A NEW bar opening in Penarth will use an unusual preservation system involving a needle to preserve its selection of wines.
Grant Maunder, owner of The Touring Club in Stanwell Road, says this means his new venue will be able to offer first-rate wines by the glass in what he describes as a humble bar which will be a great place for people to meet.
Mr Maunder has serious clout in hospitality and he’s brought his friends – also with serious clout – including chef Bryn Williams and eclectic interior designs influenced from travels on the continent and around the world made with the vision of Dylan Griffith, based in Amsterdam.
This vision has already given The Touring Club its striking outer appearance, with the building painted black and the name of the bar painted in orange lettering.
But while the Touring Club might be influenced from travels around the world, it will very much look at offering seasonal food that is locally sourced in a constantly evolving menu, complementing its selection of wines.
This is where Touring Club stands out - using the Coravin system on its wines, including ten offerings of red and ten of white.
Coravin allows wine to be poured without removing the cork, which is claimed to keep it tasting fresher - and Mr Maunder says will allow punters to sample great-tasting wine without having to break the bank for a bottle.
The Touring Club will offer an exceptional selection of wines
Mr Maunder then went on to explain the concept behind Touring Club.
“Inspired by our travels, Touring Club will be a simple yet spirited bar offering a curated range of beers, wines and food,” said Mr Maunder.
“Myself and fellow founders Dylan Griffith, Rowan Hobbs, and Bryn Williams will merge our skills from brand identity, construction, design hotels through to restaurants and hospitality.
“Touring Club is about saying we have all travelled and we want to bring the best of everything we have experienced back to our bar to share with people.
“There’ll be a focus on very good wines, with food offerings that will be small plates, locally sourced, seasonal, with a constantly evolving menu.”
The bar is aiming to open by the end of June.
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules here