A meeting of minds

Synchronicity can lead to great things—like when a geographer with a passion for wine crosses paths with a sommelier fascinated by geography. Add the curious coincidence of nearly identical names, and opening a wine shop together seems almost destined.

From maps to merlot

That’s exactly what geographer Martin von Wyss and sommelier Andrew Wyse did, launching Cardwell Cellars on Victoria Street in Abbotsford in 2023.

Not your average bottle shop

But Cardwell Cellars is far from your typical bottle shop. Von Wyss, who holds a degree in French and a master’s in geography, spent 15 years designing maps—including detailed maps of wine regions. During lockdown, a growing obsession with wine led him to create worldwineregions.com, an ambitious atlas covering 2,500 wine regions around the globe. The website soon inspired a real-world extension: a shop focused on wines from under-represented corners of the world.

Wines of the world on library shelves

Inside, bottles sit neatly on eucalyptus-green library shelves, organized by global region—from the Americas near the entrance to New Zealand as you exit toward the courtyard. The selection highlights small producers who practice sustainable or biodynamic viticulture.

Pull up a stool, open a bottle

Curious about something? Wyss and Wyse are always happy to open a bottle for you to try. Enjoy a pour at the long timber-topped communal table lined with oak and black leather bar stools, or take a seat at the window counter overlooking Victoria Street.

Beyond the cheese board

To pair with your wine, there’s a curated menu of cheese and charcuterie, along with unique snacks like black garlic canelés, gougères, oolong citrus tea cake, and mochi. You’ll also find cheesy Bret’s chips from Brittany and an impressive range of tinned seafood—garfish, octopus, sardines, anchovies, stuffed calamari, and more. Prefer to bring your own food or order from a local eatery? No problem—Cardwell provides the cutlery and plates.