Finger Lakes First, Natural Wine Always
Village Gate / NOTA · Rochester · Farm-to-Table / New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The wine list at Lento reads like it was curated by someone who actually gives a damn about where things come from — a rare thing in a mid-sized upstate city. There's an immediate local-first ethos here, with Finger Lakes producers anchoring the list before it opens up to Europe and beyond. It matches the room: unpretentious, intentional, a little surprising.
The list runs 60-90 bottles deep, with a clear editorial point of view that leans into Finger Lakes Riesling and Cabernet Franc, Burgundy, Northern Italy, and Loire Valley — basically a greatest-hits of cool-climate, food-friendly wine. Natural and biodynamic producers from California round out the domestic section, which keeps things interesting without veering into obscure-for-obscure's-sake territory. There are real gaps — South America and Spain are essentially absent, and the red Burgundy section could use more depth if you're chasing that rabbit — but what's here is coherent and well-chosen. For Rochester, this is punching well above its weight class.
Ten to sixteen by-the-glass options is a genuinely respectable spread, and the presence of Finger Lakes Riesling and Cab Franc on that list by the glass earns immediate goodwill. We'd like to see more rotation and a natural wine or two featured prominently by the glass, but the current program is solid enough to navigate an entire meal without touching the bottle list.
Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc — $14
Finger Lakes Cab Franc is one of the most undervalued wine categories in the country right now, and getting it by the glass at a farm-to-table spot that clearly respects the region is exactly where you want to drink it. Earthy, bright, and built for food.
Biodynamic California Pinot Noir
Most people at Lento are going to reach for the Finger Lakes bottles or something French, which means this biodynamic California Pinot sits quietly on the list waiting for someone to notice it. If the producer is legit — and the curation here suggests it probably is — this is the sleeper pick of the evening.
Finger Lakes Riesling
Not because it's bad — it's almost certainly fine — but if you're ordering Finger Lakes Riesling at a restaurant, you're paying a markup for something you could be discovering at the source for a fraction of the price. Save the Riesling exploration for a trip to the lake and use that glass pour budget on something you wouldn't find elsewhere.
Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc + Duck Confit
Duck confit is rich, fatty, and deeply savory — exactly the kind of dish that wants a wine with bright acidity and earthy red fruit to cut through and match the intensity. Finger Lakes Cab Franc does all of that without the tannic weight of a bigger red, and it keeps the whole thing feeling like a regional love story.
🎲 The Bottom Line
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.
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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
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Plays It Safe
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Pittsford Plaza · Rochester · Sushi and Japanese-inspired contemporary dining
Next Door is a Wild Card in the best sense: a grocery chain's restaurant with genuine wine ambition and a beverage program that earns more than a dismissive eye-roll. The markups will sting and the by-the-glass program needs more visibility, but the bones are here — and the wine pairing dinners featuring Château d'Yquem prove someone in the building actually cares.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Occasional
Acceptable
Corn Hill · Rochester · Wine Bar / New American
Flight is exactly what Rochester needed and didn't know it had — a real wine program in an unexpected zip code, with Wednesday half-price bottles that make an already fair list even easier to love. Send your wine-curious friends here before it gets too crowded to get a table.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Active Program
Acceptable
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Urban winery tasting room with small plates and charcuterie
Living Roots is one of Rochester's more original wine experiences — a dual-continent estate poured by people who actually know what they're talking about, at prices that don't punish curiosity. If you want a broad global list, go somewhere else; if you want a focused, well-executed tasting room with a genuine story, this is your spot.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
East End / East Avenue · Rochester · Upscale Steakhouse / American Fine Dining
Tournedos is Rochester's most serious steakhouse wine list and it's not particularly close. The markups sting a little, but when the cellar is this deep and a sommelier is on the floor, you're in capable hands — order accordingly.
Deep & Eclectic
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
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