Exclusive NYC wine club requires a vibe check and $20K to become a member, drink with celebs

Great minds drink alike.

If you want to savor expensive wine among the likes of LeBron James, Carlos Santana and Danny DeVito — it’s going to cost you.

“We’ve had NBA players who, like, had a game the next day, who will stay up till 3 a.m., with us just blind-tasting wine and trying to learn the nuances of the different climats within Burgundy,” member Timothy Parks, 34, told The Post.

Parks belongs to New York Vintners, an exclusive Tribeca wine club where members pay a $20,000 initiation fee — but celebs can sashay in for free. What began as an online retail wine store in 2006 transformed four years ago into a social club for around 70 wine high-rollers who conquered an admission process based on “vibes” and bested the “no a–holes” policy.

The 20,000-square-foot building, at 63 Barclay St., welcomes famous faces with its rustic wood decor, warm colors, plush leather couches and art pieces curated by Mexican artist and filmmaker Leopoldo Gout.

“There’s no paparazzi [and] none of us are on our phones taking pics,” Parks said.

James, 39, is a known oenophile — his brain has been described as a “supercomputer” for wine notes — and Parks said he’s been spotted at Vintners popping bottles.

“We were drinking Burgundy wine [one] night, and he was into it. And he was pretty knowledgeable,” Parks shared.

That night, in June, after his season had wrapped, James decided to DJ at Vintners, plugging in his phone and blasting Lil Wayne and Future.

Other A-listers, such as Dwyane Wade, Jeff Green and the Chainsmokers, have hosted private events that have turned into late-night ragers.

“You come in here and you’re drinking with NBA stars, listening to rap or Lil Wayne and … drinking one of the best Burgundy wines in the world,” Parks bragged.

But before you get out your checkbook to join the elite club, you have to pass a vibe check.

“We’re not trying to create exclusivity. We’re trying to create inclusiveness but around a topic. And you can’t be everything for everyone,” Shane Benson, 51, the owner of New York Vintners, explained to The Post.

Unlike other hot spots, Vintners doesn’t advertise on social media. Marketing is limited to word of mouth — and sometimes, that mouth says no.

Parks, co-founder of SoCal Hard Eights Major League Pickleball, joined the group he calls the “epicenter of wine in New York City” in 2021.

“You don’t apply. We invite you,” Parks said. “[The] admission process is unconventional.”

The Manhattanite was invited to a Vintners event and asked to return to discuss his potential membership after indulging in blind wine tastings until 2 a.m.

“I’ve seen tons of rich people, billionaires come through and say, ‘Oh, I’ll join, how much is it, $20K, $50K, $100K, a million? I don’t care, I’ll join.’ And that’s like the quickest way to not get invited,” Parks said.

“All we care about is drinking great wine, paying respect to the wine, discussing it, but also, like, having a good time and not being snobs,” he added.

Any Joe Schmoe can have a drink at Vintners’ pocket-sized front bar when it’s open between 11 a.m. and 8 p.m.

And if you’re an A-lister, a member or just pass the vibe check, you can go beyond the front bar into a hidden entryway that leads to five private lounge rooms, a bar, a kitchen and a basement wine storage facility.

Members, ranging from 25 to their late 60s — are entitled to first looks at rare bottles, classes with international sommeliers, winemakers and producers, wine consultations, and a key granting them 24/7 access to the on-site storage, among other perks.

“[What] we’re trying to create with the membership is a place where people can enjoy wine, relax, be themselves … [and] not have to take part in all the pretentiousness that comes along with what we think about wine,” New York Vintners partner and Chief Operating Officer Harris Greenstein, 32, told The Post.

And if a johnny-come-lately doesn’t make the cut, they’ll be left on hold.

“I can think of a few [occasions] where people expressed heavy interest and we just didn’t follow up,” Greenstein admitted. “It’s our job to make sure we’re not letting in somebody who’s going to ruin that fabric.”

Those who make the grade often slip into custom wine sneakers designed by member Mark Robbins to kick it with other connoisseurs.

“[The Vintners] is a place where I could drink with the greatest wines in the world, with people who are actually fun to drink with,” Parks declared.