Introducing Crushed and Cured
We do love a glass of wine so we were excited to try independent wine shop Crushed and Cured in Southsea. The shop is located next to Arepa 2GO on Victoria Road South and is run by George who kindly invited us in.
The shop is a large space with plenty to room to browse. One half has two long walls displaying wines from around the world and a big long table for tastings. The other half has been turned into a wine bar with a selection of snacks on sale to have in or take away.
The wine bar
This is a recent addition to the shop and one which makes it special. Gone are the days when wine bars were scattered across Southsea like Rosie’s and the old Becketts. I miss a good “proper” wine bar. George has done a great job at creating a cosy atmosphere, which is quite difficult in a space designed to be a shop. Expect dim lighting, subtle music and candles on every table.
The wine menu is extensive and split into types; red, white etc. There’s also a blackboard with wines by the glass and George is more than happy to recommend one based on your taste.
Wine flights
Another blackboard has details of the wine flights available, of which there are two, one priced at £12 for three wines and the other at £18. We ordered one of each flight and shared six glasses of different wines.
I only tend to drink white wine in the summer as I much prefer red, but I must say, there were some very nice easy-drinking white wines on both flights. My favourite was the Stopham Estate Pinot Blanc 2021 which is grown just outside of Pulborough, so fairly local.
The nibbles
We ordered some nibbles from the food menu which has a selection of cold meats, cheeses and small plates like hummus and grilled artichokes. Most of the meats were from Italy and the cheeses from England.
We enjoyed five different kinds of cheese with a small piece of quince. With it came a brown paper bag filled with fresh bouncy sourdough from Bread Addition. The cheese was exceptional and I couldn’t choose a favourite. However, I was surprised at how much I liked the goat cheese which was recommended by George. For 6pm on a Saturday evening, over half the tables were taken by couples and small groups of friends.
The wine shop
There’s a great display of wine, all neatly labelled with price tags. As with most wine displays, the wines get more expensive the higher you look on the shelf and the wines typically range from around £10. You can buy a bottle and drink it at one of the tables inside by paying a £10 corkage fee. Not bad if you fancy a change of scenery and some nibbles too. The wines come from across the world and there’s a good variety including sparking, rose and even orange wine which is typical from Spain.
The deli
There is a selection of posh snacks you can buy to enjoy with your wine. These range from Spanish crisps to Italian olives and artisan nuts. There’s also a brightly lit beer fridge with a selection of local and more hard-to-find beers. You can also order these online along with the wine and snacks.
Wine tastings
Crushed and Cured host regular wine tasting events each with their own theme. Coming up is a wine tasting of French wines, one focusing on Spanish wines and another with a selection of Pinot Noir. These wine tastings are open to anyone and need a minimum number of six bookings to go ahead. For around £35 you can taste six different wines and enjoy a selection of nibbles.
If you don’t fancy mingling, you can enquire about private wine tastings. They are at a similar price and can be tailored to suit your likes and dislikes.
Crushed and Cured: the verdict
We had a great time enjoying our cheese and wine at Crushed and Cured. It’s a great place to go for a date or a drink before dinner and no doubt we will be back.
Service 8
Quality 9
Value 8
Ambience 8
Return? Yes
Overall 8.5/10
Living life, loving wine
H x