Wine is back . Not that it ever went out , but in my 10 old age as an ripe certified wine professional , wine writer , retailer , andhonorary cavaleiro ( knight ) in the Brotherhood of Port Wine , I ’ve watch the public switch out cheesy wine bar for hipper watering holes commingle artisan cocktails or pouring cunning suds . The ‘ XC - slash - early - aughts versions of wine-colored bar – distinguished by a design fetich for cork art , moth-eaten fake cellar cages , or plastic and vinyl grapes – were go out , many serving succus bombs of fruity , flaccid cabernet and buttery - as - moving picture - theater - popcorn Pinot Chardonnay . Not that there ’s anything wrong with those variety of wine , but if you could just as easily grab them at your parent ’s local grocery fund , why would you go out to imbibe ?
Then , as this decade started , a mess of immature , burnished sommeliers , retail merchant and vino importer started to transfer the secret plan . Bars and restaurants started to get pelvis to lighter , fresher styles of wine – the French even have a news for these potable , gentle - to - pound sipper : glou , or glou - glou – from all over the world . Global offerings from places as wide-ranging as Slovakia , Georgia ( the country , not the state ) , the Canary Islands , Chile , and Mexico , now rule shelf quad alongside classic regions from France , Italy , and Spain . Changing taste perception also show in the lifelike wine movement , a style of wine lay down that eschews heavily - handed wine making for wines with nothing added , nothing removed . ( Think of it as vino ’s reply to craft , though the husbandry practices and winemaking techniques are as old as wine itself . )
Today ? wine-colored bars are coolheaded , without any of the pretensions of the yesteryear . Whether you ’re looking for a date daub or count to study a thing or two about what ’s in your glass , vino bar in all five boroughs offer a refuge from rowdy sports bars and trendy cocktail smirch . Coupled with chef - driven solid food , cozy , modern decor , and low-cost prices , wine streak have add up a long way . Here are our favorites throughout New York City .
Tailfeather|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
NATURAL WINE:
Ten BellsLower East SideOne of the metropolis ’s OG vino bars , since 2008 , Ten Bells has been a Lower East Side anchor for folks in the vino trade and lovers of natural wine likewise . You ’ll mostly discover wine from diminished Gallic producer – the name of the secret plan is offbeat and funky wines , which balance a tongue ’s edge of earthy flavors and electric acidity . With generous happy hour deal serving oysters and vino , plus tapa bark - style bites , this in darkness lit boîte is gross for an afterwork hang , or a belated - night engagement .
Four HorsemenWilliamsburgYes , this Williamsburg natural wine den is co - own by LCD Soundsystem frontman , James Murphy . Open since 2015 , Four Horsemen was not the first lifelike vino bar in New York , but it ’s certainly one of the well known . The belittled , well-fixed spot – blonde Wood , strong orb lights – fun more of “ Bumble date ” than “ group birthday dinner ” vibe . The kitchen ’s dishes may read simple – cogitate sourdough and cultivated butter , butter bean with garlic yogurt and cucumbers , and marinated mussel – but are utter partners to the light - drinking , high - acidulousness France - heavy wine list .
TannatInwoodLocated at the foot of Fort Tryon Park , below the Met ’s cloister in northern Manhattan , teeny Tannat is a snug mobile canteen for natural wine , without make to trek downtown for more trafficked spots . The bar takes its name after the French grape varietal wine – appropriately , if you have n’t take heed of it before , one peek at the wine-colored list and you ’ll find plenty of new - to - you discoveries , too . ( Cinsault ! Traminer ! Malvasia di Candia ! ) Mary Leontyne Price here are mediocre , and you’re able to easily try out your way round the humankind thanks to pours priced by splash , by shabu , or by bottle . Chef William Emery mans the kitchen , churning out eye - poppingly low-cost four course ( $ 38 ) , three track ( $ 32 ) , and entree ( $ 21 , with goner and house pickles ) dinners , created from local Hudson Valley farm .
Courtesy of Ten Bells
WildairLower East SideLower East Side hangout Wildair is a favorite of celebs like comic Eric Wareheim ( who is now a winemaker himself , btw ) , but it ’s also a draw in its own right hand . You ’ll never know what Wildair ’s versed , passionate server are pour on any given night , but rest insure that it ’s low-priced , interesting , and downright pleasant . Something of an outgrowth of high - end sibling Contra the right way next doorway , Wildair benefits from that kitchen ’s endowment while extradite a convivial , welcoming personality that ’s all its own .
MADE IN NEW YORK:
Brooklyn WineryWilliamsburgOne of the city ’s top wedding venue also happens to be a great urban winery and bar in its own right . If you jab the reclaimed wood - meets - industrial vibration , this berth ’s for you . Winemaker Conor McCormack source grape from vineyards all over the country , but the ones to examine are those prize - winning wines made from New York - country grapes . The unoaked chardonnay grape is a especial delight , consistently unused and smart , while the reds from Long Island ’s North Fork – single - varietal merlot or Cabernet Sauvignon sauvignon , or the blend themselves – are also deliciously kudos - worthy .
Red Hook WineryRed HookThis is a ferment winery in the rightfulness here in urban NYC , and we ’d be remiss not to steer you toward the tasting room for a day - drinking adventure . Take a enlistment , sure , but for $ 18 , you’re able to try four of the wine maker ’s offerings . Showcasing New York state ’s proclivity for grape vine - produce , you could also just try out through the 12 local wines by - the - glass or bottle , like riesling , peel contact wines , and blend . And you ca n’t beat the view : the Statue of Liberty , Manhattan skyline and waterfront provide the everlasting backdrop .
Keuka KafeForest HillsSet in the spunk of Queens , this low little wine-coloured bar bear court to wines made in New York ’s own Finger Lakes realm , borrowing its name from one of the famed lake . While the inclination represents world regions ( Italy , California , Spain ) , rummy drinker can also zero in in on the red and white flights sport wines from some of the Finger Lakes ’ top producers : Ravines , Lakewood Vineyards , Boundary Breaks , and McGregor . An extensive intellectual nourishment menu is also available , either for occasional noshing or a full meal .
Brooklyn Winery|Rima Brindamour
SKIN CONTACT:
TailfeatherClinton HillRelaxed digs , thin impudence pizza , natural wine-colored and … patty . What more can you ask for ? Tailfeather is the chill , innovative wine cake of our dreams . terminate by during happy hour ( 4 - 7pm ) , and you’re able to kick off your Nox with $ 7 glass of stuff and nonsense the staff is crushing at the instant . veritable by - the - glass pours , too , start at $ 9 , with many bottles moderately priced below $ 60 . A cool down red and orangish wine-coloured subdivision is a welcome alteration from Graeco-Roman styles , while interesting varietals like saperavi from Georgia , listan negro from the Canary Islands , and trebbiano romagnolo from Italy invite a natural language - twist global escapade through regional , indigenous grape varieties deserving trying .
JuneCobble HillJune ’s gorgeous marble bar and its spacious back garden are as tight as you ’re gon na get to an outflow to Paris in south Brooklyn . The by - the - methamphetamine ( BTG to wine-coloured pros ) change every dyad of days , and an extensive innate wine list spans some of wine-coloured ’s most interesting regions , like France ’s Jura , Austria ’s Styria , even Mykonos ( yell - out to Lindsay Lohan ) . If you ’re await for skin - touch wines – that is , clean wine that have been made like reds , to press out flavor and texture from their skins – be sure to check out producer like Milan Nestarec ’s selections from Czech Republic , or Champagnes by Jacques Lassaigne .
RuffianEast VillageThe best wine-colored parallel bars are invite , delivering hospitality and knowledge without any airs . You ’ll find that and more at the 20 - seat Ruffian , along with 200 - something wine from all over the public ( with a focus on Eastern Europe ) , 30 or so by the shabu . The move , though , is to bring a mates of friend and lump - out over bottles – the Mary Leontyne Price here are fair , with some options come in as blue as $ 50 . A pocket-sized - but - focused solid food menu by chef / partner Josh Ochoa is inspired by Mediterranean feeling , and fume olive , zucchini bread crostini , and ratatouille tarte go beyond standard menu .
Tailfeather|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
LaLouProspect HeightsThe latest undertaking from star somm Joe Campanale , LaLou just feelscivilized . With loads of natural light and soft , indifferent tonicity of grey , taupe , and natural woodwind instrument throughout , it ’s an escape from a mad world . The bar is buy in with wines from fascinating regions like Hungary and the Canary Islands , though you ’ll bump more classic diverseness like gamay , tempranillo , and cabernets from Beaujolais , Spain , and Bordeaux , among others . learned stave are on hand to help guide your BTG selection , like winemaker Louis - Antoine Luyt ’s refreshing Red River Pipeño Carrizal , a traditionally made Chilean natural wine . Or opt for a feeding bottle , like one of the many softer bubbled petillant naturels , or “ favorite - nats , ” the easy - sip first cousin of Champagne - style wines .
THE CLASSICS:
slide and ValleyGreenpointIn the pantheon of vino realm , the New World stronghold of California is as well - sleep with as any area in France or Italy , depending on who you ask . You ’ll feel a love letter to the Golden State ’s divers wine - growing regions in the signifier of a 100 - bottle wine list at Coast and Valley . usable in 2- and 5 - ounce pours , the wine list invites you to seek everything – literally all the bottles are usable by the glass or incorporate into flying – let in natural wines , traditional cabs and Pinot Chardonnay . Do n’t miss vino from noteworthy producers like Donkey & Goat , Bellus , and Arnot - Roberts , while chowing down on Cali - appropriate transportation like poached poulet , lemongrass coconut curry , and cauliflower and leek soup .
TerroirTribecaHome to wine world celeb Paul Grieco and chef Lesley Rivera , Terroir is best get it on for its “ screwing it ” approach to vino uptake . Yeah , sure , you ’re gon na find groovy wine here – yawn ! You ’ll also get faultless hospitality without any airs , where guests are clearly enjoying themselves while revel a sherry from Spain or exploring the true and howling magic of riesling . ( Spoiler alert : Everything you fuck about riesling is incorrect , and you should trust Terroir to lay out you to right . )
Aldo Sohm Wine BarMidtownAn offshoot of apex restaurant Le Bernardin , Aldo Sohm Wine Bar is discover after the restaurant ’s famed vino theatre director and wine world celeb . Sohm and his squad pour upwards of 40 wines by the glass , with 200 bottle available as well . Selections are world but classical – from France , Germany , Spain , and Sohm ’s native Austria – and decidedly more upscale : Aglassof producer Auguste Clape ’s 2013 Cornas runs $ 80 ( the whole bottleful is $ 320 ) . This is cool and wild : you’re able to try rare , incredible wine without shelling out the cost of a bottle , but it ’ll still set you back . Luckily , the wine list volunteer a chain of mountains of price point .
Coast and Valley|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
CorkbuzzUnion SquareThough it has locations in the Chelsea Market , the Hamptons , and Charlotte , North Carolina , Corkbuzz ’s flagship location in Union Square still remain a attracter since open in 2012 . The inspiration of Master Sommelier Laura Fiorvanti , Corkbuzz is the sort of spot you bring your cool - than - you parent when they fly into townspeople . Stylish but not stodgy , the vibe is as buzzy as the name suggests , with a European - focused wine-colored listing and themed , ever - changing sommelier - driven trajectory . The Sommelier Mix - tape , for instance , is a bespoken trust exercise between you and the somm , who will pick out some choices based on your orientation or mood , while the Back in the New York Groove flight of steps focalize on local vintner from Long Island , and Gimme Some Skin is a mini - moral in skin - inter-group communication orange wine .
Vin Sur VingtMultiple locationsEver have a ally message you “ wanna get a drink ? I have the wildest narration ” and you ’re clamber for a place to run into up ? You ’re in portion . With locations in Tribeca , West Village , the Upper West Side and a couple of others , it ’s an approachable spot for a last min day of the month , meet - up , or yak fest when you ’re all out of ideas on where to go . While basically a miniskirt - chain of wine bars , Vin Sur Vingt feels anything but . With happy hour before 6 post-mortem examination and bottle discount rate after 10 pm , each emplacement also afford a flashy - than - common nighttime out . The wines span the whole of France , exclusively , offering curious drinkers a chance to sip the noisome offerings of Jura and Savoie , or the playful - yet - complex sippers from Beaujolais .
VinateríaHarlemLifelong New Yorker and Harlem resident Yvette Leeper - Bueno open up Vinatería in 2013 , and it has since blown up into a goal smear play up Spanish and Italian vino and food . Recognized by Wine Spectator and Michelin for its wine-colored list , Vinatería focuses its buying endeavour on small-scale producer you ’d be pressed to find elsewhere . The thoroughgoing spot for a date Nox , Vinateria ’s chalkboard menu of daily specials turns up the charm – as if the cozy dark wall , indoor works box , and large , airy windows did n’t already .
Courtesy of Vinatería
D’AntanCrown HeightsD’Antan was ground by the same folk behind Have & Meyer and Terre . Expect a mostly Italian wine tilt of more than 100 natural wines by the glass , plus a full - service kitchen . A sleeper hit , though , is the vermouth menu , which highlights bottles from Turin , spiritual home of the aromatized , bastioned wine-coloured . Whether you ’re checking out the order of payment vermouth - driven cocktails or sipping through the multiple styles of Italian vermouth as an aperitivo , you ca n’t lack with this casual , stylish little prevention and eatery .
Vinum Wine Bar & RestaurantStapletonChef and restaurateur Massimo Felici has built his career on tapping his Italian roots and education at eating place here and abroad . After move to Staten Island , he opened Vinum , where he helps pass the kitchen in craft menage - made small plates , breads , and pastry . The wine list , too , is tightly focused on Italian grapes like falanghina , vernaccia di San Gimignano , negroamaro and many more . White tablecloth , let out brick and soft lantern lighting around out the warm and pay for trattoria experience .
BLVD Wine BarLong Island CityHead to BLVD for one of the best passel around : During happy hour , all wines by the glass are $ 7.50 . With twenty wines by the deoxyephedrine , include some on tap , this place eschews largeness for a good time , empowering guests to decamp the formalities if all they want to do is drink and carouse . fresh and Old World producers make up the list , underscore the bar ’s focus on drinkability , while well-educated staff can just as easy steer you toward some local craft brew , if wine is n’t your matter .
Taverna Kyclades|Cole Saladino/Thrillist
Air ’s Champagne ParlorGreenwich VillageA temple to accessible degeneracy and all things sparkling , Air ’s Champagne Parlor is the wine bar of Dionysian dreams . The menu shift and morphs as quickly as bubbles trail up the side of a flute , such that your favorite nursing bottle may not be usable on subsequent visits . Rest assured , though , that the irreverent but expert staff can steer you towards life story - vary bottle of bubbly from , yes , Champagne , but also places like Germany , Greece , and Italy .
ADVENTUROUS AND NOTEWORTHY REGIONS:
Taverna KycladesAstoriaCome for the epic Grecian seafood , stay for the wine list . Since 1996 , this Astoria destination has been transporting dining compartment to the nation ’s sunny isles via the glass . A glimpse at the wine-colored inclination yields bottles from Italy , France and California , but do n’t skip the Hellenic individual - varietal or blended offerings made from moschofilero , assyrtiko , or retsina wine , a uniquely Greek wine style that incorporates pine rosin in the output process . Signature dishes – think grill swordfish , ortikia ( grilled quail ) , or fried sardine – all match perfectly , particularly with the E. B. White .
KaiaUpper East SideLook , we detest to pause it to you : The Upper East Side is terminally unhip . Which is all the more reason you should make your way to Kaia , a one - of - a - kind wine legal community that focuses exclusively on the ofttimes - ignored wines of South Africa . Daily happy time of day ( $ 6 / glass ) are enough understanding to make a beeline up here . Boasting one of the most extensive South African wine-colored leaning , well , anywhere , you ’ll find méthode cap classique wines ( sparkle wines made in the Champagne - style ) by storied producers like Graham Beck , dessert wines by Stellar Winery , and various reds from throughout the land . While you ’re at it , do n’t kip on the farm - to - table kernel pies , ostrich sosaties ( skewers ) , and tempestuous boar toasties ( grill sammies ) from chef Billy Dineen .
Sayra ’s Wine Bar and Bier GardenFar RockawayLocally owned Sayra ’s is modest but mighty . The 28 - seat Rockaway wine stripe is a rarity in this part of the city , but its affordable offerings ( bottles from $ 20 to $ 40 ) are enough of a reason to swing by when you ’re nearby . The large patio is a attractor unto itself – the barroom host regular picture nights , while a seasonally drive wine list features fresh pours from places like South Africa and New Zealand , or mulled wine-coloured in the winter .
The Lit . BarBronxOK , so this is n’t a wine bar , but rather a bookstore that serves wine . Opened in springiness 2019 , this spot is the Bronx ’s only severally own bookstall , built by Noëlle Santos following the shuttering of the borough ’s only bookstore , a Barnes and stately . Fast trail to today , and The Lit has become a community anchor particularise in foreground African American , Latinx and other diverse voices but also a venue for wine - tastings ( a small coffee shop is in the rear ) , community case , rule book signing and more .
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