Finger Lakes French with a Global Wandering Eye
Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · French Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Bon Ami French Bistro’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
Walking into Bon Ami, you expect the wine list to lean hard on Finger Lakes Rieslings and call it a day — but it doesn't. The list roams from Etna to Bordeaux to Argentina with a kind of curious, slightly restless energy that suits a French bistro in upstate New York surprisingly well. It's not deep, but it's clearly curated by someone who gives a damn.
Twenty-one labels isn't a lot, but the geographic ambition is real: there's a Tornatore Etna Bianco sitting next to a Clarendelle Bordeaux Rouge, an Argiano Non Confunditor from Brunello country, and a Podere Ruggeri Corsini Barolo that has no business being on a menu in a small-town bistro — in the best possible way. France anchors the list with Loire, Languedoc, and Bordeaux represented, and Italy punches above its weight. California and Argentina fill the crowd-pleaser lane without totally taking over. The gap is glaring though: zero Finger Lakes producers on a list in Canandaigua, New York, which feels like leaving a gift on the table.
Fifteen by-the-glass options across a 21-bottle list is an unusually high ratio — almost everything pours by the glass, which is genuinely useful for a bistro where tables might want to wander across regions with each course. Prices run $10–$16 a glass, which is fair for the market. Rotation appears minimal, but the range available at any given time is solid enough to keep things interesting.
Don David Malbec Reserve (Argentina) — $40/bottle
At $40 a bottle (or $11 a glass), the Don David Reserve Malbec from Cafayate is punching well above its price point — this is a high-altitude, serious Malbec from one of Argentina's best producers, and it's practically giveaway pricing in a sit-down bistro context.
Tornatore Etna Bianco
Most tables will scroll past this and grab something French or Californian, which is a mistake. Tornatore farms the slopes of Mount Etna and makes one of Sicily's most distinctive whites — volcanic, mineral-driven, and unlike anything else on this list. Order it.
The Prisoner California Red
At $125 a bottle, The Prisoner is a marketing-forward California red that retails around $40–$45. That's a markup north of 2.5x on a wine that's available at every Whole Foods in America. The name recognition is doing a lot of heavy lifting here.
Chateau des Gravieres Graves Rouge + Steak Frites
Graves Rouge is earthy, medium-bodied Bordeaux with just enough grip to stand up to a proper steak without overwhelming the dish — it's a classically French pairing that Bon Ami's kitchen and cellar are basically set up to deliver.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Bon Ami is a genuinely pleasant wine surprise in a town more famous for Riesling trails than bistro lists — the picks are thoughtful, the by-the-glass program is generous, and a few bottles here are legitimately exciting finds. The markups on premium bottles drag it down, and the absence of any local Finger Lakes producers is a strange miss, but for a cozy French dinner in Canandaigua, the wine list will more than hold its own.
South Main Street / lakefront · Canandaigua · Steakhouse and seafood with American fine dining
Nolan's is a dependable lakeside wine list that does right by its guests without taking any real risks — the Finger Lakes locals are a genuine highlight worth seeking out. Send a friend here for the view and the steak; tell them to order the Heron Hill.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Spanish tapas and wine bar
Pintxo is punching well above its weight class for a small-city wine bar, and the Spanish regional focus gives it a genuine identity that most places never find. If you're anywhere near the Finger Lakes and care even a little about wine, this one's worth the detour.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American
Rose Tavern is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine if you're already staying at The Lake House — the setting does a lot of the work. But if you're driving in specifically for the wine list, you'd do better hitting a dedicated Finger Lakes tasting room down the road.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Upscale Contemporary American / Event Dining
The Lake House is a beautiful place to get married or host a corporate dinner, but the wine program is clearly an afterthought — a functional, inoffensive list designed to move bottles at events, not to excite anyone. If you're eating here, drink the Finger Lakes options and leave the Meomi alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American
Rose Tavern isn't trying to be a destination wine bar, but it's got the bones of one — a sommelier, a thoughtful local-first list, and a glass program that lets you actually explore it. Markups on the name brands are punishing, but stick to the Finger Lakes section and you're drinking well at a lake view that most wine lists couldn't dream of.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lafayette Street · Canandaigua · Indian
Flavors isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Fox Run Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Uptown/Stockade District · Kingston · French Bistro
Le Canard Enchaine isn't trying to be a wine destination, but it earns its keep with fair prices, a France-forward list that matches the kitchen, and enough value picks to make every table feel well taken care of. Send your friends here — just make sure they order the Petit Chablis.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown McMinnville · McMinnville · French Bistro
Bistro Maison is a genuine wine surprise — a white-tablecloth French bistro in small-town Oregon running a list that would earn respect in Portland or San Francisco. The markups are real and the BTG program is modest, but if you're in Willamette Valley wine country and want to drink something extraordinary over duck confit, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Proper
Downtown / Main Street · Annapolis · French Bistro
Cafe Normandie isn't a destination for wine geeks, but it's a genuinely solid neighborhood French spot where the list won't embarrass you. Order the Alsatian Riesling, lean into the Loire, and let the kitchen do the heavy lifting.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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