French Classics Meet Korean Fire
Midtown West · New York · Korean · Visit Website ↗
Updated June 2026
Reviewed April 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Kochi NYC’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Kochi, you don't expect a Burgundy-heavy list to be your companion for a Korean tasting menu — and that's exactly the point. The wine program feels deliberate, almost audacious, built around the idea that French acidity and earthiness can hold their own against doenjang, gochujang, and charred short rib. It's a thesis, and it mostly works.
The list runs 150-200 bottles deep with a clear French spine: Burgundy anchors the red side with producers like Henri Jayer and, yes, Domaine de la Romanée-Conti at the top of the pyramid, while Alsace gets serious representation from Trimbach and Zind-Humbrecht — a smart call given how well those aromatics bridge Korean fermented flavors. Loire Valley shows up strong with Dagueneau and Henri Bourgeois, and the Rhône corner brings Château Rayas and Domaine Tempier for anyone who wants something with more grip and funk. Champagne by Krug and Billecart-Salmon covers the opening pour with no shortcuts. The gap is everywhere outside France — this is not a list for New World explorers, and that's a conscious choice.
Twelve to eighteen pours by the glass is a solid number for a restaurant this focused, with prices running $12–$25 — respectable for New York, especially when the pours likely lean toward the producers already in the cellar. There's no evidence of aggressive rotation or a dedicated BTG program beyond the standard offering, but with Alsace and Loire options presumably accessible by the glass, you can drink well without committing to a full bottle.
Henri Bourgeois Sancerre — $15
Loire Sauvignon Blanc at this price point cuts through banchan and seafood preparations with precision — bright acidity, mineral edge, and enough weight to handle Kochi's umami-forward dishes without getting lost.
Domaine Tempier Bandol Rouge
Most people chase the Burgundy names here and miss this Mourvèdre-driven southern Rhône — it's earthy, herb-edged, and genuinely built for charred meat. Order it with the galbi and thank yourself later.
Domaine de la Romanée-Conti
Look, DRC is always DRC, but at a Korean tasting menu in Midtown West, the markup on bottles at this tier is severe, and the delicate tertiary complexity gets bulldozed by fermented and grilled flavors. Drink it somewhere you can sit with it properly.
Trimbach Riesling Alsace + Doenjang-based course
Trimbach's Riesling is dry, precise, and has that petrol-and-citrus backbone that mirrors the funk and depth of fermented soybean paste without competing with it — one of the more intuitive pairings on a list full of interesting choices.
The Bottom Line
Kochi is the rare restaurant where the wine list feels like part of the concept, not an afterthought — French producers chosen to wrestle thoughtfully with Korean flavors, and a sommelier in Olive Ko who clearly believes in the pairing. Steep on price at the top end, but if you're eating the tasting menu anyway, lean into the Alsace and Loire pours and let the room do its thing.
SoHo · New York · Italian
A long bottle list with Italian, Burgundy and Champagne sections, fronted by a 22-wine glass page. For a glass, try the Skerk Orange Wine from Friuli at 25/95, and for a bottle on a lighter budget, the Volpaia Vermentino at 60; upstairs in the café, the labeled list pours Palistorti di Valgiano's orange Tuscan blend at Glass $22. Confirm prices before you order, because the site's Upstairs Café dinner menu and the beverage PDF do not match. This unrated guide covers the posted wine lists, not service, storage or markups.
Midtown East · New York · American, French
A Park Avenue restaurant whose posted wine list is a 21-wine glass list. Start with the $18 Leitz Riesling or the $19 Ogier Saint-Joseph. No bottle list is posted online, so ask the restaurant what is available by the bottle. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Hudson Yards · New York · American, Seasonal
A hotel restaurant whose list opens with a 13-pour glass page and then moves through Champagne, Burgundy, Austria and other regions. Start with the $29 Prager Grüner Veltliner or the $24 Do Ferreiro Albariño by the glass alongside the chilled oysters, and confirm current pricing since the list is dated 09.30.26. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · Southern French, Wine Bar
A glass-only list of 15 Central and Eastern European pours from $18 to $26, with an orange wine section of five. Start with the Gal Tibor Egri Bikavér Superior at $18 or the Kapistoni Tavkveri at $23, and confirm prices because the list is undated. This unrated guide covers the posted by-the-glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Financial District · New York · American
A short posted wine selection, with the full list available by email. Start with the $17 Crafted Cava or the $18 Côte de Brouilly by the glass, and email ahead if you want the full list. This unrated guide covers only the nine posted wines, not service, storage or markups.
East Village · New York · American Steakhouse
A compact glass list at a beef-focused restaurant: 11 pours from $19 to $39 across France, Italy, Germany and California. Start with the $24 Domaine Perraud Chardonnay, or the $30 Signorello 'Edge' Cabernet if you're ordering steak, and confirm current pours because the page isn't dated. This unrated guide covers the posted glass list, not service, storage or markups.
Downtown Fringe / North Wilson · Bozeman · Korean
Whistle Pig isn't a wine destination, but it's doing more than most Korean casual spots bother to do, and a few smart picks — especially the Occidental and the Riesling — make the list worth engaging with. Come for the bibimbap, order the wine, don't overthink it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hell's Kitchen · New York · Korean
A Korean handroll bar with a Wine Spectator Award and a Burgundy-forward list curated by someone who clearly thought about what goes in your glass alongside what goes in your hand — that's a Wild Card worth cashing in. Send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Northeast Portland · Portland · Korean
Han Oak is the rarest kind of restaurant wine program: one where the list was built for the food, not the other way around. Send your friends here, but tell them to surrender to the format — it's worth it.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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