Blackheath's hospitality options may be expanded with a small bar serving boutique wines.
Bob Colman, wine-maker and 30-year Blackheath resident, has lodged a DA to convert the old art gallery on Govetts Leap Rd, near Wentworth Street, into a small bar and adjoining boutique wine and liquor store.
Mr Colman runs the "Frankly this wine was made by Bob" label with son, Tom. They lease a vineyard in the Kanimbla Valley and also buy organically grown grapes from Mudgee, Orange, Bathurst, Canowindra and Young.
Mr Colman said their wines are known as natural "which means we only use organic grapes and we don't use any additives (including no preservative 99 per cent of the time) or filter the wine".
Tom Colman has worked with some of the world's best known natural wine makers in Europe, North America and Australia but is now firmly ensconced in the family wine business. They expect to begin exporting their wines to the USA in a few months time.
"Our plan for the little building is to have a micro sized natural wine shop - so very very specialised wines - and the producers will need to meet our standards," Bob Colman said. "There will also be a small wine bar stocking natural wines. We believe there is nothing like this anywhere west of the inner western suburbs of Sydney.
"We will obviously hope for good patronage from the locals and of course the weekend tourists and offer an alternative for somewhere to go and have a quiet drink and a small plate or two of interesting food using, wherever possible, locally grown produce."
The DA is before council and Mr Colman also has to apply to Liquor & Gaming NSW for a packaged liquor licence.
