New Church Avenue Wine Shop To Feature New York State Wines

Ditmas Park and Kensington residents are about to have a new source for truly local wine.

The Gilded Grape, which will be opening soon on Church Avenue at East 7th Street, plans to focus heavily on New York State wines — from Long Island, the Catskills and the Finger Lakes — co-owner Mary Pino told us.

The plan is to build a “boutique” business, Pino said, whose inventory will be over three-quarters local wine, from across the state. The Gilded Grape also hopes to seek out smaller, family-run wine producers — “mom and pop” wineries.

Pino is tapping into a growing industry — there are now 1,631 family-run vineyards and over 400 wineries in the Empire State. The wine, grape and grape juice industries generate more than $4.8 billion in economic benefits for New York State, Uncork New York reports.

And the Gilded Grape is a local business in other ways. Pino, and her partner, Rob Coleman, were both born and raised in Brooklyn.

Pino grew up in nearby Bensonhurst. Coleman was raised in the building — at 727 Church Avenue — where the much-anticipated wine shop is to be located.

The Gilded Grape is being built-out specifically with a community focus in mind, said Pino, who envisions it as as a neighborhood gathering and networking space. “It’s going to be beautiful,” she said. “We’re very excited.”

The Gilded Grape’s estimated opening date is the end of April, Pino said.