New Auckland Opening: Ground Is A Subterranean Wine Bar From Two Wine Experts

Down the stairs on O’Connell St in Auckland’s CBD, Ground is a new wine bar with a drinks list that means business.

If you’ve ever stopped in for a bottle of something special from Cahn’s Wines and Spirits on O’Connell St in the CBD, then you’ll be pleased to hear that owner Martin Cahnbley has opened a delightful wine bar downstairs in the same building.

Ground wine bar opened quietly but confidently in January, with Martin saying the team had been “intentionally coy about the opening” as they tested their new bar on friends, customers and friends in the industry.

So far, so good with word slowly spreading about a great underground wine bar in a city devoid of spots dedicated to interesting, quality wines.

Martin’s wine shop Cahn’s Wines and Spirits is home to some of New Zealand’s top wine producers, from the classics, to the new-wave, and a go-to when looking for a standout spirit for a foodie, with a huge selection of whisky (and North American whiskey), mezcal and tequila and gins of every persuasion. Enjoy an Amaro? Martin has 10+ on his books.

Cahn’s opened in 2019, creating what Martin calls a hub for lovers of wine to meet and share stories, with the downstairs space used for tastings and winemaker dinners.

Martin says his vision for the downstairs space had always been a wine bar, but the idea really took shape when Martin met his future business partner Aleksandr Shcepetkin through his regular visits to the wine shop.

In 2023 they went for dinner at Sri Panang where Martin proposed the idea of a new wine venture, and the rest, as they say, is history.

“He spent his teenage years as a stage actor specialising in song and dance. Creating experiences and making people happy is a true passion for him.”

Aleks has plenty of hospo experience under his belt too, having worked for the Comensa Group (Cafe Hanoi, Ghost Street, Perch) and as sommelier and manager of Sid at the French Cafe. Having recently achieved his WSET (Wine & Spirit Education Trust) diploma, “Alex has a wealth of information about the wine industry and wines and loves sharing this with anyone who will listen”.

Martin says he’ll be jumping in from time to time to assist at Ground and share his knowledge of wine and the wine industry. He began his wine journey in 1987, working in marketing and brand development roles in South Africa (Gilbey’s), Australia (Penfolds) and New Zealand (Corbans/Winegrowers of Ara). In 2003 he founded Planet Wine and started importing wines and spirits into New Zealand before opening Cahn’s.

Down the stairs from the wine shop, the vibe at Ground wine bar is “friendly, quiet, cosy and classy”, says Martin. “We are not pretentious and enjoy it when first-timers become regulars.”

For the fitout, described by Martin as “speakeasy” style, the duo had assistance from “lots of people” along the way, transforming the shell of a basement space in a historic building into a sophisticated den for wine and food, with some of the work done themselves (just visit the Instagram page for proof).

Now, the concrete floors have been polished, a handsome wooden bar added, walls painted a deep blue and artwork hung. Backlit wooden shelving stores neatly lined bottles of wine and spirits and hanging lights spotlight intimate corners of the bar. The seating is a combination of banquets, bar leaners and tables for various group sizes.

During the afternoon, red curtains partially obscure the daylight streaming through the original leadlight windows, and by night the “speakeasy” feel the owners were aiming for comes into play.

The expertly curated wine list showcases a diverse selection from both renowned and emerging wine regions, emphasising quality, terroir, and unique expressions, balancing iconic labels such as Cristal, Penfolds Grange, and Château Calon-Ségur, with innovative, small-batch producers from around the world. The by-the-glass options allow for endless exploration (hello vermouth, fortified and orange wines), including half-glass servings, while the bottle selection highlights rare vintages and aged treasures.

“We have an extensive range of wines by the glass, including the standards like pinot noir, chardonnay, pinot gris and sauvignon blanc but we also offer wines from Austria, Germany, South Africa, Greece and Syria,” says Martin. “We like introducing customers to the great and interesting wines of the world. Our wine-by-the-glass list changes regularly and we constantly add to our by-the-bottle listing.”

Mirroring the liquor offering upstairs, there’s also a curated selection of spirits from the likes of Roots gin from Marlborough, NZ, Mars sherry from Japan and El Dorado rum from Guyana.

For now, the food menu is short and sweet, with charcuterie, mezze and cheese platters, baked camembert, pâté and tapenade with Wild Wheat bread, and crackers.

“In the future we will add another three to five smaller options,” says Martin, “hopefully in conjunction with well-known Auckland chefs.”

What’s the outlook for Auckland’s CBD this year and will customers find Ground? “O’Connell St is such an incredibly vibrant one-way street,” says Martin. “We have Gilt and Sophia, Panacea, Strangely Normal, Rumours Coffee, Sumthin Dumpling, EDIT and Shakes clothing, Mojo and Melba Coffee and Vulcan Lane is right next to us. We are nowhere near the pedestrian levels of before Covid. But, the activity is slowly growing, and hopefully more people will come back to the city to work.”

If and when they do, they’d be wise to stop by Ground.

Find Ground at 10 O’Connell St, Auckland CBD. Open 3pm until midnight Wednesday to Sunday. Closed Monday/Tuesday.

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