Finger Lakes pride in a lakeside classic
Skaneateles · Syracuse · American, regional tavern fare · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
Walking into The Sherwood Inn feels like stepping into a well-worn Finger Lakes postcard — wood paneling, lake views, the works. The wine list matches the room: approachable, regionally minded, and not trying too hard. It's the kind of list that locals know and tourists lean on without complaint.
Forty to sixty selections give you enough to work with, and the Finger Lakes representation is the clear highlight — Dr. Konstantin Frank and Ravines Wine Cellars anchor the local section with real credibility. California and Italy round things out in predictable fashion, and there's a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc tossed in for the crowd that always orders Sauvignon Blanc. What's missing is any sense of adventure beyond the familiar: no Finger Lakes Cabernet Franc, no Pét-Nat, nothing that suggests the list is keeping pace with how exciting the regional wine scene has become.
Ten to sixteen by-the-glass options is a reasonable pour count for a place this size. The glass range of $9–$16 is fair enough on the low end, and you can reasonably land a local Riesling without blowing your budget before the entrée arrives. Rotation doesn't appear to be a priority here — don't expect anything unexpected to show up mid-season.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2021 — $42
Yes, it's marked up over retail, but Frank's Dry Riesling is the right wine in the right place — a world-class Finger Lakes producer served lakeside in its own backyard. The context alone makes it worth the ask, and it drinks well above its price point regardless of where you buy it.
Lamoreaux Landing Estate Riesling 2021
Most tables here will walk right past this one and order something they recognize from the grocery store. Don't. Lamoreaux Landing is one of the Finger Lakes' most consistent producers, and the Estate Riesling has real structure and local character that the big California names on this list simply can't touch.
Josh Cellars Cabernet Sauvignon 2021
At $44 on a list where the retail price is $14, you're paying a 214% markup for one of the most mass-produced Cabernets in America. Josh Cellars is a fine grocery store pick — at grocery store prices. Order the Frank Riesling instead and spend your money on something that actually belongs here.
Dr. Konstantin Frank Dry Riesling 2021 + Fresh fish special
Frank's Dry Riesling has the acid backbone and mineral edge to cut through rich lake fish preparations without steamrolling them. It's the most natural pairing on a menu that leans into regional ingredients — local wine with local water, essentially.
✔️ The Bottom Line
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.
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 · Modern American, Fine Dining
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.
Crowd Pleasers
Gouge
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
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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