By-the-glass nerd list in an otherwise basic HEL drinks scene
At Helsinki Airport’s Wine and View in Terminal 2, the pitch is simple: a more serious wine list than the generic bars around the Schengen gates. The focus is on by-the-glass pours, including bottles you’d usually only see sold by the full 0.75L. Pricing runs high by Finnish standards too, so budget roughly €12–€18 per glass for anything interesting, with a few safer options under €10.
Wine and View sits airside in T2, past security and passport control, so this is for departures only, not arrivals. Most long-haul oneworld and SkyTeam flights leave from this terminal, and the bar often fills up in the early evening bank around 17:00–20:00. Seating is mostly at the counter and a few nearby tables, so be ready to hover if you land here just before a 19:00 departure wave.
The list changes, but expect a handful of sparkling, white, red, and usually at least one dessert wine by the glass. You’ll often see recognizable regions like Champagne, Burgundy, and Rioja, plus the occasional Finnish or Nordic bottle as a talking point. Food is light: think bar snacks and small plates rather than a full dinner, with prices usually in the €8–€15 range.
If you care about what’s in the glass, this beats the standard beer-and-house-red routine elsewhere in HEL T2. It’s also one of the few places where staff may actually know the producer and vintage they’re pouring, and can steer you between, say, a 2018 Rioja Reserva and a younger New World Cabernet. Expect standard airport service speed, but the pour sizes are honest for the price.
Tip: if your layover is under 45 minutes, sit at the bar, order one glass from the higher-end section of the list, and keep your boarding pass visible so you can bolt as soon as your gate in T2 posts “boarding.”