Late July in NYC means the heat is real, the fire escapes are draped with plants, and the city’s wine scene is in full summer stride. This week brings major news: a stunning new cellar in Nolita, a freshly expanded wine bar power ranking, a waterfront wine bar coming to Williamsburg, plus the wines everyone will be drinking this August. Let’s dive in.
Oriana: NYC’s Most Exciting New Wine Destination of 2026
If you haven’t heard about Oriana yet, you will. The restaurant from chef Andy Quinn and sommelier Cedric Nicaise (both Eleven Madison Park alums) opened in late May on the Nolita-Chinatown border, and Wine Spectator has already anointed it a Best of Award of Excellence winner for 2026. The opening wine list clocks in at over 1,700 selections—more than four times the size of the duo’s West Village hit, the Noortwyck.
The cellar spans Burgundy, the Northern Rhône, the Loire Valley, Italy, Germany, and California. Showstoppers include Robert Chevillon verticals dating to 1989, more than two dozen vintages of Domaine Jamet from 1997 on, and Château Pape Clément back to 1978. The list also holds two ultrarare bottles of Veuve Clicquot “Cuvée Commémorative du Mariage du Prince de Galles & de Lady Diana” 1975—a wine specially bottled for the wedding of Prince Charles and Princess Diana.
For those not ready to drop three figures, nearly 50 wines are available in 375ml carafes, including Jean-Louis Chave Hermitage Blanc 2023 and Biondi-Santi Brunello di Montalcino 2017. The by-the-glass program names include Peyrassol from Provence and Albert Boxler from Alsace. And in the kitchen? A custom wood-fired grill turning out oysters with nduja, barbecued duck (an homage to Chinatown’s Peking duck joints), and wood-fired cherry & vanilla bean ice cream for dessert.
Oriana is at 175 Allen Street. Resy recommended.
Resy’s Summer 2026 Wine Hit List Is Here
Resy just dropped its updated Wine Hit List for Summer 2026, and it’s a cracker. Now expanded to 20 entries, the list adds five newcomers: Babbo, Capitaine, Leon’s, Bar Chimera, and I Cavallini.
- Stars (East Village) — The tiny 12-seat wine bar from Penny/Claud team Chase Sinzer and Joshua Pinsky remains the talk of the town. A 60-page list, 88 bottles at $88 or less, and the sort of intimate Parisian-vibe energy that reminds you why you live in this city. Walk-ins only.
- Borgo (Flatiron) — Andrew Tarlow’s first Manhattan venture, with an impeccable low-intervention list run by James Beard-honored wine director Lee Campbell. Fifteen wines by the glass at all times.
- Capitaine (East Village) — New addition. The seafood-focused spot from the Ruffian team brings a serious marine-friendly wine program with an emphasis on coastal whites and skin-contact beauties.
- Bar Chimera (Greenwich Village) — Another new entry. A cozy Italian-leaning wine bar where the by-the-glass list changes weekly and the cicchetti are as good as the pours.
- I Cavallini (West Village) — A new Italian spot that’s bringing a deeply curated all-Italian wine list with serious depth in Piedmont, Sicily, and Friuli.
Bookmark Resy’s full Wine Hit List at your earliest convenience—it’s the definitive guide to where to drink well in NYC right now.
Coming Soon: A New Wine Bar at Williamsburg Wharf
Big news for the Brooklyn waterfront: Brooklyn restaurateur James O’Brien—the man behind the beloved Columbia Street staple Popina—has signed a lease to open a new wine bar at Williamsburg Wharf (484 Kent Avenue). The space is slated to open in 2027, but it’s already generating serious buzz.
Designed by Rockwell Group, the wine bar will take inspiration from traditional Italian enotecas, featuring a large circular bar designed to encourage conversation, reclaimed wood, handcrafted tile, vintage furnishings, cork wall coverings, and antique mirrors. A commissioned mural by artist En Viu and a mosaic wolf at the entrance complete the picture. The lease fills another key slot in the 3.75-acre mixed-use development, which already counts The Goods Mart and upcoming Breads Bakery and Naked Tomato among its tenants.
No exact opening date yet, but we’ll be watching this one closely. O’Brien’s Popina has been a neighborhood staple since 2017, and a wine bar interpretation of that sensibility on the Williamsburg waterfront sounds like exactly what summer 2027 deserves.
Wine of the Summer 2026: What the Sommeliers Say
VinePair polled 15 sommeliers for the wine of the summer. The consensus? Chillable, high-acid, expressive bottles are dominating the conversation. Standout picks include:
- Natus Branco from Hamilton Reis — a Portuguese white with serious verve. Rhys Williams of the Musket Room in NYC calls it a favorite pour this season.
- Domestic sparkling wines are seeing a surge. Sommeliers report drinkers opting for higher-end, unique bottles from earnest American producers over standard-issue Prosecco.
- Sauvignon Blanc-based wines with high acidity are dominating summer lists, per Manhatta’s wine director Sydney Fusto in her recent Decanter feature. Perfect for sipping solo or pairing with summer fare.
Our take? Stock your fridge with a mix of Portuguese branco, Loire Valley Sauvignon, and a good pét-nat from a Finger Lakes producer. You’ll be set through Labor Day.
Mark Your Calendar: Sangria & Empanada Experience at Brotherhood Winery
Looking for a weekend escape? On Saturday, July 25, Brotherhood Winery in Washingtonville, NY—America’s oldest winery—hosts the Sangria & Empanada Latin Experience. Think ice-cold fruity sangria in multiple flavors, empanadas from the best food vendors, live music, DJs, and craft vendors on beautiful winery grounds. It’s a perfect Hudson Valley day trip from the city, just over an hour north. Tickets through Eventbrite.
Wine Spectator’s 2026 Restaurant Awards Are Live
Finally, a quick nod to the Wine Spectator Restaurant Awards, revealed last month with over 4,000 winners. The special awards issue hits newsstands today—July 21—and it’s the definitive guide to the restaurants (in NYC and beyond) taking wine seriously. Use hashtag #WSRestaurantAwards to see what sommeliers are celebrating. New York restaurants once again dominate the top tiers, with dozens of Grand and Best of Award of Excellence winners across all five boroughs.
The Bottom Line
This is a moment for NYC wine lovers. Oriana is setting a new standard for restaurant cellars. The wine bar renaissance continues to accelerate—from Stars to the new Hit List additions to the Williamsburg Wharf project. Summer drinking is shifting toward expressive, chillable wines that reward curiosity. And there are still world-class events to look forward to this month and next.
Drink well, stay cool, and we’ll see you out there.