Pop-up Wine Bar Opens in Amsterdam

The Netherlands' first pop-up wine bar has opened in Amsterdam. For 24 days (until December 18), the functionally named Pop-Up Wine Bar will serve 41 wines and Champagnes by the sip, half glass, glass or bottle.

The wines, which are divided into types (‘aromatic white’, ‘extreme red’) are from around the world, although Europe dominates. Prices range from a tiny €1 for a just as tiny mouthful of French Famille Castel Chardonnay, to €1,500 for a bottle of 1992 Château Pétrus Pomerol (a sip alone costs €55).

This range in prices reflects the broad client base at which the Pop-Up Wine Bar is aimed. “A wine bar attracts all kinds of wine lovers, plus people who are sensitive to hypes and always on the look-out for new and exciting experiences in a city,” according to Elvira Wilthagen from East Village Concepts, one of the four companies behind the venture.

Image of pop-up wine bar Amsterdam Wines can be accompanied by a small selection of snacks, including cheeses, meats, blinis and sushi. There’s also free WiFi for anyone who is still sober enough to get anything done.

The interior of the bar, located in a temporarily vacant building on Amsterdam's Marnixstraat, was designed to resemble an apartment. The industrial-style interior is divided into a living room with sofas, a grass-green carpet and bookshelf, kitchen and bathroom with a bubble bath for customer use. On the mezzanine level is a bedroom/smoking room where smokers can puff away under the covers with no concern – or at least no responsibility – for fires.

The Pop-Up Wine Bar has joined the growing crowd of short-term and sporadic concepts – such as Jason’s Hartley’s LoveFood brunches and Le fou Fow ramen shop – that have come and gone before the buzz surrounding them has a chance to fade. Plans are already afoot to move the Pop-Up Wine Bar to other Dutch cities after it closes its doors in Amsterdam.