Pretty Room, Punishing Markups, Forgettable Pours
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Modern American, Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Krebs is a stunning 1899 mansion in one of upstate New York's most charming lakeside towns, and the wine list arrives looking like it belongs there. But flip past the leather cover and you're staring at a roster of safe, familiar names that could have been assembled by a hotel event coordinator with a SkyMiles card and a Wine Spectator subscription from 2015.
The list leans heavily on California and French standards — Cakebread, Jordan, Far Niente, Veuve Clicquot — with some Italian and token Finger Lakes representation. Sitting a short drive from some of the most interesting Riesling and Cabernet Franc producers in the country, the Finger Lakes section feels like an afterthought rather than a point of pride. There's no adventurous sourcing, no small producers, no sense that anyone is excited about what's in that cellar. You get the impression the list was set a few years ago and nobody's touched it since.
Glass pours run $14–$22, which is reasonable on its face until you realize you're almost certainly getting entry-level crowd-pleasers like Meiomi Pinot Noir — a wine you can grab at Total Wine for $20 retail that they're somehow charging $60 a bottle for. The by-the-glass program shows no signs of rotation or curation. Order a cocktail if you're not going deep on a bottle.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Napa Valley) — $265
In a list full of ugly markups, Far Niente at 77% over retail is the least offensive option. It's still expensive, but it's a genuinely excellent Napa Cab and the closest thing to a fair deal on the menu. If you're splurging on the tasting menu anyway, this is the bottle worth considering.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (Alexander Valley)
Jordan gets dismissed as a legacy brand by wine snobs, but the 2017 is drinking beautifully right now — structured, cedar-forward, and built for a dry-aged steak. It's overpriced at $145, yes, but it's also the most food-friendly red on a list that otherwise skews toward show-off bottles.
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2021 (California)
A $20 grocery store wine marked up to $60 a bottle. Meiomi is a mass-market, sweetened California Pinot that has no business appearing on a fine dining wine list at any price, let alone triple retail. This is the list's most embarrassing entry — skip it without hesitation.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (Alexander Valley) + Dry-aged steak
Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab is soft enough not to fight with the richness of dry-aged beef, but has enough structure to cut through the fat. It's a classic combination, and on a list that doesn't offer many smart choices, this one actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
The Krebs is a genuinely special place to eat — the setting, the food, the occasion of it all — but the wine program is coasting on the restaurant's reputation rather than earning its own. Until someone with real passion takes over that list, treat the wine budget as a tax and order accordingly.
East Syracuse / Carrier Circle · Syracuse · Italian-American
Joey's is clearly a beloved Syracuse institution doing right by its food and its new space — but the wine list is running on autopilot and charging you for the privilege. Come for the Chicken Riggies, just don't come for the wine.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Syracuse · Italian / New American
A Mano isn't a destination wine list, but it's an honest one — fair prices, Italian focus that matches the food, and enough by-the-glass options to drink well without overthinking it. Send a friend here for dinner without hesitation; just don't promise them a cellar tour.
Solid Range
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Downtown · Syracuse · Seafood
The Fish Friar has no business having a wine list this well-considered, and we mean that as a compliment. If you're eating fried fish in downtown Syracuse and you're not ordering the Chablis or the Finger Lakes Riesling, you're leaving something on the table.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles / Greater Syracuse · Syracuse · French
Joelle's isn't trying to be a wine destination — it's a French bistro that takes its wine list seriously enough to match the food, and that's exactly what it delivers. If you're eating here and drinking French, you'll leave satisfied.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · American, regional tavern fare
The Sherwood Inn is a reliable wine stop, not a destination one — the Finger Lakes selections are genuinely good, but the markups on crowd-pleaser bottles are hard to forgive. Stick to the local producers, skip the California staples, and you'll drink well enough in a room that earns its keep on atmosphere alone.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Italian, Tuscan
Rosalie's Cucina is a genuinely lovely spot to eat Italian in the Finger Lakes, and the wine list is coherent enough that you won't be stranded — but the markups are consistent and unkind, so come in with eyes open. Order the Di Majo Norante, skip the Jermann, and let the pasta do the heavy lifting.
Solid Range
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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