Currently, the problem of buying good wine can be solved in several ways: firstly, go to the store; secondly, visit specialized establishments, such as Moscow wine restaurants, wine bars or wine cafes. Sometimes vinotheques are called enotecas. Translated from Latin, oenology is the science of wine; accordingly, an oenologist is a specialist in wine. Expand

Wine bars

Wine is a noble and complex drink. Therefore, not everyone can figure out its varieties and features on their own. For this purpose, there are sommeliers - experts and wine connoisseurs; they will teach you all the intricacies of various drinks and help you choose the right wine as a gift or for yourself. And, as a self-respecting capital of a modern powerful state, Moscow invites residents and guests to specialized wine establishments, where you can familiarize yourself with the assortment and taste your favorite drinks.

And in order for you to make a truly right choice, we invite you to our website, which contains complete information about wine establishments in Moscow.

The Moscow Vinoteka can be described as something between an ordinary restaurant and a good wine store. After all, in essence, a wine library is an establishment in which, first of all, one gets acquainted with the culture of wine, and only then decides where to continue it - in a restaurant, at home, outdoors or at a party. Nowadays, simply drinking wine, especially elite wine, is not interesting. You need to learn how to taste it in order to choose the best, and for this you need to know where the most popular and best wine stores in Moscow are located.

Wine restaurants

The interior of such establishments is usually stylish, modern, using technological innovations, corresponding to the theme of the establishment. A different range of color lighting is used - during the day the room is white, and in the evening the colors play in sheaves. Usually, a wide range of accessories and glasses are offered for exquisite and rare wines. In many establishments of this type, right in the halls there are cabinets and shelves built into the walls with a rich collection of elite wines. In some establishments the assortment exceeds several thousand items. After all, self-respecting wine stores arrange supplies of elite wines directly from leading producers in Italy, France, Spain and many other countries of the world.

In most establishments, the most attractive place is the contact bar counter. Here, right in the hall, culinary masterpieces are prepared under the guidance of famous chefs, since in most wine restaurants preference is given to original cuisine. Gastronomic festivals are not uncommon. Wine restaurants often hold various promotions, organize wine games for guests, and offer on-site lectures with tastings. Cellar design specialists – cavistas – often hold their own theme nights.

Fashionable wine bars and restaurants in Moscow of various formats are in this selection. A vinoteka, or wine restaurant, is the right place for those who want to try an interesting wine in the right environment. In such establishments, visitors can not only purchase one of the bottles, but also get acquainted with the history of each specific variety. Wine restaurants in Moscow are a harmonious combination of a classic restaurant and a good alcohol store. On the shelves and in the cellars of many such places, dozens of wines from the Old and New Worlds are stored.

Wine bars in Moscow

Distinctive features

The format of a wine restaurant has several advantages over a standard wine boutique:

Snacks. A properly selected dish will help you experience all the richness of the taste of wine. There is even a special science for this - enogastronomy. She studies the “art” of wine and appetizer pairings. In the best wine restaurants in Moscow they will help you choose the right dish that will reveal the drink to the fullest.
Variety of wines. Wine stores often serve wine by the glass, so you can try more different drinks and then decide on the treasured bottle.
Sommelier. In addition to the waiter, most wine restaurants in Moscow employ a sommelier. He not only selects all the drink items on the menu, but also helps visitors with their choice.
Tastings. From time to time, wine bars and restaurants in Moscow hold “wine battles,” dinners and tastings with famous sommeliers. For example, in “Simple Things”, Wine Religion or Why not wine.

Typically, the cost of a glass or bottle of wine in such establishments is above average. Here you pay not only for an elite drink, but also for the atmosphere itself. But in the capital you can also find affordable wine restaurants, for example, “Wine Bazaar”, “Wine and Burger” or Wine Express.

Wine restaurants in Moscow

The main goal of such establishments is not to feed visitors to their fill, but to emphasize the sophistication of the wines offered. Therefore, the menu of wine restaurants most often places emphasis on light snacks. Italian bruschetta with various fillings, cheese and vegetable plates, seafood, fresh salads and desserts are very common here. Some wineries also serve heartier dishes: soups, meat, poultry or fish.

To choose the best wine restaurant in Moscow, explore the selection on our website. Reviews from visitors will help you get the right idea about a particular establishment.

We tell you where to go for bottled wine at 90 rubles per serving, where the best selection of sparkling wine is, where to go for a glass of sauvignon to take with you, and where you can spend half a million for a bottle.

If in the 2000s everyone drank cocktails, now Moscow has switched to wine. The format of a European wine bar, where people come to spend time over a conversation and a glass, is increasingly penetrating everyday life. Wine enthusiasts bring European biodynamics and organics, products of young winemakers from the Old and New Worlds to Russia, worthy domestic samples appear, and some restaurateurs are ready to offer all this to guests at reasonable prices. Our columnist, “gastronob” and longtime wine lover Victoria Dim scoured Moscow’s wine spots and compiled the top establishments adjusted for budget.

"People's trail"

Why go: drink wine from the tap

“This is an establishment for the general public: there is a varied menu, many seats, there are hookahs, and wine flows from the tap. Well, what else can you ask from New Arbat? Fun with the tap: 90 rub. for a glass of simple Spanish Tempranillo. Sit down at a special table by the window (with the best view, by the way), the waiter pours you the first glass, and then you do the rest yourself. Don't forget to have your snack on time! The menu was created by fashionable chef Anton Kovalkov with his Australian colleague Sabby Canyon. Therefore, steaks are the most obvious choice: for example, filet mignon (RUB 1,400) or flat iron (RUB 700). For appetizers, I highly recommend the hot Camembert in birch bark. From the tap it’s still for fun, but you can order a passable Malbec.”

on Sadovaya / on Nikitsky
Why go: eat tapas with wine

“At the Wine Bazaar, in the best European traditions, the price per glass is not indicated. There are no trades, but noisy conversations and large crowds of people cannot be avoided. “Wine Bazaar” on Sadovaya is a bar with “hanging gardens” on the ceiling and a view of one of the busiest streets in the city. While cars in 6 lanes fly back and forth along the Garden Ring, you have tapas, wine and even jazz from the speakers. There are usually 10 “glasses” (at Nikitsky there are more than 25), the cost of specific wines needs to be clarified, but the price per serving does not exceed 600 rubles. Here it is customary to take any bottle from the shelf at random: the assortment is so confident that it is unlikely that you will miss the choice. Of the two dozen tapas (99 rubles each), I can recommend smoked duck with cherries, sprat with pepper. For tapas, use a white baguette; upon request, gray or black bread. It is possible without it at all. Or order grand tapas on crusty wheat bread. I ate 170 grams of salmon with a mountain, washed it down with a glass - the “bazaar” is over! At lunch they suggest following the example of the people of European countries and allowing yourself a glass.”

Why go: replenish your vocabulary with new names of wine varieties and celebrate it with sparkling

“It’s even strange that there was no wine bar at the former winery before (the establishment opened in November in the building of the Winzavod contemporary art center - editor's note). It is doubly strange that this basement bar did not open in St. Petersburg, because a slight flair of madness is still present here. Dampierre (Dampierre is a premium French wine house - editor's note) pour it into glasses! There is an insane selection of “bubbles” here: more than 20 positions. On paydays you can “champagne”, and fill your daily routine with cava for 190 rubles. There is a serious collection of sparkling wines at reasonable prices. A whole section with - suddenly - pinot blanc, and from the red side, attention was paid to cabernet franc, which is not as common as cabernet sauvignon. After a visit here, your vocabulary will definitely be replenished with a couple of new varieties. Further - even more interesting: seasoned autochthons from all over the world: from the Basque country to Kakheti. “Enlightenment” is generally inexpensive - from 190 rubles, which is cheaper than a yoga class. There is no hot food, but you shouldn’t neglect local cheeses and bruschetta.”

"Wine democracy"

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Why go: drink sparkling wine with ceviche or wash down filet mignon with tart red

“Meat eaters go to the right, the rest go to the left. These are two restaurants with adjacent doors and an adjacent wall with a spy mirror, so that meat-eating voyeurs from the dark interior of Tartaria can be soothed by the view of the “blue lagoon” of Cevicheria. The wine list matches the food from the talented chef Timur Abuzyarov (, Bao+Bar). In “Cevicheria”, the marine theme of the interior is continued by 7 types of ceviche, a couple of dozen all kinds of shrimp, squid and fish on the menu. They were paired with refreshing “crispy” “bubbles”, Gewürztraminers, and blancs. Meat eaters are more comfortable in winter - they have 9 tartars, rich soups and steaks. Particularly worth highlighting are beef tartare with Parmesan mousse and truffle (650 rubles), venison tartare with juniper aioli (820 rubles) and filet mignon with buckwheat and kvass sauce (1,690 rubles). The meat is paired with warming old world reds. There are no banal wines here, nor an inflated wine list.”

Why go: visit the Trekhgornaya Manufactory and find out why Super Tuscans cost so much money

“I once saw a picture here: a girl runs straight from the doorway to the bar: “I’ll have a glass of sauvignon with me!” Hurry up, otherwise the car will be towed away!” In short, the place is so good that in any unclear situation you need to go to Touché. A visit to the restaurant can be an excellent opportunity to explore the new life of Trekhgornaya Manufactory. The wine list includes 245 items. If you are too lazy to figure it out, follow the recommendations for the dishes - the chef and sommelier work together here. If you want to deepen your knowledge of the subject, call the sommelier and feel free to ask how plows plow the spaces of biodynamic farms or why Super Tuscans cost so much money.”

Why go: for brunch with champagne

“On Sunday morning, champagne at 350 rubles per glass opens your eyes. The local weekend brunches from 12:00 to 18:00 are amazingly good! And now drinking in the morning is not at all shameful. It’s best to leave the porridge and cheesecakes for the kids and take the signature fluffy scrambled eggs on Rösti, a Swiss variation of pancakes. They are offered in two types: potato and zucchini. Next, we open the section “For gentlemen who know a lot about perversions,” drink biodynamics on high bar stools or relax with happiness on leather sofas.”

"High enological demands"

Why go: drink riesling and pinot noir

“The interior is in a “European-quality renovation” style, and to hell with it - people don’t come here to look at the wallpaper. And to drink the sommelier’s main favorites are Rieslings and Pinot Noirs. Here, almost the entire map from Mikhail Volkov, the number 1 sommelier in Moscow according to the version, is dedicated to them. The menu is ideologically adjusted to complement the wines: pure tastes, masterful execution. Among the items you can highlight veal cheeks with potato cream and oyster mushrooms (890 rubles), duck with celery root cream, baked apple and salsa (890 rubles) and fried suluguni with pear tartare and saffron (540 rubles). Winil is a rare place for the capital, where people come without the desire to show off, but simply to eat quality food and drink tastefully.”

Why go: here you can drink good wine and find truly rare bottles without going to the center

“Almost in a residential area there are “two prestigious glasses” from the American wine magazine WineSpectator (the publication regularly publishes ratings of the best wine lists, where the rating is one, two or three “glasses” - editor’s note). Either the residents of Michurinsky Prospect suddenly turned out to be savvy in wine, or all the wine lovers of the capital simply come here. The constantly changing list includes more than 400 wine samples. The owners follow trends, but also respect traditionalists. You can often find very rare bottles here, exclusive to Russia. There are no banal “glass drinks” either. Wine Religion is all about socializing, so the cheese and meat plates are already designed for groups of two or four people.”

Why go: taste “orange tights”

"When you're tired of everything, barbaresco (premium Italian wine - editor's note)- decay, and you want adventure, you can go to the Moscow branch of the already iconic St. Petersburg wines to drink natural wines from clinking handmade glasses. The wine list contains a section “For wine freaks”, where the lines “Letters” (860 rub./glass), “Orange tights” (520 rub./glass) and “Litrukha” (970 rub./glass) hide super-unique organic and natural wines. If that's not your thing, you can have fun with the sommelier or just choose at random: one Riesling, one Chenin, one Zweigelt. But two shpets are better. Half of the appetizers on the menu are usually eaten with your hands; the other will still require utensils. An atmospheric place with theatrical lighting.”

"Lux"

Why go: choose wine by filter and pair it with crab

“The wine list is so large (rumor has it that the number of wines is approaching a thousand) that it is impossible to scroll through the printed version. She simply doesn't exist. But there is a tablet menu with convenient filters: year (from 1945!), price (up to 814,000 rubles!), region, sugar, color (thank you, no blue ones). There is also fashionable Georgia, and Armenia, Slovakia, and Israel that are gaining momentum. And all this complements the crab madness. It is convenient for a company to take the “Crab Vertical” (9,000 rubles), which includes 9 types of crabs. Let's call it a “crab tasting”, because each crustacean has a unique taste: one is sweet, another is iodine, the third is sour. Considering the amount of meat per square centimeter of dish, the prices are tolerable.”

Why go: drink rare premium wines with one of the best views of Moscow

“They have everything. Even his own Riesling and Pinot Noir from Pavel Shvets - the Sevastopol winemaker released a limited edition only for White Rabbit. The best chef in Russia, according to, it seems, all ratings, Vladimir Mukhin, works here. For his dishes, chef sommelier Roman Romanov selected a large collection of Russian wines with a huge price gap: there is a Crimean Merlot for 2,800 rubles and, for example, a Krasnodar Cabernet Franc The Bachelor Collection for 18,200 rubles. In addition to Russia, there is a line of European wines with a premium bias, rare Austrian samples, modern Armenia and even Israel. If you just want to check in and appreciate the view of the Foreign Ministry tower from the panoramic windows, you can get by relatively economically with a glass of high-quality prosecco for 650 rubles.”

Oddly enough, wine bars in Moscow are still an undisclosed format. Restaurants have begun to approach wine lists with special significance, ceasing to follow the principle “the more expensive, the better,” but the question of where to go to drink wine still remains open. We've made a selection of 11 wine bars in the city, new and old, where wine is the most important thing.

Wine bar "13°"

An ideal urban neighborhood wine bar, opened by graduates of the Ragout culinary school. In addition to an excellent selection of wine for reasonable money, the 13° bar also serves excellent casual cuisine, and serves business lunches at lunchtime. In general, no further words are needed: the demand for the format is proven by full landing in the evening on any day.

Big Wine Freaks

An expensive and moderately snobbish wine bar, focused on biodynamics and organics, came to Moscow from St. Petersburg. The wine list is not simple, the menu is made for wine and is definitely not suitable for a hearty dinner. Big Wine Freaks is loved for its bohemian atmosphere, expensive Zalto glasses and sophisticated crowd, so if you come, you better be prepared.

Barrel

The basement at Winzavod was found during excavations and was actually intended for storing wine, so the atmosphere here is appropriate. Prices for a bottle start from 900 rubles, the selection is very large - from the Old to the New World, the food, as befits bars, is mainly only light snacks like bruschetta, olives and sun-dried tomatoes. In general, a great reason to get to the art district.

SimpleWine&Bar

A new and carefully fashionable bar from Simple Wine. Adrian Quetglas is responsible for the menu, as in the more adult Grand Cru, the wine list is impressive, and on weekends they invite DJs, although without dancing, which is good. For those who don’t want to go into details: prices for a bottle start from 1,200 rubles; a large wine library has been set up in the basement, where you can grab a couple of bottles of wine on the way home; the number of labels exceeds 1,000 pieces. Large-scale, noisy and youthful.

"Migratory Tavern"

Address: Mansurovsky lane, 10

Opening hours: Sun-Wed: 12:00–23:45; Thu-Sat: 12:00–06:00

Average check: 1,000 rubles

An unusual place for Moscow in 2018, it almost immediately became a favorite among the intelligentsia. Firstly, the “Migratory Tavern” was opened by three friends: a gallery owner, a collector and a wine supplier. Secondly, in addition to the wine bar, the Kabak regularly hosts exhibitions, and thirdly, there is a bookstore right there. In general, a return to the wonderful 2008 in its best sense.

Wine Happens

A wine bar with good cuisine was opened on the site of Bao+Bar by Timur Abuzyarov and Roman Vorotnikov. The kitchen here is full-fledged, the menu is compact but complete, the wine selection is made in such a way that it is almost impossible not to please. Prices for a glass start at 350 rubles, the wine list has more than 200 items, the food is simple but interesting. A good example of gastronomy combined with wine.

"Wine buffet"

A small wine bar in the southwest of Moscow with good snacks and a large selection of wine. As expected, special attention is paid to tapas in food, and everything is extremely decent in wine - from the Old and New Worlds to biodynamics and organics. Of course, the bar is more of a regional bar, but if you find yourself nearby, it’s definitely worth stopping by.

Touché

The wine bar at Trekhgornaya Manufactory is worth traveling from any part of the city to see. Taras Kiriyenko is in charge of the kitchen here - a terribly talented and very modest chef; everything is more than in order with the wine: the selection is large, the prices are more than reasonable and (oddly enough, for a wine place) there is an excellent cocktail list. In general, the employees of Manufactura are very lucky.

Magnum

An old-fashioned bar in White Square with casual cuisine and weekend brunches, where, by the way, a glass of cava costs 190 rubles. The wine list is compiled completely without snobbery and is presented in order from cheap to expensive, which makes life much easier. Prices for a glass start at 350 rubles, and for potato rösti with salmon from the brunch menu you have to live from weekend to weekend.

The wine bar, which opened several years ago in the Patriarch's Ponds area, quietly lives its own life and continues to feed and water its guests. The wine list still consists of wines from small wineries in France and Italy, and the food is prepared mainly from these same cuisines. It's surprisingly calm here in the evenings, although it's worth booking a table in advance.

Photos: cover, 2 - Big Wine Freaks,1 - Wine Bar "13°", 3 - Barrel, 4 - Simple Wine Bar, 5 - "Migratory Tavern", 6 - Wine Happens, 7 - "Wine Buffet", 8 - Touché, 9 - Magnum, 10 - “Wine and Burger”, 11 - Brix

Every year the number of wine bars in Moscow increases. Of course, this is good news. But the more bars there are, the more difficult it is to choose the best one. This article presents a small rating of wine bars in Moscow, where you can enjoy the best wines from different countries of the world.

Restaurant Rosso & Bianco

The interior includes, on the one hand, the simplicity and softness of Provence, and on the other, the subtlety of French charm. This is an attempt to create a restaurant in the format of a typical Parisian salon, with its inherent cheerful atmosphere and spirit of liberation. A rich wine catalog can drive any connoisseur of the ancient drink crazy. About two hundred varieties of wine from different countries of the world are presented here. This establishment is rightfully considered the best wine bar in Moscow.

"Le Sommelier Pinot Noir"

In this bar, located on the street. Petrovka 30/7, you can try not only exquisite collection wines, but also other equally popular alcoholic drinks. Here you can sit in a cozy atmosphere and order food. Particular preference is given to charcoal-grilled meat. You can watch the cooking process directly on the TV screen. The sophisticated interior of this establishment was designed by Portner Architects. Beautiful decoration and delicious wine will help you take your mind off the hustle and bustle of a noisy metropolis.

Wine cellar “Simple things”

Perhaps this is the only winery where you can drink wine with the owner of the establishment. Various tastings are held here every Thursday, at which the owner of the wine shop is always present. The establishment is designed in the form of the basement of an old house. The interior, as the name says, is “simple”. White walls, craft paper on the tables, the menu and wine list are made from the same paper. The kitchen consists mainly of snacks. These are various salami, vegetables, parmesan chips, mozzarella. The wine catalog of this establishment is very extensive. Address of the establishment: B. Nikitskaya, 14/2, building 7.

Restaurant “Torro Grill”

The Torro Grill steakhouse chain is known all over the world. This restaurant serves a variety of meat dishes. The establishment is famous not only for its steaks, but also for its wine list. Here they know how to please and surprise the most demanding guests. The interior is simple but sophisticated. The atmosphere of a European bar reigns in the hall. The food is prepared right in front of your eyes. You can inhale the aroma of frying sausages, burgers, chickens, and steaks. There is a very large wine list; the wines are personally chosen by the owner and sommelier of the restaurant. Any wine from this restaurant will go well with meat and barbecue.

Wine bar “Gavroche”

This place is primarily designed for wine connoisseurs. One of the wine bars where you can calmly relax and drink a glass of your favorite wine. The interior of the establishment is designed in the format The main attraction is the wine room, located right in the center of the hall. The wines here are mainly French, with Italian and Spanish also present.

Bar-restaurant “Bontempi”

Small bar in Italian style. This bar took its name from its founder Valentino Bontempi. “Bontempi” means “good times” in Italian. The interior of this establishment is simple. White walls, glass tables. Almost the entire menu consists of snacks that harmoniously combine with gourmet dishes. The bar features Italian and French wines. There is also a lot of other alcohol here: various types of vodka, liqueur, rum and whiskey.

Bottom line

Summing up, I would like to say that it is impossible to single out just one wine bar in Moscow. About ten new similar establishments open in the capital every year. And we are sure that everyone will be able to find a place for themselves to which they will return again and again.