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A cosy and intimate cellar door hidden away in the industrial part of Port Melbourne awaits discerning foodies and wine buffs at Susuro Wines Urban Cellar Door on Hall Street. The brainchild of winemaker Nikki Palun, this stylish venue oozes charm from wine barrel tables to velvet chairs, neon signage and wall racks full of Susuro Wines, ideally paired with dishes from a menu of shared bites, antipasti platters and pizza.
Why should you drop in for a meal at Susuro Wines Cellar Door? Here are three good reasons:
What’s your most popular dish/drink:
Owner and Winemaker, Nikki Palun explains:
We make lots of different wines and although they say you shouldn't have favourite children, I love drinking my Pyrenees Nebbiolo from Western Victoria. If you aren't familiar with Nebbiolo it is like Pinot Noir on a motorbike. It’s got grunt, excitement, is full of cheeky surprises and the tannins are dusty rather than silky from taking all those low, wild corners.
This is a wine that knows what it wants and how to get it without being in your face. It’s subtle, it’s complex and it is most definitely a wine that is calling out for cured meats and firm cheeses. You could either drink it while grazing all day on a charcuterie board or if you are after something more substantial, then it’s perfect with pizza, especially when topped with prosciutto, mushrooms and olives.
What is your point of difference?
What I find interesting is that the obvious points of difference, such as specialising in making wines from Italian varietals and being a female urban winemaker with a cellar door right near the city centre, are not actually what people say my real points of difference are after they come and visit.
Rather than speak about the characters in a wine, I prefer to paint a picture around the wine and transport people into the scene. I describe the mood they are feeling, the occasion that inspired the moment, the place where they will be enjoying the wine and the food they will be eating.
When it comes to the food we serve, it’s either made entirely from scratch by us or uses ingredients sourced from makers similar to me who believe in high quality, naturally made food full of heart. All of my wines are small batch, minimal interference, made with muscles and love and so it is super important to me that our food follows the same principles.
What is a fun fact that not many people know about the cellar door?
I used to be a full-time musician and spent years playing and jamming in bars, festivals and living rooms around the world. Some of the best moments I had were in cosy and intimate venues where everyone knew each other or if they didn't, they did by the end of the night!
I think I have unconsciously created this same sort of vibe at the cellar door. A place where you can come with your friends or even yourself, relax, listen to some live music at a Sunday session and experience all the good things in life. Wine, food, music and great people.
The best part is that we are only 15 minutes from Melbourne CBD so you don’t have to travel all the way out to a wine region to taste our wine, making it a perfect venue for memorable date nights, parties and functions.
