A Wine Lover’s Guide to Bars in Tallinn, Tallinn, Estonia

When you think of bars in Tallinn, Estonia’s capital and the northernmost city in the Baltic states, you might think of strong liquor to warm the soul through the cold winters. Or you might think of hand-achingly huge pitchers of local lager with which to celebrate the white nights of summer. And while both of these are true, it was the wine culture in Tallinn that particularly surprised and impressed me.

Not only will you find some fantastic wine bars in Tallinn, but Estonia also has its own wine-making culture. When you consider how far north the country lies (Tallinn is at 59 degrees latitude), it’s quite miraculous that wine can be made at all. Unsurprisingly, the grapes grown are all cool climate varieties: Solaris, Rondo and Zilda aren’t well known outside of northern Europe, but they can all tolerate the region’s cold winters and spring frosts.

It’s the fruit wines, though, that make Estonia’s viticulture tradition so unique. Nowhere else have I tasted wines made from rhubarb and gooseberry, quince and apple. And I must admit, I didn’t expect to enjoy them as much as I did. From Tallinn, we took a bus around 45 minutes east to Valgejõe Veinivilla, where we tasted a whole range of Estonian wines - from a sparkling rhubarb-based aperitif to a citrusy Solaris and a juicy Regent (white and black grapes respectively). But it was the yellow plum wine paired with smoked trout, rye bread and garlic butter for lunch that was a particular pleasure. As a day trip from Tallinn, I’d highly recommend visiting Valgejõe if you’re staying in the city for a little longer. ...... (follow the instructions below for accessing the rest of this article).