A NYC native, I don;t live there nowm, but still go back, often around Xmas, to visit family. I keep up ok with the general food and wine scene, but I realized that I know of nowhere to find truly serious, classic wines by the glass.
When I was last in Paris, I hit the Brasserie arm of Le Taillevent, which does just this. (Here is a link: http://www.taillevent.com/les-110-de-taillevent-brasserie/la-carte/les-entrees/#.) Right now they have up, for example, a 2000 Chave Hermitage; back then they had an '04 La Fort de Latour (which I went for) and a 2001 (?) Haut Brion, which I did not (though the bartender gave me a taste!), among others.
In any case, do folk know of a NYC equivalent? Some wine bar or bar arm of a restaurant that pours truly serious juice. (Even Veritas, unless I am mistaken, did not seem to have much really of interest available.) I would, of course, also be interested in any kind of actual tastings, or even an offline, but since I’ll be in from 12/22 through New Year’s, when these things tend not to happen owing to the busyness of that week, I thought something like the above might be my best bet.
It’s been awhile since I’ve been to Veritas. The first time I was there I had a very nice Chassagne-Montrachet 1er Cru from the wine bar before dinner. Will be interested to hear what others recommend as I may get to NYC sometime in 2014.
Veritas is closed and no more.
Wines by the glass is not something I take advantage of.
Bar Boulud opens a nice big bottle from magnums up to 3L every night and serves BTG from it.
At least when it started the Bar Boulud big bottle program was “at cost.” I think that’s still basically the case, though the great deals that they were getting at auction in 2009-2010 are probably no more. Michael Madrigale tweets what he is opening every night so you can see before you show up.
Maialino usually has some reasonable aged nebbiolos for not outrageous prices. I think a lot of them are from the old Chatterdon portfolio, so at some point that is going to run its course.
A lot of restaurants are doing Coravin for high end wine (dovetailing on the other thread). The prices at Marea didn’t seem outrageous - about 50% of bottle cost for a glass if you choose right.
Charlie Bird is one of the hot new wine-centric casual restaurants, the other being Pearl and Ash. At CB you can order half of any bottle for half price.
I’m not up on what’s hot these days but I still see Mike’s emails on the big bottle pours at Boulud and there’s something exciting several times a week.
I generally find the BTG selections at Hearth/Terroir underwhelming, very homogenous and somewhat expensive. Good if you like the style, but I’ve had bad experiences where folks who weren’t AFWEy couldn’t find a glass that made them happy.
Corkbuzz is good, but not exciting. Sort of a down-the-middle NYC geek list with lots of Rosenthal, Dressner, etc. A great place to get a glass in the neighborhood, but not a destination-type place which is what it sounds like you are looking for.
Gramercy Tavern is good, but not inexpensive, and doesn’t have trophys BTG.
Maialino has a nice selection. When I was there a couple of months ago, they were pouring a Sotto Brunello BTG at a very fair price.
Bar Boulud is hit or miss with the big bottle program - the two times I went, I whiffed.
Charlie Bird is OK. I have a connection to the somm there, and he’s pointed to some excellent BTG picks I wouldn’t have otherwise noticed, but they’re more in the esoteric range rather than the trophy / wow! range.
Dovetail has a trophy sherry BTG list, but the regular BTG list, while super interesting and diverse, is more in the $15-25 range.
If this post sounds vaguely unenthusiastic, that’s accurate. Wine cred in NYC focuses on your geekability, so BTG programs reflect that - easy picks for ma and pa and then organic shit from some random volcanic island that tastes like a horse shat in your glass (full disclosure, I love wines from the Canaries).
Not a great deal to pick from (though I don’t believe there are too many BTG programs out there that offer great value - I prefer just ordering half bottles.) Terroir/Hearth are solid if you like sherry, or during the summer when they have some nice Rieslings BTG.
So you’ve had the “pleasure” of drinking Cornelissen…
On Hearth/Terroir, where I’ve been, and Bar Boulud also. Though I’ve never caught the Magnum deal; the list has a couple of interesting things by the bottle, but usually not so much by the glass. If I want to go by the bottle, especially for Red Burgundy, Tribeca Grill is usually my first choice. (I had an 05 Truchot there last Xmas, I think one of the MSD 1ers, that was a total find.) I also prefer downtown.
Of all those mentioned, Maialino seems to be the best bet; the Barolo btg could be winner, and Corkbuzz, yes, for a nice neighborhood stop.
Union Square Cafe has a respectable list with some interesting splits. Not quite the same league as Taillevent for paired menus. Clicking on Taillevent’s 41E Prix Fixe menu and what should appear as one of the 4 selections…2008 Domaine Drouhin Oregon Laurene Pinot Noir. Hmmm.
Dr. Vino lists approx 80 NYC wine bars on his link page. Must be a few good ones in there. Once upon a time it was the now defunct Soho Bar and Grill that was the go-to wine destination for by-the-glass.
You might look at lelabar in the West Village (Hudson St.). Nice atmosphere, any wine (except Champers) by the glass if you order two glasses, and you get to taste it first.
I enjoy Terroir, at least when the music doesn’t make conversation impossible, but the geek factor is very high. I can see why people might hate them. I’ve never been wowed by a wine a Terroir, but I’ve spend many pleasant evenings there.
Conversely, it’s missing a lot…Vanguard Wine Bar, Trestle on Tenth, Vino 313, Lelabar, Vintry, etc. Has the island established wine bar equilibrium yet, or are the numbers still growing?
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