Exploring the Top Wine Shops in New York City

However, not all Manhattan-based wine stores are created equal, and seeking one that best suits your needs is a great place to start. Whether looking for well-aged greats from France and Italy or a unique selection of low-intervention or natural wines, Manhattan certainly has a well-stocked store for you; it’s simply a matter of knowing where to look.

We’ve done the hard work for you and rounded up a curated list of Manhattan’s best wine shops, and a couple from Brooklyn. Our picks cover a diverse array of selections and are situated across a variety of NYC neighbourhoods. In short? If you’re in Manhattan, access to great wine is likely just a few blocks away.

Now located at its brand new address of 1257 Second Avenue at E. 66th Street, this long-standing New York icon debuts a new chapter of its historic story. Founded in 1983 in Bordeaux, the family-owned company opened its New York retail location back in 2006 and is best known for its luxurious design and fine wine / collectable offerings, though it doesn’t stop there. In addition to sought-after Bordeaux (the shop’s undeniable speciality), Millesima also offers a large array of mid-range drinkers from Burgundy and Champagne, as well as smaller lineups from America, the southern hemisphere, and the Iberian peninsula.

Credit: Mikhail Lipyanskiy for Millesima USA

One of New York’s largest wine and spirits selections can be found at Astor Wines & Spirits – with some of the city’s lowest prices. The store is located at 399 Lafayette Street, in a landmark 19th-century building and offers a vast variety of wines and spirits from around the world. Anyone in search of something exotic or gems for the cellar, will find something at Astor Wines & Spirits that suits their taste. In 2022, Astor Wines & Spirits became an employee-owned company and now stocks over 5,000 SKUs.

In Manhattan’s Midtown East neighbourhood, Crush Wine & Spirits, founded in 2005, concentrates on selections from their “pillar” regions: Champagne, Burgundy, Piedmont, Beaujolais, Germany, Loire and Northern Rhône but also offers options from South America, Austria, and beyond. Crush also boast a Fine & Rare department offering corporate gifting services and personal cellar building consultation. Customers can also enjoy early access to discounts and special offers by joining their mailing list. Current feature highlights include Pascal Cotat Sancerre, a White Burgundy selection from 2008, and ‘Jura Rarities’ from Montbourgeau, Domaine du Pélican and Fumey-Chatelain.

Parcelle, a new addition in 2018 to the wine shop scene in Manhattan, challenges the more historic establishments with its variety and range. Run by sommelier Grant Reynolds, Parcelle is part of Delicious Hospitality Group, which is famously known for Charlie Bird, Pasquale Jones and Legacy Records. The store offers daily drinkers and mid-range offerings as well as a Fine & Rare section featuring favorites for collectors like large-format Champagne, back-vintage Mascarello and more. Parcelle also runs a daily deal, promoted at the top of its website and, has a partner wine bar at 135 Division Street that offers similar by-the-glass pours and regular on-site events.

Somm Cellars, similar to Parcelle, is a new and welcomed entrant in the Manhattan wine shop scene. It’s owned by former Bâtard’s Jason Jacobeit and Tribeca Grill’s Daniel Jung. A carefully selected range of wines and spirits are being brought to Upper West Side New York, emphasizing high-quality hospitality and inclusivity. The shop is located at One Waterline Square, and it serves as an ideal venue for hosting events. The team sends a daily email offer featuring discounted back-vintage bottles, recent offers like 1983 Château Talbot, St-Julien, and Robert Chevillon wines dating back to 1997. Also available are various accessories such as Zalto, Riedel glassware, and Coravin preservation devices.

Chambers Street Wines is considered one of the original natural wine shops in New York and its great influence on the industry is still being felt today. The shop was founded in 2001 by David Lillie and Jamie Wolff and recently moved from its initial location at 149 Chambers Street to 79 Chambers Street. Still, it maintained its focus on artisanal wine. Chambers has been at the forefront of endorsing small-batch wines from growers dedicated to sustainability, with great emphasis on the Loire Valley, Burgundy, Piedmont and Austria. In its own words, the shop makes it known that ‘Every wine we stock is tasted, re-tasted, debated,’ and it’s this commitment to authenticity and the knowledgeable staff that has made it a staple in Manhattan’s wine scene for over 20 years.

Flatiron Wine & Spirits has been a landmark in the Flatiron / Union Square / NoMad area since it was established in 2012. Last year, the shop was moved from its original location at 21st / 22nd Street to a larger space on 18th and Broadway, creating room for events and classes – and of course, more carefully selected wines. In addition to a robust Burgundy section, Flatiron is best known for its daily drinker selection, offering plenty of bottles within the $15 and $25 price range. Regardless if you’re into classically styled bottles or more eccentric natural wines, this well-curated shop has something to fit any budget.

Natural wine enthusiasts are undoubtedly aware of the significant influence that Wine Therapy has exerted on the city’s blossoming, low-intervention wine environment. Established in 2005 by Jean-Baptiste Humbert, Wine Therapy started championing unique, unconventional grape varietals, locations, and growers long before it was in vogue, and it carries on filling its shelves with the same philosophy it had at its inception. Expect to see traditional natural wine stalwarts such as Les Capriades, Agnès et René Mosse, and Fabien Jouves on the shelves, along with more unusual choices from Greece, Slovenia, and other countries. (The store also has an excellent variety of rosé, orange wines, and pét-nats.) Wine Therapy also provides custom-selected cases and free local delivery, as well as delivery throughout Manhattan and Brooklyn for an additional charge.

Leon & Son has revolutionized the Brooklyn wine shop market. Chris Leon, a seasoned industry professional, founded the store in 2015 with the aim of becoming Clinton Hill’s preferred local wine shop – an objective they tenaciously and successfully pursued, and has since swept the entire area. Focused on ‘hidden gem wines from progressive and natural winemakers’, Leon’s assortment emphasizes both established and emerging wines while equally spotlighting traditional regions (Piedmont, Burgundy, Champagne) and obscure areas in other countries (Portugal, Australia, and South Africa).

Brooklyn Wine Exchange, positioned on the boundary of Brooklyn Heights and Cobble Hill, first opened in 2009 and has since become a cornerstone of the borough’s off-premise wine sector. The store’s pleasant personnel and user-friendly website make wine discovery straightforward and stress-free, with prompts such as ‘chilled reds’, ‘crisp mineral whites’, ‘certified biodynamic’ and ‘vegan-friendly’ guaranteed to steer both novice drinkers and seasoned wine enthusiasts toward something unique and exhilarating. For $100 annually, the shop also offers memberships, which include benefits such as 10% off wines and 5% off most spirits on all in-person or online purchases. Not to forget, the beautifully curated spirits selection, which includes a range of traditional whiskies and agave-based spirits, as well as amari, liqueurs, and vermouths.

Morrell Wine (Midtown)

Pasanella & Son Vintners (Downtown / South Street Seaport)

Tribeca Wine Merchants (Tribeca)

Convive Wine & Spirits (East Village)

Discovery Wines (Lower East Side)

Wine & Unwind (Harlem)

Grape Collective (Upper West Side)

Eastside Cellars (Upper East Side)

Vine Wine (Williamsburg)

Smith & Vine (Carroll Gardens)

VyneYard (Prospect Lefferts Gardens)

Slope Cellars (Park Slope)