Strike Imperils City Stocks Of Top-Shelf Hooch

Truck drivers and warehouse workers at two major liquor distributors are on strike, threatening city supplies of Wild Turkey and other favorite brands:

A strike by two major liquor and wine distributors could have New Yorkers thirsting for their favorite top-shelf hooch.

Truck drivers and warehouse workers at Peerless Liquor and Wine Distributors, in Brooklyn, and at Astoria, Queens-based Charmers Industries, walked off the job yesterday, leaving at least 17,000 of some 26,000 licensed restaurants and bars high and dry.

“I found out they were on strike when there was no delivery this morning,” said Des O’Brien, owner of Langan’s Pub in Manhattan, explaining that the two companies together deliver 70 percent of his wine and spirits stock.

Peerless, which can ship up to 60,000 cases of booze overnight, according to its Web site, is also the largest local wine distributor of California, French and Italian wines.

And if you like to bend an elbow with a glass of Ketel One vodka, Chivas Regal, Jameson Irish Whiskey or Wild Turkey, be worried — those name brands are exclusive to Peerless.

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Some 400 members of the United Food and Commercial Workers Union local 1D went on strike for higher wages when their contract expired after midnight Oct. 31, a union spokeswoman said.