The Cardiff Wine Passport is back!
The Cardiff Wine Passport is back for a new 2025 edition, inviting wine lovers to sip on a selection of handpicked wines – and even some wine cocktails - created exclusively for holders of the Cardiff Wine Passport.
The Cardiff Wine Passport was first launched in August 2022; the scheme allows intrepid wine explorers to purchase a physical ‘passport’ which can be used to claim six handpicked glasses of wine at six venues of their choice, over six weeks - earning stamps for their passports as they go.
The first 2025 edition of the Cardiff Wine Passport will cost £30, and there are a total of 10 city centre venues to choose from, with loads of variety when it comes to the wines (and wine cocktails) on offer - with the following independent venues taking part:
Bar 44: A lively tapas bar in the heart of the city; Bar 44 will be offering a refreshing Cava or a glass of rosé as part of the passport, with the option to pair them with a couple of their classic and seasonal small plates.
Vermut: This cosy hole-in-the-wall bar specialises in the sale of Sherry, Vermouth, and wines from Montilla-Moriles; they have included two delicious Vermouths as past of the passport.
Asador 44: This restaurant serves impeccable ingredients cooked over an authentic Spanish grill; here you can opt to pair a glass of cava with a prawn bisque croqueta with charcoal mayonnaise, or a glass of Tempranillo with their beef tartare.
Curado Bar: A popular deli and pintxos bar in Westgate street; the passport offers a choice of two Spanish wines, with suggested pairings of classic Spanish croquetas, or Valencian salted almonds.
Nighthawks: This quirky wine bar opposite Cardiff castle has gained a cult following for its incredible grilled cheese sandwiches – on offer as the pairing to a delicious glass of crisp Romanian white wine, or a fruity Bulgarian red.
Lab 22: This award-winning and eclectically styled cocktail bar is a favourite with late-night crowds, with a Portuguese white and an Australian red on offer to end the night.
The Dead Canary: This hidden speakeasy on Barrack Lane will offer two wine-based cocktails as part of the Cardiff Wine Passport; the White Lightning (made with Sauvingnon Blanc, Limoncello, green tea and mint), and the Red Thunder (made with Malbec, Henessey, cinnamon and apple).
Bacareto: A relaxed and informal café bar, inspired by the small bàcari of Venice; Bacareto have chosen to highlight an Italian Pinot Grigio with their salt cod crostino, and an Italian Barbera with their seasonal mini pizzettes.
Daffodil: At this modern gastro pub, they focus on quality seasonal food with a focus on local Welsh produce. Here you can pair a crisp glass of Italian white with a trio of Welsh rarebit croquttes, or a dry glass of Garnacha rosé with their delicious pork belly bites.
Terra Mare: Brand new to the passport for 2025, Terra Mare are offering up two Venetian wines, paired with the mushroom arancini or their bruschetta with anchovies, Stracciatella and basil.
As with previous editions, the passport also offers a choice of two ‘pairings’ at each venue; for an extra cost, passport holders can add a suggested small plate which has been chosen to perfectly match their glass of wine or cocktail.
The Cardiff Wine Passport has become a hotly anticipated fixture in Cardiff’s events calendar. With a limited run of only 800 passports, the Spring 2025 edition is expected to sell out quickly when it goes on sale on Friday 14th March. It will be valid from the 16th March for six weeks (from Sunday to Thursday),
The Cardiff Wine Passport was created by wine-lover and independent PR consultant Jane Cook, as a way to showcase some of the city’s best independent bars & restaurants – places that can sometimes be overlooked in favour of big-name chains. Since the first pilot in 2022, the Cardiff Wine Passport has injected more than £50,000 of revenue into Cardiff’s hospitality businesses.
The 2025 edition is sponsored by the 2025 Cardiff Wine Festival. For more information, follow the Cardiff Wine Passport on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook at @cdfwinepassport.
