Porcelain panthers. A rotating tiger bed. And a backroom cellar stocked with rare Jura wine. It’s all under the hood at Pour Diane, a ’70s-inspired bar by Andy and Tina Buchan, the husband and wife who brought us Melbourne’s only wine shop inside a car park ticket booth.
At Pour Diane, walking through bright red front door is like stepping into the 1970s. The orange velour rotating bed is great for lounging by the window across from a wall of French, European and Australian natural wines. It’s paired with vibrant green chairs centred around a cherry-red table, chrome lamps, a chess set, fireplace and wood panelled bar.
The eclectic shop has an epic selection of somewhere between 200 and 300 cellar bottles. Natural wine lovers can sit in and drink by the glass or by the bottle, with a flat corkage fee. The emphasis is on small, boutique wineries, and Pour Diane has a group of passionate importers to thank for the French and European selection. The food is simple – bread, tinned seafood, cheese and the occasional terrine or tapenade.
Chances are whoever is pouring your vino or serving your snacks looks like they’ve stepped straight out of Magnum PI or The Love Boat, whether they’re in a safari suit or an ostentatious ruffled shirt.
