THE JOURNAL
Interior of Stranger Wines, New York. Photograph by Ms Julia Gillard, courtesy of Stranger Wines
While many of our favourite neighbourhood wine bars, bottle shops and restaurants have temporarily shuttered their doors to the public, this doesn’t mean they’re closed for business. Folks are getting creative about how to keep their customers happy, and keep their independent businesses alive. Wine merchants in both London and New York City are offering everything from kerbside pick-ups to virtual winemaking talks. Above Sea Level founder Ms Aimee Hartley shortlists some of the finest vinous haunts and wine delivery services that are still – creatively – serving up the good stuff.
London
Provisions
From left: Bugey Tradition, Pinot Noir Terre Rouge, France 2018. Sextant, Bourgogne Pinot Noir, France, 2018. Mas du Chêne, Marche Arrière Carignan, France, 2018. Photograph courtesy of Provisions London
If there’s one thing you need to know about Messrs Hugo Meyer Esquerré and Ben Proctor, co-founders of Provisions, it’s that their taste in food and wine is second to none. As the name suggests, their shop on Holloway Road in north London serves up carefully sourced French cheeses, wine and delectable store cupboard items. The pair also run a wine import company called Totem, focused largely on French wine from small, sustainable producers, so you can find a selection of these wines on their real and virtual shelves, as well as a wider selection of bottles from other importer friends in London, too. Provisions is now operating a pre-order pick-up service from the shop, and delivery throughout London, from Wednesday to Sundays through Slerp.
Salon Wine Store
Strictly Bangers wine box from Salon Wine Store. Photograph courtesy of Salon Wine Store
The trio behind Salon Wine Store, one of south London’s most loved independent wine shops, is also behind the shop’s restaurant sidekick, Salon, as well as Levan and Larry’s in nearby Peckham. Tucked away in a cosy space in Brixton Village, and selling a fun, thoughtful range of organic and biodynamic wines, Salon Wine Store now offers safe (and largely free) deliveries twice weekly to Londoners’ doorsteps. You can choose from four jazzy, self-explanatory mixed cases of six bottles – Fun Bangers (£70), Juicy Bangers (£90), Strictly Bangers (£120) and Off The Charts (£210) – which change weekly based on what is tickling the fancy of the owners. Just drop the gents a note at info@salonwinestore.co.uk to put your order in.
Newcomer Wines
From left: Claus Preisinger, Puszta Libre, Austria, 2019. Weingut Werlitsch, Ex Vero II, Austria, 2012. Selvadolce, Vermentino “VB1”, Italy, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Newcomer Wines
With the staff’s cool demeanour and thoughtful wine selection, Newcomer Wines in Dalston has become a much-loved neighbourhood wine bar and bottle shop for discerning east Londoners. The Austrian founders, Mr Peter Honegger and Ms Daniela Pillhofer, have single-handedly put “exotic” grapes such as gruner veltliner and zweigelt into our vinous vocabulary, and their partnership with Mr Jimmy Tassan Toffola of Kiffe My Wines, means they also offer a top-notch selection of bottles from budding French growers, too. Order through their website (by the bottle or box) for handy next-day delivery for Londoners, and be sure to tune into their brilliant virtual winemaker talks each Wednesday at 3.00pm through June.
Low Intervention
From left: Frederic Cossard, Saint-Romain Combe Bazin, France, 2018.Momento Mori, Fistful of Flowers, Australia, 2019. Jean-Pierre Robinot, Le Regard, France, 2017. Photograph courtesy of Low Intervention
Low Intervention surfaced in 2018 with an ambition to provide a tight-knit selection of quirky wines to quirky people through its digital bottle shop. Catering to lovers of natural wine, the slick, neatly designed website is also a joy to navigate – which makes even more sense once you learn that the founder may (or may not) have a background in fashion (he likes to keep the details of his name and “before” life buttoned up, so the brand speaks for itself). You can intuitively search for wines by colour, grape, country and producer, and merrily add them to your cart knowing that you are supporting independent, sustainably minded winemakers across the globe. UK next-day delivery is free for orders over £50 (it also delivers worldwide), and you can become a member of their monthly subscription service, too.
NEW YORK
Flatiron
From left: Domaine La Milliere, Chateauneuf-du-Pape Vielles Vignes, France, 2003. Von Winning, Kalkofen Riesling Grosses Gewachs, Germany, 2017. Monastero Suore Cistercensi, Coenobium Ruscum, Italy, 2018. Photograph courtesy of Flatiron Wines
With an outpost in San Francisco as well as in NYC, Flatiron Wines has a second-to-none selection of hard-to-find artisanal wines from young and established winemakers from all corners of the world. The same philosophy is applied to the lovingly selected small-batch spirits, making this the perfect one-stop shop for your discerning liquor needs. The guys are working hard to keep deliveries moving during trickier times, and for New York residents (as well as for those in New Jersey, Connecticut and DC), shipping is free on orders of over $129 via the website.
The Four Horsemen
From left: Cantina Marilina, Sikelè Grecanico, Italy, 2016. Frédéric Cossard, Bedeau Pinot Noir, France, 2017. Fabien Jouves, A Table, France, 2019. Mas Coutelou, Formidable 5so, France, 2018. Domaine de la Tournelle, Terre de Gryphées, France, 2018. Domaine Prieuré Roch, Blanc, France, 2017. Jean-Yves Péron, I Vicini Mosc. Maceration, France, 2017. Jean-Yves Péron, Côtillon des Dames, France, 2017. Vini Viti Vinci, Coulanges la Vineuse, France, 2018. Photograph courtesy of The Four Horsemen
The Brooklyn restaurant and wine bar has become an iconic spot for those with a thirst for natural wine and an ear for good music. One of the owners is LCD Soundsystem frontman Mr James Murphy, and if you’ve been, it is likely you whiled away many hours drinking, eating and listening to wonderful things in this cosy, perfectly formed restaurant. While the food side of things is currently on hold, the team are offering a pick-up only service from Monday through Friday at their restaurant of the wines on their list, but at a lower shop price. There is also a chance to get your hands on some precious gems from the cellar – drop Justin a note at justin@fourhorsemenbk.com.
Contrair
From left: Weingut Werlitsch, Welschriesling, Austria, 2018. Cantina Giardino, Volpe Rosa, Italy, 2018. Agnes Et Rene Mosse, France, 2018. Photograph by Mr Fabián von Hauske Valtierra, courtesy of Contrair
The team behind much-loved Lower East Side joints Contra and Wildair, as well as wine shop Peoples, has launched new service Contrair to deliver homey dishes and natural wines straight to Manhattanites’ doors. In their original bricks-and-mortar format, both restaurants offered what can only be described as “restaurant food” – Contra preferring the tasting menu and Wildair favouring small plates. Contrair is a more casual affair, with the focus on hearty, comforting stews and delicious bites of jerk chicken barbecued to perfection – food that warms the soul and can survive the tricky bike journey. While the delivery service is through Caviar, you can also pick up directly from Contra, Tuesday through to Sunday, between 5.30pm and 9.30pm. Tag on a bottle of wine (and dessert, naturally) from the carefully curated list and you’ve got yourself the perfect night in.
Stranger Wines
From left: Viña Escheverria, No Es Pituko Cabernet Franc, Chile, 2019. Viña Escheverria, No Es Pituko Chardonnay, Chile, 2019. Progetto Calcarius Nù Litr Orange, Italy, 2019. Meinklang, Weisser Mulatschak, Austria, 2018. Photograph courtesy of Stranger Wines
You really can’t beat a soulful neighbourhood wine store – especially when the staff are as passionate as the folks are at Stranger Wines in Williamsburg, Brooklyn. Specialising in organic and naturally-made wines, its selection is great. The shop stocks a healthy number of bottles that sit in the under $20 category, too, which is a big relief if your budget is shrinking, but you still want to drink well, and mindfully. The shop delivers to Brooklyn neighbourhoods on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5.00pm to 7.00pm for a flat rate of $15, and offers kerbside pick-up, too, if you’re nearby.