These shops introduce new juice to members while supporting small producers
(Clockwise from above left) Graft co-owner Femi Oyediran joins the party at the shop’s wine bar; Ready for sampling at Edmund’s Oast Exchange; HERD Provisions’ wine club is all about small-production bottles.
Choose Your Own Vino Adventure: Edmund’s Oast Exchange Wine Club
“Our entire shop is centered on small family producers that are farming sustainably if not organically, so the wine club reflects that,” says Sarah O’Kelley, a certified sommelier and general manager at the Exchange. The user-friendly club, which caters to individual preferences, offers a monthly subscription with three tiers: three bottles for $60, six for $120, or two cellar-worthy finds for $120. Detailed tasting notes and thoughtful pairing ideas and recipes reflect O’Kelley’s years as a successful chef and cookbook author. “It’s one of my favorite parts of the job,” she admits. 1081-B Morrison Dr., edmundsoast.com
Go Natural: Monarch Wine Merchants CSA
For Monarch owner Justin Coleman, the former general manager at The Ordinary and veteran NYC wine consultant, wine is an agricultural product first. It’s why he calls his shop’s club a CSA. Like Monarch itself, the program exclusively focuses on natural wines, meaning those made without additives and with as little intervention as possible—and includes a mix of the red, white, rosé, and sparkling wines Coleman is digging that month, offered at three bottles for $69. At “pickup parties,” the first Wednesday of each month, expect the Monarch team to pop a few additional limited-edition bottles for you to preview before they hit shelves. 1107-B King St., monarchwinemerchants.com
Build Community: HERD Provisions Wine Club
Longtime wine consultant Kellie Holmes conceived HERD’s monthly club as a way to highlight the restaurant’s butcher shop and unique wine program but also grow a community of wine drinkers as passionate about small-production sustainable, organic, and biodynamic bottles as she is. “To have the opportunity to get to know who is drinking these wines is what I get most excited about,” she says. Memberships include four bottles per month ($85) as well as convivial in-person tastings, featuring Holmes’ current selections. Like one bottle more than another? Holmes and company are happy to accommodate. 106 Grove St., herdprovisions.com
Expect the Unexpected: Extra Sauce Wine Club by Graft
Graft’s new wine club is designed to surprise. “There is zero theme,” says Graft sommelier and co-owner Miles White. “We want to keep our members on their toes.” Each month, custom canvas wine totes crafted by local leather goods outfit J. Stark are stocked with an eclectic mix of sustainable wines sourced from around the world, typically three to four rare or hard-to-find bottles ($120), as well as bonus food-focused goodies, like tinned seafood, dried pastas, specialty condiments, and seasonal recipes chosen by Graft’s restaurant partners. 700-B King St., graftextrasauce.com
