairs, but has a reasonable selection of high-ended wines and spirits. The unique selling point however is that the wines can be bought by the glass. You simply buy a card, which you put in the slot about the wine bottle of you choice, choose the size of glass you want, press the button and voila! Upstairs is a lovely light spacious room, which I saw went a went to a Reisling tasting there. Really good for a quick after work drink. Nice relaxed atmosphere too:) read more

Loki Wine Merchant & Tasting House - Yum:) - Wine Bars Near Me - Birmingham, XWM

OMG what a cute place! Hadn't seen this before. It's basically a wine store with a lounge upstairs. It's a slightly different concept as you top up a card with money and then try all sorts of wines that you chose from some kind of vending machines. The guys that run it are really friendly, and it's a popular place, always packed. But upstairs they have a really nice little lounge and more space. Again really great of you come as a group too. Great for a couple of glasses of wine to relax after work :) check it out read more

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It's a wonder why it's taken me so long to get to @lokiwines. What a concept. Grab a card, top it up just like an Oyster card, choose a wine and purchase: 1. a taste 2. a half glass 3. a full glass Just insert your card into the machines and choose your wine. A fantastic opportunity to try some very pricey wines before you buy. But really, just a great stop for when I'm on my way home from a busy day. This place also suits me as I'm not a heavy drinker so half a glass or a couple of 'tastes' of red and I drift happily home! A great service from Phil too who clearly loves his job and knows his stuff! The space for tasting is tiny and get's busy very quickly but there is space upstairs too (which also gets full on a Saturday early evening). There are some decent bar snacks available too boot. An place to be experienced. Regularly. read more

Loki is one of my favourite wine merchants in the city. A unique cross between a wine shop and also a bar it really does tick many boxes for me. The shop itself stocks a range of wines and champagnes that change frequently along with some more specific and unique spirits. Loki also allows you to sample a large number of the wines available, there are several wine dispensers along the wall dispensing perfectly temperate wine to specific measures. The wine dispensers are operated using prepaid cards which you can top up at the bar. Upstairs offers further wine selection and seats with an incredibly relaxed atmosphere but defiantly somewhere that's worth a visit and in my case several visits. read more

It was love at first sight when I walked in here. How could you not love somewhere that has wine from floor to ceiling, super snazzy tasting machines with a little pay as you go card, relaxed surroundings/decor and incredibly friendly and knowledgeable staff? Forget it. You are doomed to want to stay here and keep coming back for more. I was meeting a friend who goes here regularly, and is also friends with Phil, the owner. I had an absolutely fantastic time tasting various wines (some of the tastiest I've had, and the most unusual) while nibbling cheese and meat from the deli across the way. It was pretty much my idea of heaven. The atmosphere is very relaxed, with people popping in here on the way home from work or meeting for a chilled out bottle of wine. I've been reliably informed that it's not unusual for people to pop in solo for a little glass, so there really is no excuse not to visit. There are a few stools downstairs, with a proper seating area and the bathrooms upstairs. There are even little hooks for your bag on the barrels downstairs. Thoughtful! The music was great, and everything is just so comfortable and inviting - the hours flew by! Although that may have been part conversation, part wine. This is my definite go-to now for proper, non-embarrassing wine. Phil and the rest of the staff really know their stuff, and there's something to fit pretty much every budget. It's also very likely to be my new haunt for just a little glass of an evening. I mean, antioxidants and new friends are good for you, right? read more

Having ventured into Loki a few times they have never really failed to disappoint, a healthy selection of red, white, rose, sparkling wines and spirits means you can generally find a good buy. All the usual tell tales of a good wine merchant are there, the uncommon (or none supermarket) grape varieties are all available and the staff are extremely helpful - a number of visits and I end up leaving with pretty much exactly what I needed. During busy periods the store can be a bit crowded owing to the tasting tables (upturned barrels) which can provide a minor annoyance when trying to scan the shelves but other than that always a happy shopping experience aided by the helpful but not pushy team. For mid to high end wines in the city centre provided by folks who know their subject area I would heartily recommend Loki read more

I stopped by here to get a nice bottle of wine for my Dad after epically failing at trying to find him a decent puzzle. I knew about this great little shop after purchasing some spirits for Christmas presents last year, however, I hadn't really looked at the wine selection. I was greeted when I entered and was asked if there was something in particular I wanted. I described what kind of wines my Dad liked and that it was to go with the cheese I was also getting him. The gentleman then showed me a selection of what they had which would be a good choice. He talked me through each bottle and was polite even when I kept asking questions over and over again! I would have brought more than one bottle but I was on a budget. The service was great and I'm now looking to try and attend one of their tastings! (p.s. my Dad loved the wine but said it was too good to go with cheese) read more

Great Western is on the up, with the Liquor Store and other trendy stores moving in it could be a Birmingham highlight in years soon to come. Loki is a morden wine store with a huge selection of fine wines and champagne. They have places to sit and try wine and self serve machines that dispense different types of wine to make sure your purchase is the right one. The styling of the shop is traditional wood, with some comfy decor upstairs you could loose an entire day just trying different wines and learning about them. read more

A fantastic selection of premium wines at a reasonable price, friendly and knowledgable staff and a good atmosphere. The innovative self-service machines make for a more memorable experience and give you the opportunity to taste expensive wine without the pressure of the retailer and with the option of a small sample, a small glass or a large glass. A good idea and it works well. read more

Love this place, we don't go often but always have our card on us so we can pop in for a taste on the way to the train after shopping. Great team in the shop/bar with great nibbles from other independents in the great western arcade. read more

I love this place so now you know! A wine merchant come wine bar the first of its kind in the midlands. Checkout their web site for info on how it all works but basically Phil knows about every wine he sells, a £5 corkage fee gives u glasses & access to the lounge. Add £6 for a plate of cold meats and/or cheeses both from the deli across the arcade and you are all set. 24 wines to taste 600 plus to choose from Brilliant read more

As part of a hen party, I came here for a wine tasting session, the space itself is quite small and intimate although comfortably fit about 15-20 of us around a large wooden table, divided by a wall, there was an additional section for the 'regular patrons / other customers'. The wine tasting session included 6 types of wine in addition to a selection of meat cuts, cheese and crusty french bread. At the beginning of the tasting, we were given the option as to which type of wines we would like to focus on, given that we were a large group we kept it simple and just said a bit of red / a bit of white. Overall, it was a great experience, there was a great balance between explaining the wine which we were about to consume versus leaving us in peace to enjoy and mingle. Would definitely recommend if you were thinking of doing a bit of wine tasting as a group or, if you simply quite fancy a nice glass of wine with a few friends. read more

Popped in here for a special bottle of wine for a friend s 60th birthday. The staff are always so helpful and very knowledgable. I said how much I wanted to pay and what type of wine I was after and was given a whole range of choices. Perfect place to sample all sorts of wines and great for that special gift. read more