Stars
Location: New York City
Designer: Studio Valle de Valle
On Offer: When Chase Sinzer, the 2024 Michelin Sommelier of the Year, brought his idea for a jewel-box wine bar to Studio Valle de Valle he asked, “What happens if you take the vibe and feel of a great Parisian wine bar—maybe Septime La Cave—but you give the hospitality of a great Japanese cocktail bar, like Rocking Chair, in Kyoto?” The result is Stars: open Tuesday through Sunday, the door is in constant motion as pairs eagerly suss out their chances of snagging a seat or standing spot in the small cedar-clad bar room. There, a soft amber glow sets the tone for a wine and snack service that unfolds around a zinc horseshoe-shaped bar as guests take their pick from more than the 1,000 bottles available from the Stars cellar. And, whether seated, standing, or stumbling through the early chatter of a first date, the vibe is easy, the people are beautiful, and everyone’s happy to be there.
Standout Features: Sinzer and chef-partner Joshua Pinsky apply the fundamentals of fine dining to a bar experience built on affordability. In the same sentence that he talks about what he’s gleaned from Danny Meyer and Will Guidara’s legendary approaches to hospitality, he emphasizes the duality of delivering that experience along with 88 wines by the bottle under $88, and 16 wines by the glass that cost between $11 and $19. And, thanks to the crew of server-sommeliers overseen by wine director Julia Schwartz, browsing the bottle or by the glass list over the course of a few visits can keep your finger on the pulse of the makers, crus, and varietals captivating the wine world right now.
Take, for example, Massimo Coletti’s ‘Mi Ti Et Mes Amis,’ a sparkling white wine produced in the heart of Italy’s Prosecco region. Produced with minimal intervention, like a pét-nat, as opposed to the commercialized charmat method, it drinks with an off-dry, bright minerality far above its $16 price point—and in stark defiance of the typical Processo associations. Whether you want to order a half-pour of, say, the Andalusian ‘Mira-Flores’ white—made from the Palomino Fino grape that’s best known for its use in sherry and other fortified wines—and talk through its terroir, or just taste the two French Chardonnays before committing to a glass, don’t leave without a round of “I Spy” to spot Stars’ namesake: two Frank Stella artworks (Noguchi’s Okinawa Woodpecker from the Exotic Bird Series, and No Smoking) on loan from the family of the late artist.
