It’s 6 o’clock at Le Dive and everyone is Dressed with a capital D. The temperature is New York-in-July, so the heat comes from everywhere: the sidewalk vents, the cars, the sun overhead. It’s a Tuesday, but by midsummer, everyone knows that days of the week are irrelevant—Tuesday is to Sunday is to Monday afternoon. Which is to say, people are out. And they are drinking.
In this section of Chinatown, often referred to as Dimes Square, alfresco seating belonging to a number of disparate establishments converges in the street, giving off the feel of an ever-present block party or an extremely tame music festival. Here you’ll find a full display of drinkers, all of whom radiate a unique sense of in-the-know mystique. And what, you may ask, is in their glasses? Well, if they’re not sipping Martinis (either dirty or espresso), they’re drinking natural wine.
To get a better sense of who’s on the scene—and what, exactly, they’re drinking—we spent an evening surveying patrons at three of the buzziest natural wine bars in the area. Here’s what they had to say.
Valentina, 25, works at Sony Music
Hayden, 25, works in software sales
Vanessa, 22, student
Birgi, 22, student
What brings you guys to Le Dive?
Hayden: We live on the Lower East Side, and it’s Valentina’s 25th birthday.
Have you been here before?
Valentina: Yes, I love this place. I’m a big natural wine fan.
How would you describe your taste in wine?
Valentina: I love it, but I don’t know the names of brands, or grapes, or types of wine very well. I like something that’s fruity and easy to drink, and a little bit weird.
Hayden: Yeah, I would say that orange wine is definitely my favorite. It’s the most fun. I don’t want anything too sweet, either.
What are you guys drinking?
Valentina: Something from Alsace—skin-contact gewürztraminer. Les Vins Pirouettes Orange Cubique François 2023.
What do you think?
Valentina: I think it’s fun and easy for summer. Just what we were looking for. I like the label, too. Do you want to taste some?
Kiki Hanh, 21, works in creative consulting
Matt Lee, 21, works in creative consulting
How do you two know each other?
Kiki: We’re colleagues, actually. So we’re just blowing off steam at the end of a work day.
Do you guys come here often?
Matt: We both live downtown so we’ve been to lots of the bars right around here but this is our first time at this specific bar.
Do you guys identify as natural wine drinkers?
Matt: I honestly think that natural wine is just kind of a marketing thing. But I like it. I like drinking wine in general. It’s just kind of always there. Nice to have around.
And what does your taste usually skew toward?
Kiki: I like something with a really good, long aftertaste. Definitely something fruity, but I want it to be memorable. Kind of loud and upfront. Does that make sense?
What are you drinking now?
Kiki: The chilled red they have by the glass [La Grange aux Belles Le Vin de Jardin 2023].
Do you like it?
Kiki: It’s not, like, the best ever. But we’re three drinks in already so… who cares?
Samuel Armstrong, 29, bartender
Maria Owen, 26, artist
Carlos Nunez, 26, artist
Where in the city do you guys live?
Samuel: I actually live in San Francisco. I’m just here for a few days visiting my friend.
Maria: And I live in Bushwick.
Carlos: Same.
Do you guys frequent Le Dive?
Carlos: I’ve been once or twice before but I wouldn’t say I’m a regular.
And is wine your usual beverage of choice?
Carlos: It absolutely depends on the day. And the mood. And the time of night. Definitely never after 10 p.m.
Samuel: Because I work in wine, I often crave beer and cocktails when I’m off the clock. I’m on Level 3 of my WSET which takes up a lot of time. I have this huge stack of flashcards with me… sometimes it feels nice to take a break from wine.
And what’s your taste in wine like, generally?
Carlos: I love a dry and minerally situation.
Maria: It really just depends on the vibe for me. There’s nothing I’m not open to. Maybe that’s a really deep red, or a light sweet white, or something sparkling. I’m very agreeable.
What are you drinking?
Samuel: This skin-contact gewuürztraminer they have by the glass [Les Vins Pirouettes Orange Cubique François 2023]. To be honest, we don’t like it very much. Usually I think of gewürztraminer as really expressive with lots of lychee and rose but this is just pure wax. Way too much VA [volatile acidity] for me.
Evan Sung, 34, food photographer
What are we drinking today?
I drink whatever Carina [bartender] tells me to drink [Pierre-Olivier Bonhomme Thésée Sauvignon Blanc Loire Valley 2022].
What does it taste like?
Hmmm… like grapefruit? Stones? Quiet resignation, maybe? Some white flowers? It’s got light berry notes. Joy, pain, joie de vivre. I’m just kidding, obviously. But it’s a great, cold, acidic summer wine for a hot day like today.
And would you say that you frequent Skin Contact?
Well, I was here 12 hours ago. Some would call that frequenting, but it was work-related. Normally, yes, I’m a fan. I try to come by if I’m in the area.
Tell me a little bit about your taste in wine?
Definitely natural. I like a good amount of acidity. I tend towards reds and oranges because I like a little body, and a little intensity. I spend a lot of time in Paris so I definitely drink a lot of French wine but I really adore Austrian wines.
Katie White, 38, works in fashion
Are you a local?
I actually live in Woodstock, New York. But I lived in the city for many years, just a few blocks away on Allen. And I still come in a few days a month for work.
What are you reading?
I’m glad you can’t see it on camera. It’s, like, a beach read, true-crime thriller.
And are you drinking something beach read–inspired as well?
Honestly, yes. I love a classic, Provence-style rosé. I know it’s basic, but a good, cold French rosé in the summer is always excellent. Definitely easy-drinking.
Are you a frequent wine drinker, generally speaking?
I think it depends on the season. I don’t really know much—I’m no connoisseur. But I do generally just like what I like. The natural wine scene… I have to be honest, it’s not totally for me. I like my nice, clean, reliable things—for example, a rosé like this one that’s straightforward and not too expensive.
What are you drinking?
Domaine Turenne Camille Côtes de Provence Rosé 2023. And it costs $14 by the glass, so I’ll take it.
Kirk Lawrence, 47 (“a young 47”), content creator
Do you live nearby?
I used to. I’m actually from this area, originally. But I currently live in East Orange, New Jersey.
When you come back, do you have bars in this particular area that you like to visit?
I like it here because I always taste something new and interesting — but if I’m looking for a little bit more raucousness, then I try to go to Double Down, or maybe Pianos if I want live music.
And what’s your taste in wine like?
If it’s a hot day, I go for things that are lighter and fruitier, colder. If I’m eating heavy foods, I love deep reds. But especially in the summer, the cheesier side of me likes things that are really sweet. Maybe even a little crappy—like sugary white zinfandels. It’s what our family drinks at home so I’ve got a soft spot for it.
What are you drinking right now?
It’s an orange wine from Georgia, the country. It’s a real discovery for me, and I’d say I’m absolutely a fan. I’m on my second glass of it [Nareklishvili & Son’s Kisi Qvevri Kakheti 2019].
Tori Cho, 21, student
Lance Mesia, 23, hairdresser
Faith Chung, 21, student
How do you guys know each other?
Tori: Just through mutual friends. Some various social gatherings. You know… how everyone meets in New York.
Do you all live nearby?
Tori: I just moved out of the area. I live in Williamsburg now.
Lance: I live in Bed-Stuy.
Faith: And I live on the Upper West Side for school.
Are you guys big wine drinkers?
Tori: Yes, red wine is definitely my beverage of choice. I think it’s the best for my heart. And my health, generally. I like to drink it before I go to sleep. Not every night but sometimes… like twice a week, I’d say. It’s like melatonin for me. Plus, if you’re not drinking out with friends, it’s a great addition to reading, or journaling, or drawing.
Faith: I think I usually go for white wine just for the lightness and the fruitiness… not that I don’t enjoy red wines. But when I think about my taste in drinking in general, I think I always want to crack open an Asahi can and have it with sunflower seeds. But that’s just because that’s part of my cultural roots.
Lance: I agree. If I’m home, I think I prefer to make myself a cocktail. But when I’m out, I do love red wine. We’re all pretty young, so there’s something about drinking red wine that makes me feel so adult and so sophisticated.
And what are you drinking right now?
Tori: Syrah [Clos des Mourres A Table Syrah Rhône Valley 2019], and we all really love it.
Jordan Mamone, 49, editor and fact-checker at theSkimm
Laura Vickery, “I’m not giving my age,” crossword puzzle editor
Have you guys been hanging out on the Lower East Side for a long time?
Laura: Yeah, we live on Grand Street, right by the East River, and we’ve been down there since 2006. Before that, we were in the East Village in different apartments for, like… 14 years?
Have you been to Cellar 36 before?
Jordan: We’ve known the boys who opened this place—and a bunch of the staff—through many of the different places they’ve worked over the years. When we heard that Fernando and Nodar were opening Cellar 36, it was music to our ears. We come by whenever we can.
And how long have you been a natural wine fan?
Laura: He’s like the grandfather of natural wine. Come on, go ahead and say it.
Jordan: I wouldn’t say that. But… I started drinking wine sometime around 2002. I didn’t exactly know it was “natural” at the time but it was cheap, not a lot of people were that interested in it, and every time I tasted it, I just thought it really had soul.
Do you exclusively drink natural wine?
Laura: Well, I often think it’s weird that we spend so much time thinking about what we put into our bodies. But for a lot of people, alcohol just feels like an afterthought. People don’t think about what’s in their wine. That part of drinking natural wine has always been comforting to me.
Jordan: There are plenty of really classic Old World conventional wines that I love. I’m not a proper natural loyalist—and I’m definitely not a die-hard zero-zero person. But at the same time, I have a really high tolerance for VA so I’m rarely bothered by some of the more out-there stuff. That said, in terms of taste, I don’t drink a lot of New World wines. Maybe I should, but typically, it’s not what I lean towards.
What are you guys drinking right now?
Jordan: We’re a few glasses deep. We had this Tommy Ruff wine, which I guess is a syrah, kind of made like blanc de noirs [Champagne] but with skin contact [Shobbrook Poolside by Tommy Ruff Barossa Valley Australia 2018]. For a New World wine, I liked it quite a bit more than expected. We also had a very cool chardonnay and chenin blanc blend [Thomas Boutin Charabia Loire Valley 2020].
Chantal Michelle, “30-something,” artist, composer
Beau Bree Rhee, “30-something,” visual artist, choreographer, professor
Do you guys identify as “natural wine people”?
Beau: Yes. I mean, I’d say I drink wine. Often. Pretty often.
Chantal: I drink wine somewhat often and only natural.
And do you drink at Cellar 36 often?
Chantal: My friends Nodar and Fernando own Cellar 36, so I come often.
Beau: This is only my second time, but I’d say I’m a fan.
And what does your taste in wine usually look like?
Beau: I’d say if I had to drink only one grape for the rest of my life, it would definitely be gamay. I’m a gamay girl. I like it chilled. I like it room temperature. I like it with any food. It’s versatile.
Chantal: I go for wine that feels very much alive.
What are you guys drinking?
Beau: A chilled red [Les Grandes Vignes Le P’tit Vaillant Grolleau/Cabernet Franc 2022].
Chantal: A sparkling vermentino.
Lily Sullivan, 29, writer and brand strategist
Do you live close by?
I live in Brooklyn but I’m just a hop, skip, and a jump over the bridge. It hardly takes me more than 15 minutes to get here.
And would you say that natural wine is your beverage of choice?
You know, while I like a dirty Martini from time to time, I often reach for a glass of natural wine first.
And how would you describe your taste in wine?
I like things that have a sharpness to them. And recently, I’ve been wanting things that are round and sort of honey-flavored, but not too sweet. I drink a sparkling wine whenever possible. I’m always in favor of effervescence—anything that packs a buzzy punch. I’m open to reds but if I am drinking a red, I want something that’s lighter and brighter, while still being interesting. Which is actually how I would describe myself.
And what are you drinking right now?
Something sparkling from Emilia-Romagna that [bartender] Alatz just poured for me, [Il Farneto Rio Rocca New Player in Town Trebbiano Pét-Nat 2021]
Do you approve?
Absolutely. I feel bubbly; I’m drinking bubbles.
Sonny Stollman, 29, bartender
Justin Jones, 26, accountant
Are you a regular here?
Sonny: I swing by whenever I can to see my man, Alatz. I work at a bar nearby, so we’ve got a nice little interconnected network of bartenders who work together and hang out together whenever we can. Alatz has visited me so many times at Emma Peel Room, so we’re always trying to get each other back.
Are you a “Wine Guy”?
Sonny: No. I drink cocktails. I love wine, I really do, but I don’t know anything about it whatsoever. I just have several friends who are very smart about wine and I just trust them to give me the weirdest, most exciting thing they can find whenever the opportunity arises.
Justin: I traditionally drink beer. And I hated wine until approximately three weeks ago when I started coming here and Alatz started handing me things.
And what have you liked thus far on your wine journey?
Justin: From what I’m gathering, I haven’t really liked as many of the reds I’ve tasted but I’ve really liked the whites. And I think drinking sparkling wine is just fun.
Sonny: I do like learning about wine, but I think there’s something nice about just trusting your friends who know better than you. I’m happy to be like, Jesus, take the wheel about my wine selection.
What are you drinking right now?
Both: Ask Alatz. [A chenin blanc and chardonnay blend: Thomas Boutin Charabia Loire Valley 2020].
