Wall Street's Best Excuse to Drink Burgundy
Financial District · New York · American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Crown Shy arrives with the quiet confidence of a place that knows exactly what it's doing. Set inside a beautifully restored Art Deco tower in the Financial District, this isn't a list thrown together to impress expense accounts — it's a curated document, heavy on Burgundy and Champagne, that rewards anyone willing to spend time with it. Wine Spectator has handed them a Best of Award of Excellence since 2022, and one look at the producer roster tells you why.
We're looking at somewhere between 400 and 600 selections, and the depth in Burgundy alone is staggering — Domaine de la Romanée-Conti, Henri Jayer, Armand Rousseau, and Domaine Leroy are not names that show up on lists that aren't taken seriously. The Champagne section is equally impressive, with Krug and Salon anchoring a program that goes well beyond the standard Veuve-or-Moët defaults most restaurants lean on. Italy gets its proper due as well, with Giacomo Conterno, Bruno Giacosa, and Gaja representing the Piedmont heavyweights. If there's a gap, it's that the New World feels like an afterthought here — but when your Old World bench looks like this, that's a forgivable omission.
The by-the-glass program runs roughly 18 to 25 options, with prices landing between $15 and $30 — reasonable given the address and the caliber of what's in the cellar. The sommeliers (Miles Meltz, Benjamin Forey, and Allie Saft run the program) rotate pours that actually reflect the list's strengths rather than just offloading whatever needs to move. Don't expect to find DRC in the glass program, but don't be surprised if something genuinely exciting shows up.
Domaine Leflaive (entry-level Burgundy white) — $60–$80 range
Domaine Leflaive at the lower end of Crown Shy's bottle pricing is about as good a deal as you'll find in a Manhattan dining room. This is a producer whose wines regularly fetch multiples of what Crown Shy charges for the entry point — grab it before they reconsider.
Bruno Giacosa
Most tables at Crown Shy are chasing the Burgundy hits, which means the Giacosa — one of Barolo's greatest traditional producers — gets slept on. Don't make that mistake. These wines can hang with anything on the list and often outperform at the price.
Krug Champagne
Krug is magnificent, full stop. But in a Financial District restaurant with a clientele prone to ordering it reflexively, you're paying a premium on top of an already premium bottle for the logo. The Salon nearby on the list is the more interesting move for the money.
Armand Rousseau (Gevrey-Chambertin) + Dry-aged duck
Rousseau's Gevrey has that earthy, iron-edged quality that makes duck feel like the dish was built around it. The richness of dry-aged bird fat cuts right through the wine's tannin structure and the whole thing just clicks.
🔥 The Bottom Line
Crown Shy is the rare Financial District restaurant where the wine list is genuinely worth the trip on its own — the food is great, but the Burgundy and Champagne depth here is the main event. Yes, you'll spend real money, but you're in capable hands with one of New York's sharpest sommelier teams guiding the way.
Midtown West · New York · Russian-American
The Russian Tea Room treats wine as an afterthought dressed up in Champagne flutes — five famous labels at punishing prices with no range, no by-the-glass program, and no apparent curiosity about wine beyond what looks impressive on a table. Go for the spectacle, order the caviar, but don't come here expecting a wine list.
Grocery Store
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
David Burke Tavern's list is a Chardonnay lover's comfort zone with a solid sparkling section propping up the top — but the narrow focus and steep pricing mean you're paying for familiarity, not discovery. Send a friend here if they want California whites and a glass of Champagne; send them somewhere else if they want to explore.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· New York · Restaurant
Corima's wine list is proof that ten well-chosen bottles beat a hundred thoughtless ones every time. If you care about what's in your glass, this place is worth your attention.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
West Village · New York · American
Cecchi's is first and foremost a bar, but the wine list is more serious than the neon and noise suggest. Steep markups are the main ding — but if you know what to order, there's real pleasure here.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SoHo · New York · Steak House, Small Plates
The Corner Store is a reliable, well-credentialed wine list doing exactly what a good SoHo steakhouse should — France and California, done with intention, in a room that makes you want to order another bottle. Just watch the markup on the big Bordeaux names and let the Rhône or Burgundy side show you a better time.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Tribeca · New York · American
Farra is punching above its weight class for a neighborhood wine bar, and the Wine Spectator nod is earned — just know that the serious bottles come with serious prices, and the no-sommelier setup means you're doing some of the navigating yourself. Worth it for anyone who knows what they want; potentially overwhelming for those who don't.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Southwest / Time Corners · Fort Wayne · American
Catablu is exactly what it needs to be for its neighborhood — a reliable, thoughtfully maintained list that won't embarrass you on a date night or bore you entirely. It's not a destination wine list, but it's a solid supporting act for a kitchen that clearly takes food seriously.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Otay Ranch Town Center · Chula Vista · American
BJ's is a fine place to drink a craft beer and eat a Pizookie. It is not a place to drink wine. Order a Brewhouse Blonde, skip the wine list entirely, and save your wine night for somewhere that cares.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
SanTan Village · Gilbert · American
The Cheesecake Factory is a perfectly fine place to eat — the wine list just isn't a reason to go. Order a cocktail, split a bottle of Santa Margherita if you must, and save your wine curiosity for somewhere that earned it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.