The State Liquor Authority is sticking a cork in Mario Batali’s Eataly wine shop for six months — because the celebrity chef and his famed partners broke liquor laws at the Chelsea hot spot.
In addition to the wine shop’s temporary closing, Batali and partners Joe and Lidia Bastianich must also pay a $500,000 fine as part of a recent settlement, the SLA says.
The vintners’ offense? Joe operates a winery in the Friuli region of northeast Italy, and imports wine to the shop on Fifth Avenue and 23rd St. — a violation of state anti-trust laws banning liquor stores from also owning distilleries or distribution companies.
Making matters worse, Batali allegedly lied about the winery operation — which could have resulted in the shop being shuttered for good had the settlement not been reached, the SLA’s spokesman said.
The wine will still flow at Eataly’s restaurants.
Vinophiles at the store, which features more than 1,000 vintages of Italian wines, were not happy Wednesday.
“It seems like kind of an arcane and arbitrary law,” complained Chris Danguilan, 48, as he shopped for Amaro, an Italian liqueur.
“Now that I know I may have to stock up.”
Occupational therapist Jamie Geraci, 57, said she comes to Eataly to pick up Bastianich’s Malvasia wine, which she can’t find near her home on Long Island.
“Lidia and Mario sell other products that they make here, but just because it’s liquor there’s a problem? That doesn’t make any sense,” she said “Where else are they supposed to sell it?”
“I think that’s crap,” said one customer who would not give his name.
“Just because they produce and sell doesn’t mean they’re a monopoly. If they make they’re own sauce, they’re allowed to sell it. You can buy the wine in the restaurant, so why can’t I bring it home?
“They’re just getting in the way of someone trying to make a buck,” he added.
The wine shop sells more than 1,000 vintages of Italian wines. A closing date has not yet been set.