Ithaca's Quirky Little Wine List Worth a Look
· Ithaca · New American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed September 17, 2026 · How we review
RagingWine reviewed The Rook’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
Wingman Metrics
Twelve bottles isn't a lot, but The Rook's list reads like someone actually thought about it — which is more than you can say for most casual spots in Ithaca. There's a deliberate lean toward esoteric and European-inflected picks that immediately signals this isn't a house-Pinot-Grigio-or-bust operation. The ceiling is high and the floor is low, and that spread tells you something.
The list skips the obvious and leans into the unusual: a Garnacha-based orange wine, a Txakoline, a Verdicchio, a Gewurztraminer, and even a Barolo rosé made from Malvasia. There's almost no mainstream California Cab or safe Bordeaux blend to be found, which is either thrilling or alienating depending on your comfort level. The sparkling section alone — Prosecco, a Blanc de Blancs, and a Champagne — takes up a quarter of the list, which feels deliberate. Gaps exist: no red wine from a classic region is apparent, which is a real omission for a dinner-forward restaurant.
By-the-glass options aren't documented in what we have, so we can't speak to pour selection or rotation with confidence. Given the tight bottle list, the BTG program is likely limited — which means you may be committing to a full bottle sooner than you'd like on a casual Tuesday.
The Bottom Line
The Rook is swinging for something more interesting than its size suggests, and the range of regions and styles — Txakoline, Verdicchio, Barolo rosé, orange Garnacha — earns genuine respect for a 12-bottle list. Pricing skews steep at the top end, and the lack of any documented reds from classic regions is a real hole. If you're an adventurous drinker who's tired of the same wine list at every New American spot, this is worth exploring — just go in knowing you'll probably land in the $45–$56 range to find the value.
· Ithaca · Southwestern / New American
Agava's wine program is essentially a placeholder — no producers named, no prices published, no apparent effort to connect the Southwestern-leaning menu to anything interesting in the glass. Ithaca sits in the heart of Finger Lakes wine country, making this omission especially puzzling. Order a cocktail, or bring your own bottle if corkage is an option.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Hotel bar / seasonal restaurant
For a hotel bar in wine country, this list punches above its category — the Finger Lakes producers are legitimate, the Saperavi alone is worth a detour, and the overall curation signals actual effort. Pricing at a lakeside inn will likely sting, and without confirmed by-the-glass options or staff expertise, you may need to advocate for yourself. Come ready to order by the bottle, pick something local, and enjoy the view.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Brasserie / New American
Simeon's wine list does its job without breaking a sweat — it's approachable, reasonably priced, and quietly proud of the Finger Lakes producers it stocks. The by-the-glass selection is the real strength here; if you're in Ithaca and want to explore local wine without committing to a bottle, this is a perfectly decent place to do it.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Ithaca · Northern Italian
Mercato is a well-regarded local staple with the right regional instincts — Italian roots, Finger Lakes ambition, and a warm room that earns its reservations. We'd feel comfortable sending a friend here for a solid bottle of wine with dinner, but we'd tell them to ask questions at the table, because we can't yet confirm the specifics behind the list. Worth a visit; worth a deeper look once a full wine list is in hand.
Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
South Hill / Elmira Road corridor · Ithaca · Steakhouse
Texas Roadhouse Ithaca is not a wine destination, and it's not trying to be — the list is short, the producers are supermarket-tier, and the markups on house pours are quietly aggressive. Come for the bread and the steak; if you need wine, order one glass and make peace with it.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Occasional
Acceptable
Downtown / The Commons · Ithaca · Irish pub, Irish-American gastropub
Kilpatrick's is never going to make a wine list worth traveling to Ithaca for, but it's a fair, unpretentious pour program that respects your wallet and quietly sneaks in a Pouilly-Fuissé and a proper Hugel Riesling. Come for the shepherd's pie, stay for the Alsace.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Round Rock · New American
Whiskey Cake Round Rock isn't a wine destination, but it's not trying to be — the all-by-the-glass format keeps things approachable, the pricing is honest, and there are a couple of genuinely good pours hiding in a short list. If wine is your priority tonight, look elsewhere; if you're here for the vibe and want something decent in your glass, Chehalem and Altocedro have you covered.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Columbia · New American
Motor Supply Co. Bistro appears to put its energy into the kitchen, and that may be the right call — but three wines is not a wine program. Until this list gets a serious rethink, order a cocktail or call ahead to ask about corkage.
Grocery Store
Steep
Basic Stemmed
MIA
Set & Forget
Acceptable
· Atlanta · New American
THREE isn't trying to be a wine destination, and the list makes that abundantly clear. If you're here for cocktails or the bar scene, you're probably in the right place — but if wine matters to you even a little, this four-item lineup isn't going to do much for you. Order the House Champagne at $5, accept the situation for what it is, and move on.
Grocery Store
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.
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