No @larry_schaffer, I don’t. I am currently looking for!!
Hi fellow Berserkers,
I just returned from NYC and wanted to share my experiences, especially thanks to all your amazing recommendations! It was a memorable journey through the city’s wine and dining scene. Here’s a rundown of the wine shops and restaurants/bars I visited, along with my thoughts:
Wine Shops Visited:
- Flatiron – Smaller than the SF location, which happens to be one of my top local retail clients. U.S. wine selection was somewhat limited, but it’s always a solid spot to visit.
- Chambers—CA wines were in short supply here, with just a few small producers represented. The selection wasn’t as extensive in that category as I’d hoped, but it was still a nice selection.
- Morrell – Shocked to see they’d closed their doors just a couple of months ago. It’s a big loss for the wine community, and I know I’ll miss them.
- Leon & Son – Probably the best CA wine selection I found! I wish I could have spoken with the owner, who I hear used to live in Sonoma County.
- MCF Rare Wines – They took time to taste my wines and provided excellent feedback. The owner’s wine expertise and genuine hospitality stood out.
- Bin Bin Sake – Recommended by a distributor and worth the stop! They carry mostly natural wines and a great selection of rare Japanese wines and sake—highly recommend for anyone seeking unique finds.
Restaurants/Bars Visited:
- Tsukimi – Amazing omakase experience with wonderful hospitality. Highly recommended if you’re ready to splurge on authentic Japanese cuisine in the East Village. My ‘22 Zinfandel paired superbly with their Unagi rice bowl!
- Creston Wine Bar – A cozy spot in Chinatown that felt like an old-fashioned Tokyo bar. Limited CA wines, but it was a unique experience with a great Japanese owner.
- Chambers – Wide selection of wines, especially natural options in addition to classic. Food was fine but worth it for rare wine finds in the city.
Thanks again for all the suggestions—they made this trip truly memorable!
Cheers,
8 Likes
My understanding is that Morrell’s are moving. Temporarily closed retail space, and a new store planned. I am still getting offers from them and spoke to a sales person there on the phone yesterday fwiw.
1 Like
Thank goodness @JohnMag ! I’m glad to hear that they are still in business!!
1 Like
Yes, @gavin.f ! One week wasn’t long enough for me! I should come back again soon 
1 Like
Oh, I almost forgot to mention a highlight from my DC trip! I poured Six Cloves at DCanter, a fantastic boutique shop curated by Michael and Michelle. They’ve packed it with unique, hand-picked wines that are hard to find around here—they even go as far as Eastern Europe to find rare gems! They also do $5 tastings on weekends, so you can discover something totally unexpected. If you’re in DC, it’s definitely worth a visit!
Glad you had a good trip! Especially nice to hear about MCF. I hope that works out.
1 Like
Yes @Peter_Kleban ! Matt & his staff were fantastic!
I thought that you would hit it off!
1 Like
Yup: 16 emails from them in my inbox this month – more than one per day. But it does look like they are currently without a retail space:
Where their store was in Rock Center must have been by far the most expensive wine retail space in NYC.
2 Likes
Indeed @John_Morris! I’ve been hearing that retailers are struggling with in-person sales, though online sales have been strong. I guess it’s the same story in NYC these days…