Chris Noth may be most recognizable for his roles on Law & Order, Sex and the City and The Good Wife, but offscreen, the Golden Globe-nominated actor is a nightclub owner and a wine lover. Noth, 57, grew up in New York and Connecticut, studying theater at the Yale School of Drama before beginning a 31-year career that has notched him more than 50 acting credits. In 1999, he opened the Cutting Room, a Manhattan rock club, which moved to a new location this past fall.

Noth, who has long focused on environmental charities, recently teamed with California’s Beaulieu Vineyard (BV) for its Give & Give Back campaign, which supports outreach for hunger relief in American cities. He recently sat down with Wine Spectator to discuss his favorite wines, how trendiness is endangering the spirit of old New York and why there’s so much on-screen wine-drinking on The Good Wife.