Luna Wine Store, a store devoted solely to small producers from around the world, has opened in Byron Bay on 2 March.
Award-winning sommelier, Russ Berry, and Lo-Fi wine directors, James Audas and Tom Sheer are the team behind Luna Wine Store.
The wine selection has been curated by Berry, and focusses on sustainable farming, minimal intervention winemaking and ranging from “rare finds to classics and wine-geek curiosities” and staff have been trained to assist customers with pairing the wines to all types of cuisine.
Berry says: “The Byron community has a great connection with the food they eat, and this can now extend to drinking wine consciously too, and with a firm understanding of where their wine comes from. We all know that to make good wine, we need healthy grapes.”
It opens with more than 300 wines, and there is a large selection of wines practising regenerative farming techniques, soil health, and many certified in organics or biodynamics.
The range includes some of the guys’ Australian favourites, including Jilly, Latta, Tom Shobbrook, Bill Downie and Ochota Barrels. From further afield, European wines include the likes of Domaine Bobinet (Loire Valley, France), Cristian Tschida (Burgenland, Austria), Gut Oggau (Burgenland, Austria), Lammidia (Abruzzo, Italy) and many more. Alongside a selection of Champagne, Burgundy, Barolo producers and a small sake and beer selection.
“Byron has always held a special place in our hearts and over the years we have built some great personal connections with our Lo-Fi customers (restaurants, bars and locals). We are excited to have a store to start the conversation about natural wine here in Byron,” says Audas.
“We’ve been chatting for a while about doing something that would combine our shared passion for wine and love of hospitality. Luna Wine Store is exactly that and we’re excited to see where it takes us,” says Sheer.
The simple natural layout of Luna Wine Store was designed by boutique architecture firm Thorp / Miles Architects and features spotted gum tree panels and industrial style concrete floor.
