Finger Lakes First, No Apologies
Downtown · Ithaca · Wine Bar & Tapas · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 22, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Just a Taste’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
A 100-bottle list with 50 by-the-glass options at a cozy tapas spot tucked just off the Ithaca Commons — that's not a wine list, that's a commitment. The Finger Lakes producers front and center tell you exactly where this place stands, and it's a refreshing stance in a world of safe California-heavy menus.
The list leads with serious Finger Lakes names — Dr. Konstantin Frank, Hermann J. Wiemer, Sheldrake Point, Lamoreaux Landing — and backs it up with France, Spain, and Italy to round things out. This isn't a gimmick regional focus; these are producers who can actually hang with Old World benchmarks, especially on Riesling. California shows up too, which feels more like crowd management than a real passion project. The gaps are real — no deep cellar play, no vintage depth visible from the outside — but for a tapas bar in upstate New York, this list punches well above its weight class.
Fifty by-the-glass options is an absurd number in the best possible way — at $8 to $16 a pour, you can genuinely explore without committing to a bottle or a second mortgage. The Finger Lakes selections dominate the interesting end of the BTG list, which is exactly the right call. Rotation appears seasonal, so what you find tonight might not be there next month — treat that as a feature, not a bug.
Hermann J. Wiemer Dry Riesling — $12
Wiemer Dry Riesling by the glass at a fair pour price is the reason you came here. This is a benchmark Finger Lakes producer making wines that outperform their price point on the national stage — getting it by the glass means you can order two without the math getting ugly.
Sheldrake Point
Sheldrake Point doesn't get the name recognition of Frank or Wiemer outside the region, but their wines consistently deliver. Most people at this table will order something French or Californian — let them. More Sheldrake for you.
California selections
You drove to Ithaca — or you're already here — and you're going to order something you could find at any wine bar in any city? The California pours exist to keep the timid comfortable. Ignore them entirely.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Riesling + House-made pâté and cheese plate
Frank Riesling has enough acidity to cut through rich, fatty pâté and enough stone fruit and mineral character to play well alongside aged cheeses. It's a classic pairing logic — fat needs acid — and the Finger Lakes terroir brings an earthy undercurrent that bridges the gap between the charcuterie and the wine without either one bullying the other.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Just a Taste is the Wild Card because it shouldn't work on paper — 50 BTG options, heavy regional focus, small plates, college town — and yet it absolutely does. Send your friends here with strict instructions to order Finger Lakes only and to try at least three pours.
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Grocery Store
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Deep & Eclectic
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Seasonal Rotation
Acceptable
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