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You can now go on a wine tour around Manchester city centre

Erm, yes please.

Daisy Jackson - 3rd October 2023

We’ve had pub crawls, lockdown gin tin walks – and now there’s an organised wine tour you can do around Manchester.

A new series of events, simply titled Manchester Wine Tours, will whisk guests around town sampling some of the city’s very best bars and pubs.

The leisurely three-hour tours will showcase the best places to buy and drink wine around our city, with plenty of plonk to drink on the way round.

Launched by local food and drink writer and WSET-qualified wine expert Kelly Bishop, the Manchester Wine Tours will feature Manchester bars, restaurants, pubs and wine shops specially chosen by Kelly.

She’ll be picking places with an interesting range of bottles, and that are true local favourites.

These ‘posh pub crawls’ will give people the chance to try something new, learn a little about wine, and discover a new favourite boozer.

And Kelly is promising to keep them accessible to everyone from total wine beginners to long-term enthusiasts.

Each tour will cost £75 per person and will include a guided tour around Manchester city centre, six small glasses of wine and a series of wine-matched snacks at four different places.

Along the way, Kelly will also be on hand to point out local points of interest and things you might not already know about the city.

Kelly Bishop will lead the wine tours around Manchester. Credit: Debbie Ellis

Each Manchester Wine Tour will feature different bars and include snacks — Kelly Bishop will lead the wine tours around Manchester. Credit: Debbie Ellis

On this wine tasting ‘with legs’, guests will have the opportunity to learn about wine in a relaxed, fun, sociable and informal way.

Kelly Bishop said: “I started Manchester Wine Tours to celebrate the incredible wine offering in Manchester. Manchester is known for great restaurants and bars selling nationally celebrated craft beer and cocktails, but there is a really impressive wine scene here too.

“I’m passionate about wine and am really excited to share my knowledge and enthusiasm with locals and tourists alike.

“I want to show people that although this might be classed as a ‘high-end activity’ with really good quality wine and matching snacks, wine tasting definitely doesn’t have to be snobby or stuffy. I want it to appeal to anyone over 18 who is interested in wine and introduce them to some of my favourite wine spots in Manchester.”

Tours will start in October 2023 with the first events on Sunday 22 and Sunday 29 October (3pm-6pm). From November onwards, tours will be every Wednesday evening (7pm-10pm) and Sunday afternoon (3pm-6pm).

There will also be four special Christmas tours on 10, 13, 17 and 20 December. These are £100pp and will feature extra special wines and festive snacks.

Find the full list of dates and more information at Manchester Wine Tours.

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