Crookes high street gained an absolute gem last month when Tenaya Wine, a Californian inspired Wine Shop and Bar, opened up opposite the Punchbowl, transforming an old charity bookshop into a vibrant social hub.
The shop was opened by Virginia Myers, who recently returned to Sheffield from San Francisco where she worked as a winemaker, and designer and keen knitter Sarah Hatton, who has also spent a lot of time in California. Between them they have over 20 years of experience in the wine industry, making them trustworthy hosts for your trip into Sheffield’s new taste of the Golden State.
Tenaya, named after the Tenaya canyon in the Yosemite Valley, brings not only the taste, but the culture and lifestyle of California. The interior and ambience of the place is something I’ve certainly never come across in Sheffield before, with plants, artworks, and desert-style imagery adorning the large seating area. A large bookshelf also sits in the corner of the bar area, featuring books about Joshua Tree National Park, and books such as “Wine for Normal People”, which really fits the relaxed but relatively up-market feel of the place.
At the other end of the room, you’ll find rows and rows of different bottles of wine as well as a few craft beers, all with beautiful colourful labels. These are definitely not wines you’d recognise from the shelves of Tesco. You can become completely engrossed in their impressive collection, like a library of wines from all over the world. “We’ve found that you can actually have a nice wine and a nice label” Virginia commented.
One of my favourite things about Tenaya is that they have a focus on sourcing wines mainly made by women, in an act of dismantling the idea that knowing about wine is for “old men”. They’ve also worked to make the place very accessible and completely unintimidating, which I saw as Virginia and Sarah talked visitors through the bottles on the shelves, tailoring their explanations to everyone’s individual tastes and interests. There’s also a reasonable collection of wines advertised as being within the £10-15 budget, so you don’t have to splash out £30 to enjoy a really nice wine.
As well as the bottles on offer, wine is also sold by the glass as part of a weekly changing menu of specially selected wines, including red, white, rose, and sometimes a sparkling or orange wine. I went for a Spanish orange wine to try, and honestly I’ve been thinking about it ever since. You can also buy a bottle from the shelves and drink it in the shop for a small corking fee. A gorgeous variety of snacks are also available to accompany your wine, courtesy of their recent pairing with Porter Brook Deli.
Along with the new second branch of Pom Kitchen, Tenaya Wine is a fantastic addition to Crookes’ already thriving high street. If you’re after something a bit different for your Tuesday to Saturday escapades, with no fear of “wine-splaining” as Sarah put it, then definitely pay them a visit!
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