Saluting local wine

BOTTLES & Barrels has been a local gathering point in Geelong West for years.

Initially a boutique bottle shop selling wine and craft beer, it has now expanded into a cafe serving homemade food and a great blend of coffee.

The business took on a new lease of life in October 2023 when local resident Lizzie Larcey decided to take the reins and fulfil her hospitality dream of owning her own business. Lizzie had worked in pubs while studying at university and had been a cook at a tour company in Africa for three years. After a spell in the corporate world, she got the itch to get back into hospitality. And after a stint at Truffle Duck, she took on Bottles & Barrels.

With the help of her great friend Loretta and a young, enthusiastic team, Bottles & Barrels is now a thriving cafe and a boutique wine shop stocking some of the region’s finest wines. “We have a great selection of wine and I really enjoy running the cafe and sharing my recipes with all our locals. We have a great community and I am very lucky to be doing what I love,” Lizzie said.

Looking to expand the Bottles & Barrels love, the business has recently launched private dinner parties as well as off-site catering for small parties or family get- togethers. “I’ve always enjoyed hosting dinner parties at home so now we are hosting them at Bottles,” Lizzie said. “Whether it’s a private function or a corporate event, we can host dinner parties for up to 18 people”. In addition to the dinner parties, Bottles & Barrels has started supplying local families and businesses with catering services. “I’ve had a lot of people ask if we can deliver our food to external breakfasts or lunches, so we now have a specific menu for this as well,” Lizzie said.

The wine shop is a salute to the local region, with a range of finely curated bottles from local producers, and also has some lovely drops from other regions. Lizzie said every bottle in her wine shop has been tried and tested. “The team and I love a good wine,” she said. “We definitely enjoy tasting the wines and we really have focused a lot of our attention on local producers.”

Some of the local brands stocked at Bottles & Barrels include Mermerus, Robin Brockett, Scotchmans Hill, Mazzini, Clyde Park, Brown Magpie and Lethbridge. Other popular brands from around Australia include Longview, Syrahmi, Bindi and Pizzini. “Originally Bottles & Barrels was one of the only wine shops in the area, but with more wine shops opening up over the past few years, we’re really focusing on the local drops,” Lizzie said.

Lizzie hopes to launch an online shop for local wine later in the year and a podcast featuring local wine makers is also on the cards.

For more information on Bottles & Barrels, head to bottlesandbarrels.com.au