The Wine List Time Forgot to Update
Pittsford · Rochester · American, Greek · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · April 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Jines Restaurant’s wine list and gave it The Lazy List — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Jines reads like a grocery store endcap from 2009 — CK Mondavi, CupCake, Sutter Home White Zin. It's the kind of list that tells you the kitchen is the point here, not the cellar. If you showed up hoping to find something interesting in the glass, adjust expectations before you sit down.
Twenty-four labels spread across California, Australia, Italy, Argentina, and New Zealand, with a small nod to New York state via Salmon Run and Glenora Riesling. The problem isn't the geography — it's the producers. Ravenswood Vintner's Blend, Jacob's Creek Shiraz, 19 Crimes Red Blend — these are bulk-production bottles you'd find on a gas station shelf, not a restaurant list. The two bright spots are the local Finger Lakes pours, which at least show some awareness that Rochester sits in one of the best Riesling regions in the country. Everything else is a name you recognize for the wrong reasons.
By-the-glass options aren't broken out clearly on the list, which is itself a minor red flag. With a 24-bottle list this heavily weighted toward accessible crowd-pleasers, odds are most of these are available by the glass — but you're rolling the dice on how long that bottle has been open. No rotation, no program, no indication anyone's thought about it recently.
Salmon Run Dry Riesling — null
Pricing wasn't available, but this is the one bottle worth ordering. It's a solid, food-friendly Finger Lakes Riesling from Dr. Konstantin Frank's second label — local, expressive, and built to cut through the richness of Greek dishes. Everything else on this list is imported from a distribution catalog; this one at least makes sense on a Rochester menu.
Glenora Riesling
Another Finger Lakes pick that most diners at a Park Ave diner will walk right past for the Kendall Jackson. Glenora is a Seneca Lake staple and a reliable producer — getting one on the table here is a small win hiding behind a long line of national brands.
CK Mondavi Cabernet
CK Mondavi is a $7 shelf bottle at any grocery store. Whatever they're charging for it here, the markup is doing the heavy lifting — and the wine isn't. Skip it entirely.
Salmon Run Dry Riesling + Greek favorites
A dry Finger Lakes Riesling has the acidity and light body to handle herb-forward Greek cooking — lemon, olive oil, garlic — without getting steamrolled. It's the only bottle on this list with enough personality to hold its own against the kitchen.
The Bottom Line
Jines is a beloved Park Ave institution and the food earns that reputation — but the wine list is an afterthought, stocked with bulk brands at restaurant prices. Order the Finger Lakes Riesling, drink your water, and let the food do the talking.
Downtown · Rochester · American Steakhouse
CHAR makes it easy to try Finger Lakes wine alongside the steakhouse standards. Our move is Hosmer Cabernet Franc at $16/glass, with Panizzi Vernaccia at $14 for anyone leaning white. Check the per-ounce pricing before ordering a Coravin pour.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French inspiration
Avvino is the rare neighborhood restaurant where the wine list is a genuine reason to show up, not an afterthought. If you're in Rochester and you care about drinking well, this is your room.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Brighton / Monroe Ave · Rochester · Contemporary American with Italian and French influences
Avvino is the kind of wine-forward neighborhood restaurant Rochester deserves more of — nearly 200 bottles, a sommelier, and a standing half-price Wednesday that makes a solid splurge genuinely accessible. It's not reinventing the wine list, but it's doing the right things consistently enough that we'd send a friend here without hesitation.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Village Gate / NOTA · Rochester · Farm-to-Table / New American
Lento isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its list is thoughtful enough that it kind of becomes one by accident — especially if you care about Finger Lakes wines in their natural habitat. Send your friends here, let them order the Duck Confit, and point them toward the Cab Franc.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pittsford · Rochester · Refined Seasonal American with Wood-Fired Pizzas
jojo Pittsford is the kind of wine program that makes you want to cancel your dinner reservation somewhere else. For a bistro in suburban Rochester, this list is genuinely exciting — send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.
Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Occasional
Proper
East Avenue / Winton · Rochester · Traditional Italian
Ristorante Lucano is a reliable Italian dinner with a wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — Italy-focused, anchored by classics, a bit overpriced but not offensively so. Send a friend here for a date night with the instruction to order the Barolo and not overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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