Last updated: August 27, 2024

Wine facts

Wine focus: A broad range of high quality options from traditional to experimental
Wine value: Glasses are priced well and bottle selection ranges from affordable to luxury
Corkage fees: None
By-the-glass list size: The selection rotates and the options are currently broken down by wine type with two sparking, two still (rose and/or skin contact), four white, and five red available 
Food options: Orrman’s Cheese Shop charcuterie and snack options

In the Weeds

by Jacqueline Pennington

There’s a certain quality that neighborhood bars have that can’t quite be articulated. These bars tend to invite you in to stay awhile without trying too hard. They’ll also have you planning your next visit before you’ve even left. Patrons settle in the way they might in their own living room, and the staff makes sure whoever walks in feels warmly welcomed. You can design an inviting space, but it is a combination of the ambiance, staff, guests, and knowledge that make a concept a neighborhood spot. Since opening in 2005, Bond Street Wines has learned that elusive combination. 

This neighborhood bar is a refuge for those who want to relax but also deeply appreciate wine. Bar Manager Sam Bilski curates the selection of 800 bottles and updates it on a weekly basis. He does the hard work to make sure whatever his customers order at whatever price point will be excellent. 

The selection of wine includes options like traditional Napa Valley cabernets and Bordeauxs, but Bilski likes to have an interesting variety available on the shelves as well. “We have a really great core customer base that will follow us anywhere, so we’ll play around a little bit — there’ll be an odd varietal here and there or something kind of funky,” he says. “We ran something by the glass last week [a Croatian wine made from the skrlet grape] that there’s only 6,000 vines of it on the planet. It’s a fun little white wine and we tried it out because it’s interesting and delicious.”

It’s these kinds of unique bottles that make Bond Street’s shelves a treat for any curious wine drinker to explore. Wines from eastern European countries like Hungary, Georgia, or Slovenia can be found alongside classic wines from Burgundy and Rioja. Showing interest in expanding your wine knowledge will lend to the staff showing you a bottle that excites them, like a 100 percent jacquère from Savoie in Jura, France or a Corpinnat, an evolution of Cava, that will show you how elevated a glass of sparkling wine from Spain can be.

When it comes to the clientele, all are welcome at Bond Street Wines. “It’s a fun mix,” according to Bilski. “There’s a little bit of a bar crowd drinking a ten dollar glass, but then you have somebody hanging out drinking a bottle of Burgundy and they’re laughing, having a good time. You want to make everything accessible. In a shop like this, especially in this location, it’s easy to get intimidated and we really try to figure out how to make this a little less scary, but still execute on a pretty high level.”

Bond Street Wines sits inconspicuously in a strip of shops off Providence Road, and it can be easy to miss despite its signage and a few tables sitting out front. Inside, there is a small bar with a TV and chalkboard menus behind it. Shelves of wine bottles line the store, inviting you to peruse. There are a handful of high-top tables in the main space and a couple of sofas and armchairs in a cozy area towards the back. There seems to be a constant hum of people chatting and laughing. Whether the customers are doing their wine shopping with a glass in hand, catching up with their friend over a cheese board at the bar, or chatting with Bilski about the rare wine that’s on the menu, it’s clear that everyone is enjoying themselves.

Charlotte’s wine scene is slowly but surely coming into its own and places like Bond Street Wines have been at the forefront of pushing boundaries and making quality wine approachable in our city. “Our neighborhood’s grown with us and our customer base has, too,” Bilski says. “We’ve kind of adapted over the years to the times.”

It’s not common to find a bar that’s so community driven and focused on their craft in the way that Bond Street Wines is. Wine-lover or not, we encourage you to stop by. We have a feeling you may end up staying a while.