Bridget Raffal, owner of Where's Nick Wine Bar, shares her five most memorable wines

Bridget Raffal is a respected restaurant and wine consultant, sommelier, and wine judge with over 15 years’ experience in the wine industry. Based on Gadigal Land (Sydney), she is the Vice President of Sommeliers Australia and, in 2021, co-founded Women and Revolution, a charity dedicated to addressing gender inequality in the wine and hospitality industries.

A two-time recipient of the Sommelier’s Choice Award, Bridget was previously the Head Sommelier at Sixpenny, where her expertise played a key role in securing the restaurant’s prestigious third hat. Her contributions to the field were further recognised in 2023 when she was named Sommelier of the Year in the Good Food Guide. Bridget now owns and operates the award-winning Where’s Nick Wine Bar in Marrickville, a venue known for its thoughtful approach to wine and hospitality. 

Below, Bridget recalls her five most memorable wines.

Bridget Raffal at her Sydney wine bar Where's Nick.

2008 Weingut Clemens Busch Marienburg Falkenlay Riesling Großes Gewächs
Mosel, Germany
This wine was my lightbulb moment for riesling and, fortunately, occurred relatively early in my wine career. While I’d always appreciated its versatility, I’d never had a glass that truly made me swoon. Until this bottle, riesling felt more like a tool in the wine toolbox than a wine that could sweep me off my feet. It had about six years on it when I enjoyed it with a friend over some excellent yum cha, and I was mesmerized. The vibrant acidity, beautifully balanced by such rich texture and a good dose of residual sugar (I suspect it’s close to the limit for GGs), unfolded in so many layers of citrus, honeysuckle, and orchard fruit. And the length – more than 10 years later, I can still taste that wine.  

2005 Didier Dagueneau Les Jardins de Babylone
Jurançon, France
I enjoyed this bottle in 2019 at the end of a beautiful long lunch at Asador Etxebarri just outside of San Sebastián in the Basque countryside. To this day, no other meal has surpassed it. We lingered on the rooftop, surrounded by mountains, savouring this one final bottle in the evening light. Though lunch was technically over, the sommelier brought out their Flan de Queso Fresco, generously providing us with the pairing of a lifetime. The golden hue of the wine, silky and rich at 14 years old, with the softly set custard and burned apple caramel was utter perfection.

2014 Domaine François Raveneau Grand Cru Les Clos
Chablis, France
Chardonnay is, without a single doubt, the reigning star of my wine world and for me, Domaine François Raveneau is the pinnacle of everything that is perfect and beautiful about the grape. I found this bottle on a list at a restaurant in Rome, and though drinking French wine with Italian food is undeniably psychopathic, I couldn’t resist and have no regrets. Pairings be damned, sometimes you just have to follow your heart, especially if your heart wants Raveneau and the bottle’s right in front of you. 

1988 Giuseppe e Figlio Mascarello Monprivato
Barolo, Italy
This was a treat on a recent holiday to Piedmont with a dear friend of mine. We stumbled upon it in a small shop with a deep cellar and after some back-and-forth, we splurged, figuring we’d regret not taking the chance. We planned a dinner around it, hoping it would be worth the indulgence. The gods were kind and led us to a local farmers market in a nearby town, where we found fresh porcini mushrooms and hand-rolled, egg-rich tagliatelle. We were so nervous when we opened the bottle, but it was in perfect condition. Autumnal, with the scent of sandalwood and forest decay, it captured the essence of the region and made for the most memorable farewell dinner.

1991 Wynns Centenary Shiraz Cabernet
Coonawarra, South Australia
Old Wynns wines hold a very special place in my heart, as they always accompanied family celebrations and were brought out from the cellar with a sense of ceremony. I opened this bottle in 2022 with my dad and uncle, alongside a 1992 John Riddoch. The latter was dark, rich, and predictably exotic, while the Centenary stood out as a nod to a different era of Australian winemaking – more restrained, with less oak and greater elegance. It was fine-boned, and savoury, and certainly developed, yet still carried a beautiful freshness and finesse. While I wouldn’t typically gravitate towards shiraz/cabernet blends, this iconic Australian wine made a compelling case for the style, reminding me of the enduring quality of wines like these. 

Instagram: @littlewinemonster | @wheresnickbar | @womenandrevolution | @sommeliersaustralia

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