Retail unfiltered dives behind the counter to uncover the real people of Australia’s liquor retail industry. This week we meet Nick Minogue, Manager of Barrelhouse Cellars in the Rocks.
With close to 20 years of customer service and liquor experience, Minogue is a lover of wine – and a good Negroni – and has been the store’s leader since it first opened in 2023.
Owned and operated by Sydney’s The Barrelhouse Group – the same team behind Hickson House Gin, and CBD venues The Duke of Clarence and The Barbershop – the store is known for its blend of high-quality products and outstanding service.
Minogue said the store’s charm comes from its prime location in the heart of the city and the diverse people that it attracts.
“It’s located in the heart of The Rocks area in Sydney. We range boutique wine, spirits and beers mostly from Australia as our customers are predominantly tourists. A lot of our customers are looking to try Australian wines. A lot of them go on wine tours while in Australia and when they are leaving Sydney pick up a few bottles at our store before returning home, as they are familiar with some of the regions and styles of our wine.
“The quality of our wines impresses them, in particular Pinot Noir and Shiraz are very popular. As a small independent store, I range a lot of small boutique wine producers so it’s great to show them products that are just as good as the larger producers,” he said.
Building relationships, sharing experiences
Minogue’s career in liquor first began in the early 2000s when he worked in liquor for Coles. It was an invaluable experience that led him to develop skills and build strong industry relationships across the industry.
“I started working for Vintage Cellars, then went on to work with the legendry liquor retailer Jon Osbeiston. He taught me a lot about imported wine, premium wines and the liquor business.
“We worked together at Prince Wine Store and Bel & Brio. Then went back to Vintage Cellars after Covid and became a local business manager sourcing beer, wine, and spirits from all around NSW. After I met up with the guys from the Barrelhouse Group. It’s been a fantastic place to work with so many visitors from all over the world,” he said.
A part of assisting international visitors is education on the diversity and quality of local products and creating an inviting space that allows for curiosity to grow.
“We regularly have ‘Meet the Maker’ sessions with winemakers and distillers to help educate our customers. We now have a newly opened garden bar in the back courtyard of our store. We have a fantastic range of Australian wines and spirits there too, which tourists are loving.”
The best part of the job for Minogue is creating meaningful relationships – whether that be with his team or the connections made with customers over a good product.
“[It’s] talking about wine and educating people on what to drink by taking them on a journey. Working with a great team of guys, meeting people from all over the world and also building friendships with local customers is what it’s about.”
In terms of what customers are reaching for, Minogue said he has seen Tempranillo and Grenache make a big resurgence in recent months. In spirits, Tequila and Mezcal are selling well, he added.
“I think people are looking for different grape varieties that are lighter and easy drinking styles of wine. The quality of tequila that Australia can access now has made a big difference in sales. People don’t mind spending a bit more for quality.”
Looking ahead, Minogue said he is noticing a growing interest in rum in-store and sees it being the next big spirit trend.
“Quality rum is already trending in-store. From local producers to age statements from Barbados. I think it’s next. [And] once again, we can access better quality rums now such as Foursquare and El Dorado, with more rum bars popping up around the city. It’s great to see a revival.”