My street in the East Village is one of the most fabulous places to be in terms of quality food and wine at affordable prices. In the past six months or so, great wine and cheese shops have popped up (as well as new bars, cafes, and restaurants) all along Avenue C. Amongst these is the Alphabet City Wine Co., haven for wine geeks, both confirmed and aspiring, everywhere.

Walking in, you feel like a guest in someone’s private wine cellar: a coffee table surrounded by a few leather chairs is on your right (always with at least one glass sitting on the table); a large wood-plank table is in the center of the room used for display and their twice-weekly free wine tastings; and the walls are lined with bottles. In fact, the wine bottles appear more like art than a product to be sold. There are no signs or explanations–these guys want you to ask questions and to engage them in conversation about every bottle on the shelf. The only writing, other than that on the wine label, is the small price tag…small both in size and scale. The goal of the shop is in fact to prove that good wine can be affordable. The owner Keith and his staff hand-select each of the wines they carry. They know the nuances of every wine, comparisons that can be made, and of course the perfect pairing.

In fact, I like to go in, describe what I am planning on making, and ta da! the perfect wine appears in my hand, chilled if need be and ready for consumption (or if they’re down to their last bottle of white or rose, they have the low-down on the cool-down quick fix–a bucket of ice water and salt). Last night, I had decided to make an asparagus and ricotta tarte and wanted to find the perfect wine to go with it. After discussing the merits of a cava or prosecco versus a gewuerztraminer (a sweeter German white to which my palate has yet to adapt) when paired with the strong taste of asparagus, we settled on the Icardi Cortese. Ever heard of Gavi di Gavi? One of my favorite sipping wines, the Gavi di Gavi is actually a wine produced in the town of, you guessed it, Gavi, and it is made from the Cortese grape. That said, I was sold. As for the pairing? Excellent while cooking, but it had warmed by the time the tarte was ready. Next time, I’ll be sure to keep it on ice.