On Tuesday evening, our group of 7 headed to Vine for some post-dinner drinks. The bar was bustling but not too busy for us to grab some space inside. Our bartender was really welcoming and accommodating, letting us move around some tables so we could all sit together. Though it was a warm evening it wasn't too hot in the bar and, with the door wide open all evening, we got the best of both worlds - a breeze from the busy Cowley Road and Vine's dimmed-light cosiness.

Vine's decor is pretty stripped back. With exposed brick walls plus simple furniture, lighting and tableware, what really stands out are the bottles of wine stacked up artfully in crates. Vine put their product front and centre. So that we could try a selection of wines, we decided to order a few carafes instead of bottles, settling on two whites and their vineyards' accompanying reds.

We chose the Bergerie la Bastide and their red option, the Filas Branco and Filas Tinto. As a table, we seemed to prefer the latter two, both from the organic producer Quinta do Montalto from the Lisboa region of Portugal. But there was enough disagreement between our group to prove that really it's all about personal taste, and all the wines on offer are worth trying out.

There's the option to splash out at Vine if you'd like to, but most of the menu is pretty reasonably priced, especially if you're there with a group who are up for sharing a few different wines. The carafes we chose cost between £16 and £18 each for 500ml. Vine manages to feel upmarket without being stuffy - it would be a great spot for an intimate celebration, or a catch up with a couple of friends. There were olives and small plates available too, and had we not all just eaten a huge dinner we definitely would have indulged.

Vine is a real asset to Cowley Road and I think the main reason that it avoids feeling pretentious, like wine bars so often can, is because it's clear that it's a family business. As the sun set outside, it didn't feel out of place that a young girl and her mum came to provide our table with candles, it felt homely.

We tried:
Bergerie la Bastide, Pays d’Oc, France 2017 (V) £16 for 500ml
Filas Branco, Quinta do Montalto, Lisboa, Portugal 2017 (O,B,VN, LS) £18 for 500ml
Bergerie la Bastide Rouge, Pays d’Oc, France 2016 (V) £16 for 500ml
Filas Tinto, Quinta do Montalto, Lisboa, Portugal 2017 (O, B, VN, LS) £18 for 500ml