Time Out

There are many things New Yorkers live without abundance of—apartment square footage, private outdoor space, peace and quiet, to name a few—but something we are certainly not lacking for are magnificent options for where to drink excellent wine (to enjoy alongside equally excellent food). But what about the occasions when we want to drink wine at home or with friends (in the aforementioned tiny apartments), or buy a bottle for a special celebration…or just have something on hand to be savored at a later date?

Enter Empire State of Wine, NYC’s foremost direct importer of the world’s best wines. Since the store originally opened over five years ago, they’ve won numerous Wine-Searcher awards, including best of lists for champagne, French and Tuscan wines, and was even recognized as having the best overall wine list in New York.

As a direct importer, ESoW deals directly with winemakers and chateaux owners, which allows them to offer customers the lowest prices on the world’s best wines. While they’re well-known for their exclusive, high-end products (hello, vintage Paul Jaboulet Aine Hermitage La Chapelle!), their best kept secrets may very well live in their “best under $15” list, which is designed to appeal to both expert and novice wine drinkers. Experts will love options like Chateau Talmont Bordeaux blanc ($8.99), which was given a 92 point rating by James Suckling, while novices will be encouraged by the way the list is categorized by approachable descriptions like “bubbly,” “buttery creamy,” and light/medium/full body. Then, of course, there are all the fantastic choices in between the $15 and the high end bottles. These are five of the best selections on offer at ESoW right now.