Six newcomers have entered the top tier of 11 wine stores in the Zagat Survey’s 2008 guide to New York City Gourmet Shopping and Entertaining.
The US$14.95 paperback, released today, is a companion to Zagat’s influential ‘New York City Restaurants’ guide. It provides ‘Gourmet shopping’ evaluations, descriptions and location information.
The highest-scoring best overall merchant was Moore Brothers, which specialises exclusively in small French, German and Italian producers. A hair’s-breadth behind was Bottlerocket, whose 365 wines are grouped by food-matching categories. Both were founded in 2006.
The other leading newcomers are Manhattan’s Le Dû’s Wines and Crush, as well as LeNell’s and Red, White and Bubbly, both in Brooklyn. All four were founded in the last 6 years.
The remaining merchants are old standbys – Sherry-Lehmann, which, after 73 years on Madison Avenue, moves to Park Avenue soon, Morrell and Company, Burgundy Wine Company, Italian Wine Merchants and Vino.
The 2008 guide rates 54 stores. A number of newcomers, especially in Brooklyn, have been started by young investors passionate about niche wines.
Written by Howard G Goldberg in New York
