Oceans
Serious Bottles, Serious Seafood, No Excuses
Flatiron ยท New York ยท Seafood ยท Visit Website โ
Reviewed April 8, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
The list lands on your table and immediately signals that someone here takes this seriously. Four hundred-plus bottles anchored by Burgundy, Oregon, Napa, and Italy โ it's the kind of range that makes you want to linger over the pages before you've even ordered bread. Brian Lieder's fingerprints are all over it, and that's a good thing.
Selection Deep Dive
Oregon and France are the clear twin pillars here โ Domaine Drouhin and Adelsheim hold down the Willamette Valley Pinot Noir corner with real authority, while the French whites get serious with Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Louis Jadot Meursault sharing real estate on the same page. California chips in with Far Niente and Kistler for those who want plush, polished Chardonnay alongside their lobster. Italy earns its keep with Gaja Barbaresco and Antinori Tignanello โ not obligatory name-drops, but wines that actually belong on a list this focused. The one gap: if you're hunting for value-tier everyday bottles, the $60 floor can feel like a wall.
By the Glass
Twenty to thirty-five pours by the glass is generous for a seafood restaurant, and the program reportedly rotates with the kitchen's seasonal direction. That said, we didn't find evidence of an active rotation cadence or a dedicated BTG feature program โ what's on the list feels like it's been curated once and held steady. Still, having Alsace Riesling from Domaine Weinbach available by the glass at a place like this would be a genuine win.
Adelsheim Vineyard Pinot Noir โ $60
At the entry point of the bottle list, Adelsheim punches above its price tag โ classic Willamette Valley elegance, food-friendly acidity, and a name that earns its spot at the table without demanding your whole wallet.
Domaine Weinbach Riesling Alsace
Everyone at the table is reaching for Chardonnay or Burgundy, and that's exactly why you should order this. Alsatian Riesling from Weinbach is one of the great seafood wines on earth โ mineral, precise, and built for oysters โ and most people walk right past it.
Antinori Tignanello
Tignanello is a fantastic wine, but it's also one of the most widely distributed bottles in the country โ and restaurant markups on recognizable Super Tuscans are rarely kind. At a seafood-forward spot, you're also fighting the menu. Unless you're ordering the Dover sole and insisting on red, your money works harder elsewhere on this list.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Dover Sole
This is about as close to a sure thing as wine pairing gets. Leflaive's Puligny brings that signature chalky tension and layered richness that mirrors the delicate, buttery character of Dover sole โ neither one overwhelms the other, and both end up tasting better for it.
๐ฅ The Bottom Line
Oceans earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence with a list that's genuinely deep and expertly stewarded by sommelier Brian Lieder โ the markups sting a little, but the quality and range justify the trip. Send a friend here if they want to drink seriously alongside some of the best seafood in the city.
Comments
Get the Weekly Wingman
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.