Scotch Wine Bar & Wine Shop brings a taste of France to 24-26 Maxwell Road in the heart of Blenheim, Marlborough. Run by three French friends — chef Luigi, winemaker Marie and their partner Armelle, who took over the venue in April 2023 — it combines a restaurant, a cocktail bar and a curated wine shop under one roof, all built on what they call modern French savoir-faire.
In the restaurant, Chef Luigi and his team serve a relaxed dining experience of classic French dishes crafted with fresh, local ingredients, drawing on his French heritage and the influences of his extensive travels. Next door, the cocktail bar invites you to settle into an elegant ambiance while the bartenders mix handcrafted classics and contemporary creations — many of them best enjoyed on the terrace.
The wine shop is where Marie's Bordeaux training shines. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just beginning your wine journey, she curates a selection spanning classic French wines and exciting New World discoveries, and the team holds an off-licence so you can take a bottle home. Gift cards cover it all, from a milestone dinner to cocktails on the terrace, and the venue also hosts events for the local community. Doors open from 2pm every day.
There's a joke the Scotch team is fond of telling: three French people walk into a bar. In this case, the punchline is that they stayed — and eventually took the place over. Since April 2023, Scotch Wine Bar & Wine Shop on Maxwell Road in central Blenheim has belonged to Luigi, Marie and Armelle, three friends whose shared love of food, wine and good times turned a long-held dream into a very real Marlborough institution.
The trio's paths crossed on Waiheke Island, where an instant chemistry planted the idea of going into business together. Luigi has been a chef since the age of 17, and after returning from New Zealand he spent years telling Marie about the country's beauty — so convincingly that the couple eventually set off with their children to explore it. Marie, who grew up in the Bordeaux region where wine flows freely, trained as an oenologist and winemaker, and understands the secrets behind great vintages. Armelle arrived from the French Riviera near Cannes with her two children and a bag each, spending six years on Waiheke before the move south. Sunny, enchanting Marlborough, they say, brought the dream to them — along with an authentic local community and immense quality of life.
In the restaurant, Chef Luigi and his team welcome diners into a relaxed experience built on classic French dishes crafted with fresh, local ingredients. His cooking combines the best of his French heritage with influences from his extensive travels and the local produce Marlborough does so well — the site calls it the art of modern French savoir-faire, and the plates, from seared fish to carefully sauced, garnished compositions, bear that out.
Alongside the kitchen sits a cocktail bar with an elegant ambiance, where the bartenders craft everything from classics to contemporary creations. When the weather allows, drinks migrate to the terrace — arguably the best seat in sunny Blenheim.
The third pillar is the wine shop, and this is where Marie's Bordeaux training takes centre stage. Whether you're a seasoned connoisseur or just starting your wine journey, the team is there to help you find the perfect bottle, with a selection spanning classic French wines and exciting New World discoveries. The front window gives a taste of what's inside — bottles like La Terre du Milieu Syrah 2015, poured by the glass or sold by the bottle. Scotch holds an off-licence, so purchases can leave with you, and the online shop ships further afield.
If you're stuck for a gift, gift cards cover the whole operation: a night out celebrating a milestone, a bottle for a get-together, or cocktails on the terrace.
Scotch opens from 2pm every day, and the team notes restaurant service from 4pm except Sundays — worth keeping in mind when timing lunch or dinner. Reservations can be made by phone on +64 3 579 1176 or by emailing [email protected]. The venue also runs an events programme and shares updates on Instagram and Facebook, so it pays to follow along.
One seasonal note: the team has announced a winter closure from 4 to 13 July, reopening on 14 July, so double-check opening times if you're visiting mid-winter.
Whether you settle in for a long French dinner, a handcrafted cocktail, or simply leave with a bottle chosen by a winemaker, Scotch brings a little piece of France — Bordeaux, the Riviera and all — to the heart of wine country.