Finger Lakes French with a Global Wandering Eye
Downtown / South Main Street · Canandaigua · French Bistro · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed July 26, 2026 · How we review
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 →
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 · 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
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
Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Bar / Pub / Pizza / American
Wally's has no business having a 91-bottle wine list, and yet here we are. It's not a wine destination, but if you're grabbing a late slice and want something better than house red in a tumbler, this place will surprise you.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Bistro / Italian
Il Posto is doing honest, focused work on a wine list that respects its Italian menu without overcrowding the table. The markups lean steep at the top end and we want more Finger Lakes on a list that's literally in the Finger Lakes — but for a neighborhood bistro in downtown Canandaigua, this is a solid night out.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Hillcrest · San Diego · French Bistro
A French-leaning list where every glass shows its pour size, with sparkling starting at $19 and still wines at $16. Order the Crémant de Bordeaux at $19 a glass, or the Biéville Chablis with the Moules Marinières, and confirm vintages and prices. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks page, not service, storage or markups.
Wynwood · Miami · French Bistro
An all-French list with a wide posted spread, from a 45 rosé in 375ML to a 15,450 Romanée-Conti, plus a short glass-and-carafe list for a regular dinner. Start with the 15 Le Gouleyant Malbec by the glass, or the Chinon at 70 if you want a bottle, and confirm current prices and sizes since no currency symbol or bottle size is printed on the wine list. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Lincoln Park · Chicago · French Bistro
Start with the $13 Maison les Alexandrins Syrah by the glass, or pour the Gustave Lorentz Gewurztraminer with the roast chicken at $16 a glass or $64 a bottle. Bottle prices on the wine list carry no unit label, so check them against the Btl column on the glass list, and confirm availability. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or retail markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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