There are some restaurants whose sense of style and place simply demands great wine, and Quay is one of those restaurants. Its location within the passenger terminal at Circular Quay is without peer on this planet, and its bright, airy design certainly takes full vantage of some of the most spectacular Sydney harbours views you’ll ever experience. But to take Quay merely on its face value would do it a major disservice. Irrespective of the visual trimmings, the standard of its cuisine, its service and its wine stamp it as one of Sydney’s signature restaurants. Compiled by John Clancy, Quay’s wine list is versatile, imaginative and thoroughly appropriate. Clancy clearly has his finger on the pulse of what’s hot around Australia, France and Italy, and presents a broad spectrum of classic combinations of region with variety, including a spread of different vintages. Quay’s list does include a good selection of older wines, a number of which are taken from the Anders Josephson Private Wines collection. Quay offers a pleasing spectrum of wines by the glass, plus a small but excellent selection of half bottles. If you want to lash out on something old and special you’ll find it (at a price) at Quay. Otherwise you’ll just have to content yourself with something younger but of considerable quality. The list is easy to read, isn’t too large and has already got me planning my next visit. Quay doesn’t exactly give its wine away, but neither does its landlord give it its space for free.
