Hugo Verlaine

Hugo is a sommelier who, after eight years at a restaurant in Lyon, opened a small wine bar in the East Village that he describes as 'stubbornly unfashionable.' He joined the Club at Initiate tier in late 2022 and has, to date, declined two invitations to upgrade. He prefers, he says, the view from where he stands.

Hugo writes occasionally for the Club's Friday newsletter on the subject of pairings, broadly construed. His most-shared piece argued, with admirable specificity, for serving Champagne with leftover takeout.