Two Continents, One Tasting Room, Zero Pretension
Neighborhood of the Arts · Rochester · Urban winery tasting room with small plates and charcuterie · Visit Website ↗
Updated October 2026
Reviewed June 19, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed Living Roots Wine & Co.’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Walking into Living Roots feels less like a restaurant wine list and more like landing inside someone's dual-passport wine obsession — in the best way. The premise is genuinely unusual: an urban winery pouring estate bottles sourced from both the Finger Lakes and South Australia under one roof in Rochester. We don't see that combination often, and it immediately earns our attention.
The list is tight and entirely house-made, which is either a feature or a bug depending on what you're after. If you came hoping to browse a broad global selection, recalibrate — this is a focused, producer-driven experience built around Living Roots' own vineyards in two very different climates. The Finger Lakes work gives you that cool-climate precision you'd expect: lean, mineral-driven whites anchored by Riesling. The Adelaide Hills side of the ledger brings structure and warmth, with Shiraz as the flagship red. There are gaps — no third-party producers, no deep cellar rabbit holes — but the intentionality here is hard to argue with.
Roughly 10 to 14 pours are available at any given time, organized around flight menus that rotate with the season, which keeps things from going stale. Prices land between $10 and $14 a glass, which is genuinely reasonable for estate wine served in a tasting room format with a sommelier in the building. The flight structure is the smart move here — order one and let the staff walk you through the story.
Living Roots Finger Lakes Riesling — $12
Finger Lakes Riesling at this price point is hard to beat anywhere in Rochester. You're getting estate-grown, sommelier-selected cool-climate Riesling for what you'd pay for a mediocre pour at most hotel bars. The value math is easy.
Living Roots Adelaide Hills Shiraz
Most people coming to a New York tasting room aren't thinking about South Australian Shiraz — and that's exactly why this one surprises. Adelaide Hills runs cooler than Barossa, which means this isn't the fruit bomb people expect; it's more structured and food-friendly than the label might suggest to an unfamiliar drinker.
Living Roots Adelaide Hills Shiraz
If you drove to a Finger Lakes tasting room specifically to drink New York wine, ordering the Australian Shiraz is working against yourself. Save it for a return visit when you've already done the Riesling homework — it's good, but it's not why you're here.
Living Roots Finger Lakes Riesling + Cheese and charcuterie board
Off-dry Finger Lakes Riesling with its bright acidity and slight residual sugar is practically made for a board loaded with aged cheeses and cured meats. The wine cuts through the fat, lifts the salt, and makes everything on that board taste more intentional than it already is.
The Bottom Line
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.
Downtown · Rochester · Spanish & Mediterranean
A list of 14 wines posted with paired, unlabeled numbers and 14 bottles from $40 to $100, two of them from the Finger Lakes. Start with the Columna Albariño alongside the patatas bravas, or order the $40 Mille Reves Vouvray if you want a bottle for the table, and ask what the paired numbers in the Wine section stand for. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Park Ave · Rochester · Gastro-pub
A short, familiar 11-wine list for a gastro pub, with every price between $10 and $13 and no unit posted. Pair the Chateau Ste. Michelle Riesling or The Show Malbec with the Jumbo Chicken Wings, and ask whether those prices are per glass. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
South Wedge · Rochester · Italian
A one-page, Italy-first list of 31 wines where the two-price house pours run $10 to $12 and $36 to $42, and the top price is $90 for The Prisoner Cabernet. Start with the $40 Brancher Valdobbiadene Prosecco, and ask which price on the slash entries is the pour. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups, and the list is undated.
Woodcliff Hotel & Spa · Rochester · New American
A broad online list with a real Finger Lakes section and a few friendly glass pours. Order the $10 Hahn Pinot Noir or the $15 Apollo's Praise Scheurebe by the glass, or pick a New York bottle like the $35 Thirsty Owl Dry Riesling, and confirm current prices because the list is a live online menu. This unrated guide covers the posted wine list, not service, storage or markups.
Pittsford / Monroe Ave Corridor · Rochester · Upscale Steakhouse and Seafood
A steakhouse list built on familiar names, with a few surprises like a Finger Lakes Riesling, and no prices posted online. Order the 14 oz ribeye with the Jordan Cabernet from the Coravin list, or open with the Riesling, and ask for prices before you order. This unrated guide covers the posted wine program, not service, storage or retail markups.
Pittsford Plaza · Rochester · Sushi and Japanese-inspired contemporary dining
Start with the $15 glass of Bandol rosé or Green Rows Pinot Noir, and keep the $55 Green Rows bottle in mind if the table wants red. Confirm current availability and prices, since the menu is stamped 8-14-26. This unrated guide covers the posted drinks selection, not service, storage or markups.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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