Community Wine & Spirits Featured in the New York Times

Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2023/11/20/dining/mark-kurlansky-the-core-of-an-onion.html

A Wine Store Where Texture Counts

Wines displayed in a store are sorted by color, to be sure, but they can be organized according to region, varietal or price. Not at the new Community Wine in Chelsea. In his spacious, sparsely decorated store, David Weitzenhoffer, a former sommelier and winemaker, arrays them by body, from light to medium to heavy.

Other characteristics are mixed within those groupings, so a hefty $144 Biondi-Santi Rosso di Montalcino from Tuscany is shown close by a sturdy $26 Kanonkop Kadette from South Africa, and an $18 Corbières shares a shelf with a $117 Vosne-Romanée.

“That way if someone wants a pinot grigio they’ll see some other wines with similar characteristics, like verdicchio, at different price points and regions,” he said. “They can compare and maybe discover.”

It’s an interesting way to explore the myriad choices on the market. The store also has spirits, often locally produced; canned cocktails; an immersive curved 16-foot screen than can take you into vineyards; and classes on occasional Fridays at 7 p.m.

On Nov. 30 Mr. Weitzenhoffer will talk about how to order wine in a restaurant, including navigating a wine list, speaking to a sommelier and more ($100).

Community Wine & Spirits,
140 10th Avenue (19th Street),
646-905-8000