There’s something exciting in finding new bars and restaurants around Sydney, especially the ones that are so elusively marked you don’t realise you’ve found them until there’s a small mark near a door, or a sly smile from someone inside who wordlessly says “Yep. You’ve got it.” 121 BC is one of those bars.

Having its address as Holt St misguides the map-follower, as it’s actually located on Gladstone Lane. And yes, that big glass window that has ‘Cantina Enoteca’ frosted across it is it, if you look closely there’s ‘121 BC’ written in tiny letters near the door.

121 BC is the newest member to the family of bars VIni and Berta. I love the name 121 BC, chosen because 121 BC is allegedly the date when the first great wine harvest occurred. And that name suits this bar and its bottle-shop perfectly; their drops are divine.

The bar is small, dark and has a maximum capacity for 25. Either to do with the functionality of the space, or its economics, but I do enjoy bars with long, wooden, communal tables, giving a sense of community and intimacy sometimes lost with smaller, further set apart tables.

Wines and dishes are posted on the blackboard every evening, with constant rotations of availabilities. All their wines are Italian, however, and yes, there’s plenty of them. There were twenty on offer the night I visited, and it’s nice to see such reasonable prices (average price is between $6-$8 per glass.)

The dinner menu is surprisingly large and its quality is beautifully pitched. The Figs, fennel, radicchio and prosciutto ($10) served with a rustic air on a wooden board were a tantalising entree, while the pork and veal meatballs with borlotti beans ($18) were a hearty main, with a winter-warmer comfort appeal.

121 BC is a lovely little nook, definitely worth a visit, a taste and nibble, and if you're after more delicious drops, head to their bottle-o whose taste is just as classy as their wine-bar.