Sting may have told Roxanne she didn’t have to put hers on, but new CBD wine bar Juliet comes bathed in the rosy-cheeked glow of the red light. And when it’s on, all are welcomed into the arms of her subterranean charms.

A sibling to Punch Lane next door – which has just blown the candles on its 23rd year and remains as popular a wine bar/bistro as Melbourne offers – Juliet is an understated, impeccably stylish spot for late-night Negronis and knock-off wines.

It’s a secret hideaway, where vintage French drinks trolleys are complemented by clean-lined Danish furniture, the space lit by hand-blown feature glass fittings and warmed in winter by a roaring fire. There’s ’70s funk on the stereo, capocollo and salami hanging in the fridge, and wines come from a tight list that champions female winemakers.

In a nice touch, each night four whites and reds are opened to pour by the glass that the quick off the mark can request. It’s the perfect chance to sip on a glass of Sarah Crowe’s heady Yarra Yering pinot noir syrah, or Sandra de Pury’s voluptuous Yeringberg viognier.

There’s a clever, tight menu of mainly cheese and charcuterie. An excellent version of vitello tonnato adds black garlic richness to the blushing pink veal seasoned with subtly tuna-spiked mayo.

Our antipasto features a vegetable shashlik with grilled cheese sitting next to pickled okra and honey-drizzled camembert. Slivers of vegetables fried until crisp and hand-rolled crostini finish a plate of simple, tasty food.

And the name? In the 19th century, this pocket was where men and women of the night plied their trade – the gentlemen around the corner on Romeo Lane (now Crossley St), the ladies on Juliet Terrace (Liverpool St). Yes, even in vice, Melbourne plays poetically nice.