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🎲The Wild Card

Foul Witch

Gothic vibes, anarchist cellar, zero apologies

East Village · New York · Italian · Visit Website ↗

natural-wineold-world-focusdate-nighthidden-gem

Reviewed March 25, 2026

Wingman Metrics

List VarietyDeep & Eclectic
MarkupFair
GlasswareBasic Stemmed
StaffKnowledgeable & Friendly
Specials & DealsSet & Forget
Storage & TempProper

First Impression

The wine list at Foul Witch reads like it was curated by someone who spent a decade haunting European cellar doors and refuses to compromise. Eighty-plus labels, essentially zero household names, and a list that spans Xinomavro from Macedonia to skin-contact obscurities from Vermont — this is not a safe list. It's a declaration of intent.

Selection Deep Dive

The depth here is genuinely impressive: Frank Cornelissen and Vino di Anna holding down Sicily, Paolo Bea and Foradori anchoring Italy's natural contingent, and a French section that pulls from Loire stalwarts like Gérard Boulay and Ferme de la Sansonnière alongside grower Champagne from Benoit Lahaye. Austria and Germany get real representation — Claus Preisinger, Gut Oggau, Rebholz, Weiser-Künstler — not just token bottles. The gaps are minimal; this list skews almost entirely natural and low-intervention, which is a feature, not a bug, at Foul Witch. If you need a mass-market Cab, you are in the wrong restaurant.

By the Glass

By-the-glass specifics aren't published, but based on the list's structure and the restaurant's ethos, expect a rotating short pour selection drawn from the broader 80+ bottle program — likely 8 to 12 options that change with the seasons. What we do know is that bottles like the Laura Lardy 'Gourde À Gamay' and Mas Mellet 'Lily Rose' feel purpose-built for glass pours: approachable, lively, easy to sell by the pour without overwhelming a first-timer.

đź’°Best Value

Laura Lardy 'Gourde À Gamay', Beaujolais 2023 — $

Beaujolais Gamay from a small-production natural producer — this style typically overdelivers at the price point and fits every single thing on the Foul Witch food menu. Drink it slightly cool and don't share.

đź’ŽHidden Gem

Domaine Tatsis 'Xiropotamos' Xinomavro, Macedonia 2020

Xinomavro is one of Greece's most serious red grapes — tart, tannic, and built like a Barolo that grew up in the Aegean. Most people scroll past Greek wine on any list. That's your advantage. Order this.

â›”Skip This

Matthias Warnung 'Benzinn' GrĂĽner Veltliner/Zweigelt/Portugieser NV

Non-vintage field blends from lesser-known Austrian producers sound adventurous until you're three bites into veal tortellini and wondering what you're drinking. The NV designation means no vintage anchor, and blending three grapes in this style can read muddy. Plenty of better bets on this list.

🍽️Perfect Pairing

Ramon Jané 'Tinc Set' Xarel·lo blend, Catalonia, Spain + Wagyu Beef Carpaccio with fiore sardo and nasturtium

Xarel·lo at its best has this savory, almost oxidative quality with bright acidity — it cuts through the fat of wagyu carpaccio while echoing the nuttiness of fiore sardo. It's a genuinely smart match and the kind of thing you'd never order without the nudge.

🎲 The Bottom Line

Foul Witch is exactly the kind of wine list New York should have more of — adventurous, committed, and clearly built by people who drink this stuff at home. Send your most open-minded friend here and tell them to order whatever the staff recommends.

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