Featured NY Wines & Spirits
Brooklyn Cider House, Kinda Dry $2.99
What more could you ask for: a very nice can of cider at a great price? Basically, nothing. Nothing complicated here, apples are the sole ingredient in this case: NORTHERN SPY, EMPIRE, RHODE ISLAND GREENING, GRANNY SMITH. The kiss of sweetness on this cider makes for some easy drinking and an easy entry to the wonderful world of cider. – Josh Mizrahi, Sales Manager
Channing Daughters, Cabernet Franc – 2019 $26.96
Year after year, the wines of Long Island just get better. Channing Daughters have always been front runners, producing wines from over two dozen different varietals, and making orange wines long before they were a thing. Today however, I want to give a loud shout out to their Cabernet Franc. A Long Island workhorse grape that thrives on both forks, a good Long Island cab franc like this one will always remind me of winery hopping out east in the Fall. Aromas of bright red fruit, currants, purple flowers, and a silky palate with a cheeky bit of pepper make this wine irresistible. – Simon Gouldstone, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling – 2022 $13.99
This wine brought me back to visits to the Finger Lakes with aromas of green apple, lime zest, kiwi with a slight hint of petrol. Despite calling itself a dry Riesling, there is some residual sugar in the mix which offers a touch of honeysuckle supported by vibrant slate minerality. It is light on its feet but energetic and radiant, bringing bliss to this New York native. – Jose Banegas, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Half-Bottle of Forthave Black Nocino Liqueur $31.96
If I had to pick one liqueur off my shelf to bring on a ski trip, it would have to be Nocino. Particularly this divine expression created by Brooklyn’s own Forthave Spirits. Like all Forthave products it is all natural and plant based. The star of the show is the locally foraged black walnuts; deep in flavor and true to nature, perfectly integrated with the spirit behind it. The only sweetener is organic sugar from Brazil or wildflower honey from Upstate New York, lending the walnut notes a lightly candied quality. The nose is mature and concentrated like varnished hardwoods from the 9 months of aging. Treat yourself to this singular liqueur, mixed with coffee or neat after a meal. Though my favorite application is to liberally drizzle it over vanilla gelato. – Evan Cucciniello, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant
Half-Bottle of Via Carota Signature Manhattan $29.96
Never would I have imagined getting so excited about a new release of RTDs. There’s a lot to love about pre-made cocktails in general—they’re fun, easy and delicious—but when Via Carota announced their lineup, I could not wait to try them. If you’ve ever been to the restaurant in the West Village you know that everything they make is amazing. It’s not just the quality of ingredients, it’s that every dish is infused with a generosity of spirit and warmth rarely found. They bring this same ethos to their new lineup of RTDs. Every cocktail is superb, but the Manhattan is one of the best out there. Perfect for when you don’t feel like waiting 2 hours for a table (although it’s worth it). – Amy Miller, Sales Manager
Catskill Provisions Pollinator Gin $34.99
Whether it’s food, wine or spirits I try to support local businesses, especially when they represent a real sense of place. I recently had the pleasure of chatting with CEO & founder Claire Marin about her production ethos for this distillery. The short version is that she began apiculture as a hobby after moving to the Catskills, and ended up opening a distillery. She’s not trying to reinvent the gin category as much as she wants to put products in the market that support local agriculture, thereby putting money into the hands of farmers in the surrounding area. Non-GMO corn grown by NY farmers, locally sourced pollinator friendly botanicals and Claire’s honey comprise the ingredients. The gin is also lovely! Mildly floral & refreshing with balanced juniper, this will feature prominently in my gin cocktails for the foreseeable future. – Bambi Ray, Sales Manager
Day Trip Strawberry Amaro by Matchbook Distilling Co. $33.96
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. – Matthew Goodyear, Astor Wines & Spirits Consultant