The Krebs
Finger Lakes Destination With Serious Cellar Credentials
Skaneateles · Skaneateles · American, French · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed April 9, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
You're in Skaneateles — a gorgeous but small lakeside town upstate — and somehow the wine list reads like a serious restaurant in a major city. Burgundy heavyweights, California icons, and Italian benchmark producers share real estate on a 200-350 bottle list that earns its Wine Spectator Best of Award of Excellence badge (held since 2015) without apology. This is not a list assembled by someone who Googled 'popular wines.'
Selection Deep Dive
The Burgundy section is the headline act — Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet and Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches represent the white side with genuine authority, while the list nods toward Domaine de la Romanée-Conti for those ready to make a serious commitment. California doesn't get neglected: Caymus Special Selection and Kistler Chardonnay hit the crowd-pleaser notes, while Opus One anchors the trophy-bottle shelf. Italy earns its keep with Antinori Tignanello — a Super Tuscan that signals the list curator actually has a point of view. The range from around $40 into the $500+ tier means there's a genuine entry point for normal humans alongside the splurge bottles.
By the Glass
With 12-20 pours available, the by-the-glass program is one of the stronger ones you'll find in the Finger Lakes region — most spots this size offer six options and call it a day. We'd want to know how frequently the pours rotate, but at a fine-dining destination of this caliber, the fundamentals should be sound. Order a glass of whatever Burgundy white they're pouring and reassess your life choices.
Joseph Drouhin Clos des Mouches — $120
Drouhin's Clos des Mouches is one of the most reliable Premier Cru Beaune whites in the game — structured, complex, and ageworthy. At a fine-dining restaurant that could easily gouge on French Burgundy, finding it priced with any restraint makes it the smart play at the table.
Antinori Tignanello
Most people at a French-leaning fine-dining spot default to Burgundy or California Cab, which means Tignanello sits underordered. That's a mistake — it's one of Italy's great Sangiovese-Cabernet blends, it drinks beautifully with red meat, and it's the kind of bottle that makes everyone at the table ask what you're having.
Caymus Vineyards Special Selection Cabernet Sauvignon
Caymus Special Selection is a well-made wine, but it's everywhere, it's heavily marketed, and restaurants routinely mark it up knowing the name moves bottles. With Burgundy and Tuscan options at this level of quality on the same list, spending your dollars on Caymus feels like ordering a steak at a great seafood restaurant.
Domaine Leflaive Puligny-Montrachet + Lobster Bisque
Leflaive's Puligny brings enough weight and minerality to hold its own against a rich, cream-forward bisque without getting swallowed by it. The wine's texture and bright acidity cut through the richness while the Burgundy's subtle oak and citrus lift the lobster sweetness. It's a classic pairing done with serious ingredients.
🔥 The Bottom Line
The Krebs is the rare upstate New York fine-dining destination where the wine list actually matches the ambition of the kitchen — deep, specific, and priced without obvious greed. If you're making the drive to Skaneateles, this is a legitimate reason to go.
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