The Solent Cellar

Solent Cellar

Lymington's first indie wine store

Simon and Heather opened this independent wine shop in 2011 and have grown in strength, building both relationships with locals and wholesale partners in the town and beyond.

The attractive shop is situated at the top of the Georgian town of Lymington, just opposite M&S and near the new Indie Nordic café Öskubox.

They are now introducing a varied menu of pop ups and matched tastings, using Heather’s depth of knowledge gained during time spent at Ballymaloe and with ex Masterchef winner Mat Follas, when he ran the Wild Garlic in Beaminster.

The couple have many years’ experience in the wine industry and they have spent happy years travelling, learning and tasting as they go. Simon worked harvests in his gap year near Carcassone and in Australia – Coonawarra and Mclaren Vale - all funded by working at Majestic as a van driver. After graduating he returned to Majestic as a trainee manager. Heather and Simon met when he managed Dorchester and she arrived as his trainee.

The couple have many years’ experience in the wine industry, travelling, learning and tasting as they go.

The advantages of going to a small indie wine shop is that they really know their stock and can advise as they get to know your tastes; the monthly emails keep you up to date with new arrivals, food pairings and pop ups. I particularly enjoyed the Jura afternoon, trying three incrementally aged Comte cheeses, like Goldilocks, and spending a sunny Friday afternoon with friends in the Cellar’s courtyard garden, sampling chilled pale rosé from Chateau Maravenne, gorgeous Vin Bio, based at La Londe les Maures; the Grande Réserve is available in a magnum, which represents great value and looks lovely on the garden table.

Sign up for emails now and look out for their pop up with the Gourmet Grilled Cheese company – they make the best cheese sandwiches in this area – bar none! Local cheese, great sour dough, and charming husband and wife team, Emma and Andy

Solent Cellar are consistently in Harpers 50 Best Independent Wine Shops in the UK and I recommend a visit soon

Open Mon - Sat 10am - 7pm

40 St Thomas Street

Lymington, SO41 9ND

www.thesolentcellar.co.uk

01590 674852