How many times can you visit a liquor store and leave feeling smitten? If you're good enough, hopefully every time you go. My visit to Nillumbik Cellars left me with a long awaited special smitten feeling.
Wow the variety, as if I didn't want to just run all the way to the back wall where they keep the craft beers chilling and ripe for pickings. After perusing up and down, and collecting beers to try, we told ourselves we needed to practice a little control and tried to stop at six bottles. But then we saw others and couldn't help ourselves as two more found their way into our basket. The kind attendant also tracked down a four pack of a specific beer we were looking for.
Not only is the variety on point, the guys at the counter were very friendly. One insisted on making us laugh with curiosity, the other made sure we were taking mental notes on what he was saying. Free wine tastings with a wine maker every other Friday night, if you like a wine, you can buy a glass or a bottle. Every month they have a food and wine pairing, also with a wine maker. That happens in the cafe they run next door. They even have beer events, so his suggestion was to keep in touch and stayed tuned on their Facebook page.
I don't think I'll go anywhere else. This place knocks Blackhearts and Sparrows and Wine Republic out of the ball park. read more
