Valerie Pimpinelli is the General Manager and Wine Buyer at Flatiron's New York store, where she oversees day-to-day operations while building one of the city's most thoughtful selections of value-driven wines. Her palate ranges widely—from the granitic Rieslings of Alsace to the structured Xinomavro of northern Greece to the elegant Nebbiolo of Alto Piemonte—but the through-line is always the same: wines that deliver authenticity and sense of place without demanding a collector's budget.
Before wine, Valerie's path wound through English literature at Montclair State and retail stints at Urban Outfitters and Whisk, the beloved Brooklyn kitchen shop. Those experiences shaped her customer-first approach: she understands that most people want guidance, not gatekeeping. Her writing for the Flatiron blog reflects this sensibility, whether she's breaking down Eric Asimov's latest 20 Under $20 picks or telling the story of a biker-jacket-wearing winemaking duo in Macedonia.
As a buyer, Valerie has invested in expanding Flatiron's Alsace program, championing producers like Albert Boxler and Ostertag whose site-specific wines illustrate what makes the region so compelling. She brings the same curatorial eye to Provence rosé, Piedmont, and the emerging winemakers of Greece—always looking for bottles that punch above their weight.
Before wine, Valerie's path wound through English literature at Montclair State and retail stints at Urban Outfitters and Whisk, the beloved Brooklyn kitchen shop. Those experiences shaped her customer-first approach: she understands that most people want guidance, not gatekeeping. Her writing for the Flatiron blog reflects this sensibility, whether she's breaking down Eric Asimov's latest 20 Under $20 picks or telling the story of a biker-jacket-wearing winemaking duo in Macedonia.
As a buyer, Valerie has invested in expanding Flatiron's Alsace program, championing producers like Albert Boxler and Ostertag whose site-specific wines illustrate what makes the region so compelling. She brings the same curatorial eye to Provence rosé, Piedmont, and the emerging winemakers of Greece—always looking for bottles that punch above their weight.