Finger Lakes Local Pride, Surprisingly Deep Bench
· Ithaca · Hotel bar / seasonal restaurant · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · October 8, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Inn at Taughannock Falls Bar & Terrace’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walk into a lakeside hotel bar and expect a list of Kendall-Jackson and Meiomi — that's not what's happening here. The Inn at Taughannock Falls leans hard into the Finger Lakes, and that alone earns our attention. Thirty-eight labels is modest, but the curation tells you someone gave a damn.
The backbone of this list is unabashedly local: Dr. Konstantin Frank, Ravines Wine Cellar, Hermann J. Wiemer, Hector Wine Co., and Damiani all make appearances, which reads like a greatest-hits of serious Finger Lakes producers. The Wiemer Cabernet Franc Magdalena and the Hector Wine Co. Syrah are genuinely interesting picks that most regional hotel lists would never touch. There's a California Cab chapter — Sterling, Charles Krug, Stags' Leap, Silver Oak — that feels obligatory and caters to guests who'd rather not leave their comfort zone. The one oddball that earns bonus points: Dr. Konstantin Frank Saperavi, a Georgian grape variety grown in the Finger Lakes that almost no one else is pouring.
By-the-glass options are not confirmed from available data, so we can't tell you what's available by the pour. Given the list size and hotel-bar context, expect a limited selection — likely four to six pours — but we won't guess which ones make the cut.
The Bottom Line
For a hotel bar in wine country, this list punches above its category — the Finger Lakes producers are legitimate, the Saperavi alone is worth a detour, and the overall curation signals actual effort. Pricing at a lakeside inn will likely sting, and without confirmed by-the-glass options or staff expertise, you may need to advocate for yourself. Come ready to order by the bottle, pick something local, and enjoy the view.
· Ithaca · New American
The Rook is swinging for something more interesting than its size suggests, and the range of regions and styles — Txakoline, Verdicchio, Barolo rosé, orange Garnacha — earns genuine respect for a 12-bottle list. Pricing skews steep at the top end, and the lack of any documented reds from classic regions is a real hole. If you're an adventurous drinker who's tired of the same wine list at every New American spot, this is worth exploring — just go in knowing you'll probably land in the $45–$56 range to find the value.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Brasserie / New American
Simeon's wine list does its job without breaking a sweat — it's approachable, reasonably priced, and quietly proud of the Finger Lakes producers it stocks. The by-the-glass selection is the real strength here; if you're in Ithaca and want to explore local wine without committing to a bottle, this is a perfectly decent place to do it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Northern Italian
Mercato is a well-regarded local staple with the right regional instincts — Italian roots, Finger Lakes ambition, and a warm room that earns its reservations. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a solid bottle of wine with dinner, but we'd tell them to ask questions at the table, because we can't yet confirm the specifics behind the list. Worth a visit; worth a deeper look once a full wine list is in hand.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Hill / Elmira Road corridor · Ithaca · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Ithaca is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the list is short, the producers are supermarket-tier, and the markups on house pours are quietly aggressive. Come for the bread and the steak; if you need wine, order one glass and make peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / The Commons · Ithaca · Irish pub, Irish-American gastropub
Kilpatrick's is never going to make a wine list worth traveling to Ithaca for, but it's a fair, unpretentious pour program that respects your wallet and quietly sneaks in a Pouilly-Fuissé and a proper Hugel Riesling. Come for the shepherd's pie, stay for the Alsace.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown / State Street · Ithaca · Cocktail Bar
The Watershed is a cocktail bar that accidentally has a decent wine list, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're in Ithaca and want a low-key glass of something thoughtfully chosen without paying downtown Manhattan prices, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Steal
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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