While back in my hometown of New York City over the holidays, I was on the hunt for a perfect wine-of-the-month for January. My search led me to Pasanella & Son, a small wine merchant found in the South Street Seaport area of lower Manhattan.

A lot has changed to South Street Seaport since my childhood when my parents would take me and my sisters for ice cream and weekend strolls along the waterfront. Gone are many of the fishmongers and the old Pier 17, which have been replaced by high-end restaurants, European design shops, and exhibitions organized by the Prada Foundation. Some of this is due to the exodus of businesses during hard times post-September 11th or the fallout from Hurricane Sandy in 2012, some of it is just the ever-changing face of New York City…but, I digress. What you notice right away about Pasanella & Son is its respectful nod to history: