“Wine trends happen as a consequence of the economy combined with a knowledgeable, curious and open-minded drinking public,” says acclaimed sommelier Pascaline Lepeltier. We are sitting at Chambers restaurant in New York, which she cofounded in 2022. With its extensive wine list containing over 2000 labels, Chambers is well known in New York City for its wine.
Much of it is built on Pascaline’s reputation as someone who seeks out and patronizes boutique, largely organic producers, who share her values of equity and sustainability.
“The age of extravagance has plateaued,“ she says. “People are sensitive about price points. Yes, they will drink burgundy and champagne, but simply drinking high-priced wine is not enough anymore. Similarly, drinking or collecting wine is not enough. People want to go beyond the bottle. They want to meet the winemaker over special dinners to learn the stories behind the wine. They want to taste artisanal wines.”
Some regions therefore have suffered: Napa and Bordeaux come to mind. And since people overall are drinking less, they are price-sensitive. So Burgundy, for most, is unreachable. Bordeaux and Napa are overdone, is the perception. The wines Pascaline favors are from regions that have a history of winemaking but are lesser known: Eastern Europe, Georgia, Slovenia, Romania, Ukraine, Portugal (which has some 250 varietals), and Greece.
That night over dinner, I get a taste of her taste. Pascaline pours some unusual and interesting wines, and an exceptional sake – daigo no shizuku with 14% ABV. Cume do Avia Colleita No 10 is a red wine from the Ribeira region of Spain. This organic producer blends Galician varietals and this particular bottle contained grapes that I had not tasted before: 40% Caiño Longo, 34% Sousón, 26% Brancellao. When I mention Corsican wine, she pours a 2017 San Giovanni from Antoine-Marie Arena, an aromatic red blend, again containing grapes I hadn’t tasted: 50% Morescone, 50% Carcagholu Nero.
The evening is easy and we end up drinking largely white, since I am vegetarian. A white from Portugal, organic and bracing, Quinta di Serradinha 2023 has 85% Encruzado and 15% Arinto, the former a blending grape to counter the high-acidity of the latter. Having had Indian Chenin Blanc, which is largely weak and lackadaisical, I am surprised by the flint and peach in Le Berceau des fees (cradle of the fairies), a young and fresh Chenin from the Loire Valley’s organic producer, Domaine aux Moines. Its vigneronne Tessa Laroche plays an important role in Pascaline’s 2017 book about the Domaine. “Chenin has a bitterness at the end,” says Pascaline. I try to search for it. Natural wine is a rising trend, and so we have Cante Gau Blanc from Pierre & Sylvia Michelland, a biodynamic producer in Provence. The grape, a Carignan Blanc, is delicious and since it is biodynamic, I feel that it is “healthy” and so end up downing the glass. The glasses by the way, feel like Zalto but are ‘less expensive,’ says Pascaline. The brand they use at the restaurant is from Sophienwald. The Grand Cru range, particularly, is beautiful to behold. Meanwhile, Pascaline is running around the restaurant, talking with diners about their wines. “I love the interaction between wine and civilization,” she says.
New York has a surfeit of sophisticated bars and restaurants that serve cocktails and wine with a point of view. Firmdale Hotels for instance, has a series of boutique properties in the city that elevate the dining experience through design by hotel veterans Tim and Kit Kemp. When I dined at the Warren Street bar and restaurant, the cocktails were a sight to behold, but they had to keep up with the decor which was bold and brilliant.
Restaurants are a great option but then, so are wine stores. Leon & Son in Brooklyn for example, is a wonderful neighborhood shop that regularly holds tastings, classes, and “meet the maker” events with winemakers. Similarly Tribeca and Flatiron wine shops hold themed tastings that are terrific to explore regions or varietals. Discovery wines has masterclasses and focuses on natural wines without added sulphur. At Astor wines, I found a wine that Pascaline had praised. Savennières “Coulée de Serrant,” 2021 from famed Loire Valley producer, Nicolas Joly.
Wine store or restaurant, the real trick in enjoying wines is to find a great sommelier who understands what you want, both in terms of taste and budget, and then goes ahead and opens your eyes to what is available out there. That is what Pascaline did for me.
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Photos of Pascaline here.
Warren Street visuals.
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