New York Wines & Spirits
Talented New York winemakers and distillers make highlighting our home state easy work. Some of our top-selling aperitifs and digestifs come from within the five boroughs, check out our recent staff picks below.
Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling $13.96
Thirsty Owl began its run in 2001 when Tedd Cupp purchased 150 acres of land from pioneers of the Cayuga Wine Trail with some of the oldest vinifera vines in the Finger Lakes. Aromas of green apple, lime zest, and kiwi with a slight hint of petrol and a touch of residual sugar, which offers subtle honeysuckly notes. All supported by vibrant slate minerality. – Jose Banegas, Astor Wines & Spirits Sales Consultant
Channing Daughters, Cabernet Franc Rosato $16.96
I have picked this wine in the past, but I feel it bears revisiting. Channing Daughters has always made quality wines that at the same time vary nicely with the vintage. This has always been one of my favorite rosés. Dry, clean, and full of bright fruit, balanced by a wonderful, earthy, vegetal, herbaceous greenness. Reminding me of classic Loire valley rosé from Chinon or Saumur, this wine proves that beautiful things can come from difficult years. – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Wiemer Cabernet Franc, Seneca Lake $23.96
A true pioneer within the Finger Lakes, Hermann J. Wiemer Vineyard brings us authentic cool-climate wines of surprising depth and complexity. This Cabernet Franc showcases what long autumns in the Finger Lakes help to create the best wines of the region, as the fruit becomes riper and the texture richer. We are treated to vibrant raspberry and plum aromas with that distinctive bell pepper spice on the palate. – Alex Malecki, Astor Wines & Spirits Sales Consultant
NYDC Perry Tot’s Navy Strength Gin $24.96
Made in Brooklyn, extra Navy pop, and priced for everyday mixing. I make my best Negronis with it. You cannot go wrong with Perry Tot’s Gin. – Chung Park, Astor Wines & Spirits Sales Consultant
Day Trip Strawberry Amaro by Matchbook Distilling Co. $27.96
If you haven’t been to the Mattituck Strawberry Festival in mid-June, then you haven’t lived. However, If you can’t make the day trip, you can sure taste every bit of it in this wonderful elixir from Matchbook Distillers in Greenport. Fresh Mattituck strawberries are made into wine then distilled into a strawberry eau-de-vie. The eau-de-vie is then blended back into the strawberry wine and infused with nettle, quassia, jasmine, rose, and nutmeg fruit. Lightly bitter and best with soda or in a cocktail. – Matt Goodyear, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
“A Festival View”
-1 1/2 oz. Day Trip Strawberry Amaro
-1/2 oz. C. Comoz Vermouth Blanc
-1 oz. Fresh lime Juice
-3/4 oz. Simple Syrup Cucumber, Muddled
-Top with Soda water in a Highball Glass
Neversink Spirits Gin $44.99
Neversink Spirits is the joint project between Yoni Rabino and Noah Braunstein, using an apple base spirit created with New York State fruit. Infused with 11 botanicals including star anise, cinnamon, elderflower, and coriander, the spirit is full bodied and crisp as the botanicals accentuate the aromatic and floral qualities of this local gin. – Jose Banegas, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant