Why the Cardiff Wine Passport is a Must-Try for Wine Lovers

If you’re looking for a unique way to experience Cardiff, wine tasting might be the answer. The Cardiff Wine Passport is the best way to discover new venues throughout the city while indulging in some of the world’s best wines. With this passport, you can travel through Cardiff, sipping and savouring your way to a memorable event.

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The Cardiff Wine Passport offers a taste of the world, as you’ll have the opportunity to sample wines from different regions and wineries. This is an excellent opportunity for wine lovers to expand their palates and explore new flavours. Tasting your way through the Cardiff Wine Passport is an experience like no other. Whether you’re a seasoned wine enthusiast or a curious beginner, this passport is a must-try.

Cardiff Wine Passport was launched in 2022 and has quickly become the must-have accessory. The lead-up to the release of the next passport is always a hotly anticipated fixture, especially as only a limited number is available.

Get 50% off food in Cardiff

We all need to refuel and rehydrate. If you love food and drink, do you have a Tastecard? You get 50% off the food bill or two meals for the price of one. There are over six thousand participating restaurants across the UK. Get a 90-day free trial here:

How does it work?

Once you’ve purchased your passport, £26 each or two for £50, you can start trying the wines. Once you’ve picked up your booklet, you can claim one glass of wine from the different destinations listed from Sunday to Thursday. The venue will then stamp your passport.

Alongside this, there’s the option to try a seasonal small plate. If you are feeling peckish, you can match your glass with a small plate or bar snack at a small extra cost.

Amongst the passport pages, you’ll find information on each participating venue, such as their address, times you can use your passport, what drinks are on offer and the suggested food pairing. The booklet’s back page is six circles, where you collect your stamps.

Wine Passport Cardiff Review

What do I love most about Cardiff Wine Passport? It has taken me to wine bars and venues I wouldn’t usually attend. Not because I don’t want to, but because it’s not a natural go-to or meeting place. I also tend to boycott Cardiff city centre in favour of the pubs and restaurants in my suburb. Public transport is unreliable, especially with the Metro being built and replacement buses adding an extra 30 minutes onto the journey. Also, getting a taxi alone costs nearly the same as a passport. Public transport rant over…!

I also love that it has got me trying different wines. Typically, I’ll order a pint of cider or, if I’m feeling flush, a spiced rum and diet coke or a cocktail. I love wine, but I usually have it at home. (And I’m also a rose girl!)

Of course, I wanted the ultimate delicious experience, so I added on the small plate in most places. The pizza bread was my favourite, in Bacareto. The dough was light and fluffy, and the tomato sauce was super rich, which worked with the light cheese. Also, I loved the hummus in Scardey Cats and the antipasto platter in Vermut.

My First Time

In spring 2023, the six bars that I visited were Venetian café bar Bacareto Cardiff, Spanish deli bar Curado, on Westgate Street serving authentic Spanish grill Bar 44, gastro pub Daffodil Cardiff, board game café bar Scaredy Cats and the cosy hole in the wall wine bar Vermut. I really wanted to visit Nighthawks Cardiff, as I haven’t been there yet, but it wasn’t available that day. Kindle was also an option as it’s a restaurant serving natural wines. But the weather was miserable and just a bit too far out for walking in torrential rain.

It’s an initiative which I find so exciting. It’s a treat on a budget!

Travelling to the City Centre

Navigating the Cardiff City, especially during busy periodss, requires thinking ahead. Whether opting for public transport or securing a parking spot in advance, a bit of planning ensures a smoother journey, allowing you to fully savour the best of Cardiff.

Getting around Cardiff has never been easier

Transport for Wales now offers Multiflex, which gives you 12 journeys for the same price as 5 returns. With stops in Taffs Well, Radyr, Whitchurch, Llandaff North, Cathays, two in the city centre – Queen Street and Cardiff Central – plus Cardiff Bay. And who doesn’t want to save money to spend on eating out?

Pre-book your City Centre parking and save!

An NCP Park Pass is an easy way to save money on parking. Not only do you access special parking deals, but you also don’t need to remember where you put the ticket collected at the barrier – mine always gets lost in the handbag. As payment is contact-free and cashless, you do it on your phone.

You can always pre-book your parking online and save money if that’s not your thing. Find a car park, choose your date and time, enter your details and make your payment. Once you’ve booked your parking online, you will receive a booking confirmation email detailing your booking and how to enter and exit the car park.

New Summer Edition Wine Passport 2023

The new ‘Summer Edition’ started on 6 August 2023 and is valid for eight weeks. You can see when I put a stamp in the book on my Instagram Stories. This time there are 12 independent venues signed up. I am still determining how I will choose which six to visit! They are:

As with the previous passports, two wines are on offer; reds and whites. This year there are also some orange wines and wine cocktails at Lab 22 and Dead Canary. I’m also excited to see what the accompanying small plates are and, of course, trying them out.

Wine tasting is a great way to explore Cardiff, and the Cardiff Wine Passport is the perfect guide to help you discover the best wines and hidden gems throughout the city. So grab a glass, indulge in some delicious wines, and embark on a journey of discovery with the Cardiff Wine Passport.

Get yours here

Entertainment Bars in Cardiff

Whether looking for an after-work drink with colleagues, a boy’s or girls’ night out surrounded by cocktails, or a date night spot, you’re always close to the best bars in Cardiff.

The Best Bars in Cardiff. Cocktail bars in Cardiff - The Botanist — *The Botanist*

Tonight Josephine Cardiff. Best Bars in Cardiff — *The Botanist*

Eat Out in Cardiff

Cardiff is a foodie’s delight. From the quality of the produce to the level of cooking, at both the casual and cheap eats, Cardiff is staking a serious claim to being one of the most exciting places to eat in the UK.

Maison de Beouf steak and frites — *Brother Thai*

FREE Visit Cardiff Checklist & Guide

Get your FREE Visiting Cardiff Checklist and Guide with over 25 pages full of travel tips, how to get around, places to visit, food and drink, shopping, parks and green spaces, some Welsh phrases and a travel itinerary.

Free Visit Cardiff Guide

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