Bottle Apostle owner Andrew Eakin

Crouch End wine enthusiasts, experts and novices will soon be able to experience a world of wines - all a little help from an “Oyster card”.

Bottle Apostle in Victoria Park - Crouch End will be similar to this when complete

After an 18 month hunt for the perfect location, Bottle Apostle has chosen Crouch End over the likes of Primrose Hill as the site of its second branch.

And - as well as tasting sessions and classes - the new shop comes complete with Bottle Apostle’s smartcard system, which allows customers to do anything from taste a wine for 40p to buy a half bottle for £150.

The smartcard also has the added advantage of being able to remember which wine you bought last Friday - even if you can’t.

But owner Andrew Eakin is keen to stress this is a wine shop for everyone, not just those who can tell their Chablis from their chardonnay.

He was inspired to open his own shop after falling in love with his local wine store in Paris, where he lived for almost four years.

He said: “He did not try to sell me the most expensive bottle and he did not look down his nose because I didn’t have a clue about wine.”

It is this ethos which Mr Eakin now brings to his Victoria Park shop and, from Tuesday, April 3, the new Bottle Apostle on Park Road.