Leah's Yard: New wine store opening at popular Sheffield city centre shopping hub
An ‘expert’ sommelier who has worked at a Michelin-starred restaurant is opening a new wine store at a popular Sheffield city centre shopping hub.
Barks Wine Shop is coming soon to Leah’s Yard, beside Cambridge Street Collective food hall and opposite the old John Lewis store.
The wine shop, in what was Dream Life Deli, is the latest venture from ‘expert sommelier’ Charles Cornelius, who will be selling a ‘carefully curated’ selection of wines from around the world.
Charles told The Star how he had previously worked as a sommelier at the Michelin-starred London restaurant Frog by Adam Handling, and had also worked at Pairings wine bar and Star Inn The City restaurant, two popular venues in York.
His most recent job was at DropWorks rum distillery, based in Worksop, as an accounts manager, and it was while working for them that he got to know and fall in love with Sheffield.
After being made redundant at Christmas and learning about a new unit becoming available at Leah’s Yard, he decided to take the leap and open his own business.
“I love Sheffield and there’s an amazing wine scene here but there’s nothing in this area,” Charles told The Star.
“I want to focus on bringing really good, high quality wine to people in the city centre at an affordable price point so they can enjoy it on any occasion, whether it’s with dinner at the weekend or on a date night.
“I really specialise in esoteric wine regions and grape varieties which people might not have heard about.
“You’ll be able to get your everyday Sauvignon Blanc but I want to encourage people to try other stuff too.”
Charles said some of the lesser known regions producing fantastic wines include San Sebastián in Spain and Alsace in France, near the border with Germany, where he grew up. He also plans to stock some Ukrainian and Polish wines.
Charles is already planning some paint and sip nights and themed wine tastings at Yard Gallery across the courtyard, and there will be a tasting bench at Barks Wine Shop where people can sample the wine.
Announcing the impending opening, Leah’s Yard said: “With five years of experience as a sommelier, Charles is now embarking on the next stage of his journey - opening his own wine shop, with the long-term ambition of establishing a wine bar,” it added.
“Barks Wine Shop offers a carefully curated selection of wines from around the world, catering to both seasoned enthusiasts and those looking to explore something new.”
The opening date for Barks Wine Shop has yet to be confirmed, though Charles hopes to open in April 2025.
Leah’s Yard is home to a variety of independent shops, cafes and other businesses, including Mesters’ Market, selling the best locally produced food and other products; Hop Hideout craft beer shop; La Biblioteka book shop; and the Chocolate Bar all-day cafe/bar, specialising in craft chocolate.
The collection of historic workshops, centred around a pretty cobbled courtyard reopened last year as a hub for independent retailers and creative businesses following a major restoration.
In January, the owner of Dream Life Deli announced she was relocating to The Moor as Leah’s Yard was ‘too quiet’, but another vendor said it had been ‘really busy’ in the run-up to Christmas.