Moore Brothers Wine Company in NYC

[corvus]

Cheers New York! Your great town is about to get even bettter.

I got a flyer from Moore Brothers Wine Company today for their post holiday sale (10% off everything!) on which they also announce they've signed a lease for space at 33 East 20th St, between Broadway and Park Avenue. It says the new store will open in late spring.

I'm not even a wine amature, but I know this is a great store. They are online at

http://moorebrothers.com

Take care.

[Pan]

Thanks for the heads-up.

What's so good about them?

Edited January 21, 2005 by Pan (log)

[Andrew Fenton]

I've been a loyal customer at Moore Bros.' south Jersey store for a few years now. It's a great company, with a good selection of interesting wines and a superbly knowledgable staff. They're able to talk your ear off about anything in the store, whether it's an $8 bottle or an $80 one, and they don't try for the upsell.

Plus, they're the former employer of our own Aphrodite of Alcohol...

[rlibkind]

Among other things, they are control freaks. Meaning, they do their buying direct from many small producers (primarily European) and make their own shipping arrangments, so they have excellent temperature control, etc. Walk into one of their stores in the heat of summer, and when you leave your glasses will fog over because they keep the store so cool.

[herbacidal]

As rlibkind mentioned, from bottling to transportation to retail, their wine is kept at optimum chilling temperatures.

They keep fleece jackets, sweaters, coats, etc. for people who walk in who are not appropriately attired.

Their sales staff is as knowledgeable and helpful as you can get.

They are what I call a boutique wine shop, in that they work with top-quality vineyards whose grape production is too high to use for their own purposes and too low to bottle in a high enough volume to efficiently and appropriately market.

I guarantee to most people that when they walk into Moore Brothers, they will not recognize 95% of their inventory. Their wines are that hard to find. And not exorbitantly priced either, although there are random vintages that can get up there.

NYC wine geeks will rejoice.

Katie, I'm sure I've left something out. Go ahead.

[KatieLoeb]

Katie, I'm sure I've left something out. Go ahead.

Thanks for the lead in Herb.

Corvus, you beat me to it! It was my full intention to post this information myself, but instead I will merely add my congratulations for the New Yorkers that will now have the opportunity to shop at my favorite retail wine shop. My former employers embody the high standard of customer service and graciousness to which I strive daily. The selection of products, dedication to impeccable temperature control both in transportation of products and in the retail environment, level of knowledge of the staff and integrated web access to each customer's individual purchase portfolio make this place second to none as wine shops go. Can't recall what that lovely Rhone blend you bought last time you were there is called? Look it up online. You can even keep notes on your favorite purchases and purge the "not-my-favorites" from your portfolio. You can rate the wines you've bought and those reviews will appear on the store website. Fully integrated on-line customer service. You guys don't even know how lucky you are.

The desire for Moore Brothers to open a retail wine shop in New York goes back several years, as there was a deal that unfortunately did not work out for space in Chelsea Market when I still worked for the company back in 1999-2001. I am so delighted that this has finally come to fruition, and it's a total win-win for Moore Brothers Wine Company and the wine consumers of New York. Bravo!!!

[corvus]

I like them because they use Macintosh computers for their point of sales system (geek!!!) and they have a kiddie play area in the store (dad!!!).

Oh, and that wine thing...

And sorry, Katie. Sometimes the little guy gets the scoop.

[Bux]

I'll be disappointed to learn they don't have a kiddie play area in the NY shop. My guess is that real estate value is going to work against that. Too bad, it would be a great place to take the grandson before we have dinner at my daughter's. Then again, I see him as being interested in helping me select the wine very soon. They'll have a bit of competition in New York of course. They'll have it in terms of price and selection. They've probably picked a good area. I understand the ex-sommelier from Daniel is opening a shop in the far west village of just south of that.

[john b]

New York wine drinkers are in for quite a treat. I've been a loyal Moore Brothers patron since they first opened in NJ. Their focus on customer service is like no other place I've ever shopped. Have a recipe for a special dinner? Take it with you, they'll offer you three or four wines of varying prices that will be great matches for your meal. Whether you are the type who wants to spend time discussing the most intimate details of the wine you are buying, or you just want to run in and grab a bottle for a party, the staff is there to help you. It doesn't matter to them if you are spending $8 or $80 on a bottle, you'll get the same level of service.

[Pan]

Thanks for posting, John B. With all the talk about specialty wines, I was imagining the prices would be high for most everything there.

[KatieLoeb]

Check the link upthread to get a real idea of the sorts of products carried and the price range of offerings. The tasting notes are often quite helpful as well.

This is where I got my background in frugal high quality wine purchasing - a skill that has served me quite well professionally and personally ever since!

Coincidentally, I had a lunch customer today that had never visited my restaurant before. He was very excited to find a place with extensive raw bar offerings and as we got to chatting, I suggested he try one of my new by-the-glass wines along with his oysters. By the time his lunch was over he and his wife left with tasting notes for the wine and directions to Moore Brothers to go buy some on their way back to Burlington County, NJ where they were from.

[john b]

Thanks for posting, John B. With all the talk about specialty wines, I was imagining the prices would be high for most everything there.

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Coincidentally, I went to Moore Bros this morning to buy some wine for the snowstorm. They are very excited about the NY store.

You'll see a great variety of wines in the $12-$20 range. Their focus is on food friendly wine, not the big, Parkerized, high octane wines that kill good food. Most of their inventory is French, Italian and German. What little US wine they carry I'd say is European style rather than California style.

A great way to "introduce" yourself to their wines is to buy one of their pre-mixed Bon Marche' cases for $100--six reds, six whites, from small wine makes in some off the beaten path regions of France, Italy and Germany.

[TarteTatin]

I think they're better than the "Kermit Lynch" style winos.

Listen to Greg Moore talk about wine sometime (and the others, of course, but Greg really does it for me). He's not trying at all to "sell"; he simply enjoys passionately talking about wine. The terroir, the people, everything about it. He's so excited its hard not to share his enthusiasm. He loves to talk about the land, the region, the grape, the love of wine!

We knew quite a bit about wine before we ever took a Greg Moore class (which he teaches sometimes in Pa, I believe), but absolutely loved every bit about his Burgundy class, for example. Their were many different levels of student in the class, but he always just talked about wine in its most simplistic sense, which didn't condescend or lack any passion.

...on another note, if you buy from Moore Bros, your name goes into the computer. When a friend goes in, they can look your name up on the computer, see what you like, and buy a gift for you! What a super way to buy someone a present! You know what they like!

[bouquetduvin]

I understand the ex-sommelier from Daniel is opening a shop in the far west village of just south of that.

Which sommelier Bux? Olivier Flosse (ex-sommelier at Cafe Boulud) left at the beginning of the year and I'm wondering if it's him or someone else from Daniel.

←

Jean Luc from Daniel is opening up the wine shop. It was posted several weeks ago in the Wednesday Section of the NYT.

[David McDuff]

It's wonderful to find so many waxing eloquently -- and positively -- about a shop at which I earn my daily bread (in the Wilmington, DE branch). Let me just provide a little update on some of the above threads.

Due to some of the inevitable delays involved with construction and business licensing in any big city, it's now looking like a New York opening in autumn/fall rather than in spring.

As for the $100 Bon Marche sampler, after eight years at the same price, the combination of inflation and the feeble dollar has finally forced us to change the price to $125. Still a great deal for twelve bottles and a perfect introduction to the small farm wines in which we specialize.

If anyone has specific questions, please don't hesitate.

[JohnL]

I can't believe I never heard of these guys!

I used to drive to Philly on business and would pass through the Pennsauken area frequently.

They certainly will be welcome here in NYC.

However--and maybe this is a topic for its own thread--I wonder if/when we are reaching a saturation point of sorts for wine retailers in Manhattan.?

Will there be a shift from the local neighborhood liquour store or wine "shop" to larger "state of the art" operations located strategically around tyhe island?

also with more opportunity to order wine from afar via the interenet--what's the shakeout???

[KatieLoeb]

It's wonderful to find so many waxing eloquently -- and positively -- about a shop at which I earn my daily bread (in the Wilmington, DE branch).  Let me just provide a little update on some of the above threads.

Due to some of the inevitable delays involved with construction and business licensing in any big city, it's now looking like a New York opening in autumn/fall rather than in spring.

As for the $100 Bon Marche sampler, after eight years at the same price, the combination of inflation and the feeble dollar has finally forced us to change the price to $125.  Still a great deal for twelve bottles and a perfect introduction to the small farm wines in which we specialize.

If anyone has specific questions, please don't hesitate.

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Hi David! Welcome to eGullet! Hope to see you posting in the PA forum too...

[David McDuff]

Hi David!  Welcome to eGullet!  Hope to see you posting in the PA forum too...

←

Thanks for the welcoming words, Katie. I'm sure I'll make it to the PA forum before long.

Cheers.

[philadining]

Bumping up this thread because Moore Brothers is open in NY as of today - 33 East 20th Street.

They're really cool shops, not huge superstores but a focused collection of interesting wines. From their website:

With stores in Pennsauken, NJ, Wilmington, DE,and New York City, Moore Brothers offers only carefully selected estate bottled wines. Most are inexpensive, all are expressive of their origins, and represent important agricultural traditions and their associated cuisines. Every wine is properly cared for from the minute it leaves the winery, under constant temperature control until the customer takes it home.

I know there are great wine stores in NY, but I think Moore Brothers will be an interesting addition.

[R Washburn]

I know there are great wine stores in NY, but I think Moore Brothers will be an interesting addition.

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There is nothing comparable to Moore Bros. Aside from the paricular selection of high quality affordable wines, Im not sure anyone else takes the pains to ship and store (and deliver) the wines at cellar temperature.

I stopped by yesterday and both Greg and Dave were present. Greg promises to offer tastings and classes in the 2nd floor, which should be pretty interesting.

[KatieLoeb]

I know there are great wine stores in NY, but I think Moore Brothers will be an interesting addition.

←

There is nothing comparable to Moore Bros. Aside from the paricular selection of high quality affordable wines, Im not sure anyone else takes the pains to ship and store (and deliver) the wines at cellar temperature.

I stopped by yesterday and both Greg and Dave were present. Greg promises to offer tastings and classes in the 2nd floor, which should be pretty interesting.

←

Excellent! Greg's classes are the best. I learned a whole lot of what I know about wine from Greg back when I played "teaching assitant" (read: Polishing Monkey/Glass Rack Schlepper) for Greg's University of Pennsyvania wine classes that were taught at the London Grill.

[herbacidal]

So for anyone who has been there, how does the Moore Bros store compare so far?

[bethala]

finally went in yesterday. i forget which brother was holding court, but judging from this thread, i think it was greg. he had five or six bottles open for tasting. the wines were all incredibly delicious, reasonably priced, and in absolutely pristine condition (love their fanatacism about maintaining the proper temperature). i thought this would be a place where i would drop in for a few minutes, but you really do need to give yourself some time, as the selection of french and italian wines is pretty large, and there seems to be no fat or filler among the choices.

[I_call_the_duck]

Herb, are you asking in comparison to the store in Pennsauken, or other stores in New York?

I've been twice already (yes, shame on me for not posting earlier), and it's already on my list of favorite wine stores. It is clean, spacious, and welcoming. Neither brother was in the store when we were there, but everyone was very friendly and knowledgeable about the wines, and were able to guide us in our selection. In fact, we wound up buying more than we originally intended.

I believe that the wines in the NY store are the same as those in Pennsauken. Compared to other stores in NY, I’d say that it ranks up there with the better stores in terms of quality, selection, and value.

[Daniel]

Moore Brothers Wine Company New York

33 East 20th Street

Phone: 866-986-6673 , 212-375-1575

Fax: 212-375-1579

http://www.wineaccess.com/store/moorebroth...store-info.html

Met this couple the other day in Philly and they would not stop talking about them.. Has anyone heard good things or been there.. I am throwing a party this Friday and hopefully will have the time to stop by..