When you set up a premium wine shop in an age when even the worst supermarkets can rival some off licenses, you’d better stand out. Bob Wines stands out. First there’s the name, next there’s the branding. Emblazoned with the illustrated face of a man we can only presume to be Bob himself, the new store sits adjacent to Sydenham Overground, a recent addition to the new wave of bottle shops springing up around London.

The shop itself is a smart, utilitarian type, all painted chipboard, heavy dark grey shelving and decorative lamps swinging low above the counter. And the good looks and big Bob branding aren’t smoke and mirrors for a lack of substance or knowledge about the product on the shelves. On our visit we were treated to a breakdown of the world wines available, the provenance of the craft beers and the benefits of buying one of Bob’s Bottles – a refillable to be topped up from wine barrels hidden in the walls. We opt for a bottle of Bob’s fizzy wine and a bottle of Brew By Numbers Saison from the beer fridge and walk away happy.

Some people might wrinkle their nose at a review of what is essentially an off license but the style and substance of Bob Wines makes it worth a write-up. You don’t get the Bob Wines service in the supermarket and with traditional off licenses disappearing, its means that when you want some wine or beer knowledge dispensed, you need a place like this.

Bob Wines

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