A brilliant new addition to the Galata bar scene, Sensus calls itself ‘a wine and cheese boutique’. It’s actually a shop-cum-tasting salon where visitors can imbibe more than 350 types of Turkish wines, often in batches of 10 or 20, or just sup a few glasses for a quick foray into eastern viticulture. Rare for Turkey, there’s a wide selection of local cheeses also on offer, and can be tagged on to a degustation du vin for just a few extra lira. The cellar is rather medieval and offers cool respite from the summer heat – and remains at the perfect temperature for serious wine tasting of rarer vintages.