Carringtons

According to Decanter, ‘Manchester is lucky to have Carringtons’ and in the world of wine that counts for a lot. This Chorlton independent bottle shop won Best Regional Wine Shop (North West England) in the 2023 Decanter Retailer Awards.

It’s a well-deserved accolade because Carringtons is a higgledy-piggledy treasure trove of wines which are mostly sourced direct from the vineyards, meaning you might not find them anywhere else in Manchester.

They specialise in Rhone wines, but you can find interesting choices from all over the world, at a range of budgets too. Although, if you want to blow the budget, this is a good place to come for a special bottle of red.

There’s a charming scruffiness to the enterprise with boxes of wine stacked waist high all over the floor so don’t take the dog or any unruly toddlers. The handwritten tasting notes on absolutely everything are another example of the laid-back approach but they also show a thorough understanding of the products they stock.

You can also find spirits and an excellent selection of beers which lean more towards continental styles rather than crafts in colourful cans, though they are covered too. It’s a good place to come for special seasonal beers like Christmas editions of Chouffe, Delirium Tremens and Golden Carolous.

There’s a bar licence too so pop along a for a few drinks and try while you buy.