Hot Wine Bars in Atlantic Canada

One of the coolest wine happenings in Atlantic Canada right now is the emergence of funky little wine bars, with a range of wines by the glass and plenty of style, too. 

A few East Coast restaurants feature wine-preservation systems and by-the-glass options, but here are three pure wine bars, with no kitchens, where the vino is all that matters. (Editor's note: Corked wine bar in Fredericton opened after this story was written.)

happinez wine bar

42 Princess St., Saint John, NB, 506-634-7340, info@happinezwinebar.com 

Opened: November 2005

Who: Owner Peter Smit, from Amsterdam, started in the hospitality industry in 1973 in France. He spent 14 years teaching in the New Brunswick Community College hospitality program in St. Andrews, before opening happinez in uptown Saint John.

What: Located in the cellar of the historic Brodie building, happinez sports 51 seats and, in the summer, another 10 on the patio. Hapito, as the patio is called, has been featured by two architecture magazines. Staff sells 26 wines by the glass, using the Verre de Vin system. There are generally 12 reds, 12 whites, and two ports, plus around 55 cellar wines available only by the bottle. Charcuterie from New Brunswick’s La Ferme du Diamant, and goat cheese from Au Fond des Bois, near Rexton, NB, are also available.

Obladee, a Wine Bar

1600 Barrington St., Halifax, NS, 902-405-4505, Twitter: @ObladeeWineBar

Opened: October 2010

Who: Owned by siblings Christian and Heather Rankin. Heather recently completed her Canadian Association of Professional Sommeliers certification, receiving the Kent Clarke Award as the top graduate in Nova Scotia.

What: This chic, 70-seat bar features 45 wines by bottle only, and 38 by the glass, including 15 red, 15 white, two fortified, two sparkling, two dessert, one lightly sparkling and one rosé. There is no kitchen, but the menu offers 15 cheeses and 14 varieties of charcuterie. “My go-to favourites are the duck prosciutto from Ratinaud French Cuisine in Halifax and the Riopelle Triple Cream from Île-aux-Grues, Quebec,” says Heather.

UP! Wine Bar

426 Queen St. (upstairs), Fredericton, NB, 506-455-2638, sommelier@upwinebar.ca, Twitter: @upwinebar

Opened: March 2011

Who: Doug Williams and Shane Fraser are co-owners. Williams has been in the restaurant/bar business for 20 years, and is a certified sommelier. 

What: This 28-seat wine bar is a upstairs from the Garrison District Ale House. There is currently no preservation system, but this could change as selection increases. On offer now are six to seven reds, six to seven whites, six dessert wines or ports and two sparkling wines. It also has more than 125 cellar wines, and it offers a limited menu.