Wine can be an intimidating business. Between unfamiliar grape varieties, endless regions and the occasional overly enthusiastic sommelier, finding a bottle you actually enjoy can feel more complicated than it needs to be. Good Pair Days has spent the past decade trying to change that.
Founded in Sydney in 2015 by Tom Walenkamp, Banjo Harris Plane and Beto de Castro Moreira Neto, Good Pair Days began with a simple idea: discovering good wine should be enjoyable, personal and accessible, regardless of how much you know about it. Today, the business serves more than 90,000 members across Australia and the UK, with a growing community of drinkers discovering new bottles along the way.
In October 2025, the team took things offline, opening its first wine bar, bottle shop and tasting room at 355 Crown Street in Surry Hills. Having recently celebrated its first anniversary, the venue is now introducing a full dining menu developed alongside chef Mark LaBrooy, co-founder of Three Blue Ducks.
At the heart of Good Pair Days is a recommendation system that takes an unconventional approach to understanding what people enjoy drinking. Rather than asking about preferred grape varieties or wine regions, newcomers answer questions about everyday tastes. How much butter goes on your toast? What chocolate could you eat forever? Which cocktail would you order after work? The answers help build a personalised wine profile, with each bottle receiving a percentage match that becomes more accurate as members explore and rate different wines.
Behind the technology is a wine team led by Harris Plane, a three-time Australian Sommelier of the Year. Every bottle is handpicked, with a particular focus on smaller independent producers, interesting varieties and wines with a story worth telling. The experience is designed to make wine discovery feel less intimidating, with tasting guides, food pairing suggestions and plenty of opportunities to learn along the way.
The Surry Hills venue brings that philosophy into a physical space. Part wine bar, part bottle shop and part tasting room, guests can explore the shelves, take the palate quiz or chat with the team to find something that suits their tastes. Every bottle on the shelf is available to enjoy in the venue, with members paying takeaway prices even when drinking in. The selection changes regularly, including wines imported exclusively by Good Pair Days.
The latest addition is a dining menu created in collaboration with Mark LaBrooy. Expect share plates, snacks, sandwiches and grazing boards, all designed to complement the evolving wine selection. It’s a natural progression for a venue built around making good wine more approachable, giving guests another reason to settle in and explore.
Beyond the bar, Good Pair Days continues to encourage a little curiosity through guided workshops, regular free tastings and events exploring everything from wine fundamentals to Old World and New World styles. Whether you’re discovering your first favourite variety or looking for something a little more adventurous, there’s plenty of room to explore.
A decade after launching online, Good Pair Days is showing that discovering wine doesn’t need to be complicated. Sometimes all it takes is a good recommendation, something delicious to eat and a willingness to try something new.
Good Pair Days
355 Crown Street, Surry Hills, Sydney