When you think of box wine, your mind may drift back to messy festival moments or that office Christmas party from hell. And when you hear about a box wine bar opening in Dalston, you’d be forgiven for imagining it as an ironic hipster haven – you know, like that adult-ballpit-prosecco-castle that opened last whenever. But consider this: box wine is more friendly on both your wallet and on the environment, and bag-in-box (or BIB, as they say in the biz) technology means the product stays good and fresh for longer. That’s the message the delightfully named Kirsty Tinkler is pushing at Weino BIB, a bar that bows down to the humble bagnum following on from a string of successful box-wine pop-ups.
The bar fulfils east London expectations, looking depressingly underdressed. Orange school canteen-esque chairs feel bleak, but a Buddhist shrine and the disco music selection perk up the place. And Tinkler is front of house, offering bonhomie more fit for the West Country. It’s hard to miss the BIB message, with boxes stacked up one of the walls and a blackboard laying out options in the more conventional way. But I’d recommend speaking to staff who can identify wine for you to nose and swill. That’s the beauty of drinks on tap, after all.
The other bonus is the price – I tried unusual natural and biodynamic wines at a snip of the cost, including a raisiny orange from Tuscany and a red trepat from Catalonia, both for £6.50 a glass. Keep an eye out for specials; a delightful macabeo cost just £3.50 when we visited. They serve toasties all day and brunch at the weekends. Weino BIB also doubles as a small deli store, selling cheese and charcuterie as well as detergent and milk – on tap, naturally. Time to tap into the trend and start erasing those festival memories (if you still have them).