The Study Fine Wines (Or, Why You Need this Cool Shop on Your Radar)
Although the address of this hip little wine boutique says it’s located in Greenwich, CT, in fact, the store’s parking lot has one toe in Westchester. But along with its location—sort of—within our county borders, there are other reasons to visit The Study (besides the obvious: this shop has great stuff and a knowledgeable staff). Namely, we should all start patronizing our small, local liquor stores before they go the way of the dodo. Cheap, big box liquor outlets are killing our neighborhood wine shops in the same way that Home Depot and CVS killed our small hardware and drug stores. The only way we can keep our idiosyncratic wine stores alive is to selectively spend our money at them—and that means eschewing those bland, corporate Bi-Rites.
The great thing about The Study is that it’s not trying to compete with Stew Leonard’s or Fairway wines. When you visit, you will not be issued a shopping cart to gleefully fill like Nick Cage in Leaving Las Vegas. Nor will you be forced to clatter your way through aisles crowded by teetering stacked cases of Pinot Grigio. The Study’s aisles are wide and its shelves are orderly— and without those randomly placed bargain bins, it’s easy to compare the wines that originate from a particular region. The good news is that although The Study is a small boutique wine store with a distinct voice and personality, its shelves offer wines at every price point. Also, look for a fridge full of craft beers and a small, but thoughtful, selection of on-trend spirits.
At The Study, each bottle has a handy tag slipped around its neck that gives helpful, often funny, hints about how best to enjoy wine (one bottle merely says, “standing rib roast, please”). The tags are just icing on the cake, really, because the person that curated The Study’s inventory is usually present. At The Study, you’re likely to find its youthful owner and wine buyer, Katherine Stephens, behind the counter—and just try to do that at the anonymous Bi-Rite. Stephens is a Certified Wine Specialist and ex-sommelier that, in a former life, managed Etats-Unis, a Michelin Star awarded restaurant in Manhattan. The wines at The Study are her wines and she can tell you all about them.
Unlike that bland Bi-Rite, The Study is engagingly quirky and urbane. Look for the vintage ‘70’s era record player to be spinning some serious jazz (you might have to explain the concept of vinyl to your kids). You’re free to sit in a cozy armchair and flip through the LPs in the record rack or page through the store’s wine books. No one cares if you loiter—after all, that’s why it’s called The Study. The Study’s Co-Owner (and Stephens’ husband) is Noah Goldberg, a serious musician and songwriter. Generally, he’s manning the record player when he’s not playing the upright piano, which is handily located right in the store. One of the most precious things about The Study is that it has a wonderful, free vibe. It’s a bohemian, sort of arty nook where you can just hang out for a few minutes and get a break from your day.
But don’t take my word for it—drop into The Study for their free Saturday tastings or take one of their fun and informative classes. Look for more info here.
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HotDate
The Fourth of July at Crabtree’s Kittle House
Tragedy! The Kittle House’s “Backyard Cookout” will not happen this year! The good news is that you can still scam on the Mount Kisco Country Club’s annual fireworks while tucking into Kittle House barbecue. Here’s the Kittle House/July 4 update, courtesy of Partner Glenn Vogt: “We have received numerous inquiries as to what will be happening this year at the KH on the Fourth of July. As usual, we will be open for dinner and among the lucky neighbors of The Mount Kisco Country Club who get to watch their terrific fireworks display. There is a private event happening in the Atrium Carriage Room so we will be unable to host the Backyard Picnic Cookout that we had last year. But we will be serving dinner and since it falls on a Thursday night this year we will be featuring Chef Jay’s Awesome BBQ combo platter. Kittle House, Fireworks, BBQ— It’s a great, all-American way to celebrate our Independence Day. Reservations are highly recommended.”
Call to book— seriously, ASAP: 914 666 8044
The Fourth of July at The Cookery: Red, White and Booze
Usually, The Cookery is all about Italy, but this July Fourth, look for a specials list that celebrates the US of A. Look for fried chicken, mac and cheese, meatloaf, and banana cream pie (which comes courtesy of Cookery’s most delightful team member, Bonafacio). All the specials are available a la carte. Also, look for great, all-American drinks. To book, call the Cookery at (914) 305-2336
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HotFlash
Polpettina to Open in Larchmont
Breaking news: Kyle Inserra and Mike Abruzese of Eastchester’s Polpettina have taken over the Larchmont restaurant formerly known as Espana Wine & Tapas Bar at 147 Larchmont Avenue. This fall, the pair plan to debut a second Polpettina in the new space, which, at 80 seats, is significantly larger than Polpettina’s original, 35-seat iteration. Expect the new Polpettina to have a very similar menu, look, and feeling as the original, but there will be some significant changes. Not only is the new space more than twice as large as the original Polpettina, but (finally!) Inserra and Abruzese will be able to offer a full bar with spirits and cocktails. Chef Mike Abruzese will be in charge of both kitchens, which are roughly six miles apart.
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