91 Bottles Deep in a Dive Bar
Downtown Canandaigua · Canandaigua · Bar / Pub / Pizza / American · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed by the RagingWine Tasting Desk · July 26, 2026
RagingWine reviewed Wally's Pub’s wine list and gave it The Wild Card — RagingWine’s Vibe-Check rating. How RagingWine reviews wine lists →
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Wingman Metrics
You walk into what looks like a classic late-night pub — wings, pizza, probably a few guys watching the game — and then you see a wine list with 91 labels. That's not what anyone expects from a place on Phoenix Street with dive-bar hours. The price ceiling of $55 a bottle tells you immediately this isn't trying to be fancy, and that's a feature, not a bug.
The list pulls from California heavy — Sonoma, Napa, Paso Robles, Russian River — with solid detours into Oregon Pinot, Marlborough Sauvignon Blanc, Argentine Malbec, and a German Riesling from Dr. Loosen that has no business being this easy to find at a pub. There are no Finger Lakes wines on this list, which is a genuine miss given they're sitting in the middle of one of the country's most exciting wine regions, but the California lineup is well-curated for a casual spot. You've got recognizable names like Decoy, Elouan, and Angels & Cowboys alongside value workhorses like Bogle and Sean Minor. It's not adventurous, but for a pub, the sheer breadth earns real credit.
Glass pours run $8–$13, which is honest pricing for this market and won't make you wince when you order a second round. The exact pour lineup isn't published, but with 91 labels and that tight price window on glass pours, there's likely a reasonable rotation of the usual suspects. We'd love to see more transparency on what's actually available by the glass versus bottle-only.
Dr. Loosen L Riesling — $28
Dr. Loosen is a serious producer out of the Mosel, and getting their Riesling at pub bottle prices is the kind of find that makes this list worth a second look. Bright, off-dry, and practically built for spicy wings.
Angels & Cowboys Proprietary Red Blend
Most people at a pub reach for the Cab or the Merlot they recognize. Angels & Cowboys is a Sonoma blend that punches well above its category — rich but not sloppy, with the kind of complexity that makes you stop mid-slice and actually think about what you're drinking.
Sterling Vintner's Collection Cabernet
Sterling's entry-level Vintner's Collection is grocery store shelf filler at grocery store quality. With Fortnight and Sean Minor's Four Bears both on the same list at comparable prices, there's zero reason to default to this one.
Altocedro Malbec + Wings
Argentine Malbec and pub wings is an underrated combo — the wine's dark fruit and soft tannins hold up to the char and heat without fighting the sauce. Altocedro is a step above the standard Malbec filler you'd expect, and at pub prices, it's almost unfair how well it works.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Wally's has no business having a 91-bottle wine list, and yet here we are. It's not a wine destination, but if you're grabbing a late slice and want something better than house red in a tumbler, this place will surprise you.
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Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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Small but Thoughtful
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Seasonal Rotation
Proper
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American
Rose Tavern is a perfectly pleasant place to drink wine if you're already staying at The Lake House — the setting does a lot of the work. But if you're driving in specifically for the wine list, you'd do better hitting a dedicated Finger Lakes tasting room down the road.
Crowd Pleasers
Steep
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Upscale Contemporary American / Event Dining
The Lake House is a beautiful place to get married or host a corporate dinner, but the wine program is clearly an afterthought — a functional, inoffensive list designed to move bottles at events, not to excite anyone. If you're eating here, drink the Finger Lakes options and leave the Meomi alone.
Crowd Pleasers
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Rotating Cast
Set & Forget
Acceptable
Canandaigua Lake waterfront · Canandaigua · Hotel Restaurant / American
Rose Tavern isn't trying to be a destination wine bar, but it's got the bones of one — a sommelier, a thoughtful local-first list, and a glass program that lets you actually explore it. Markups on the name brands are punishing, but stick to the Finger Lakes section and you're drinking well at a lake view that most wine lists couldn't dream of.
Small but Thoughtful
Steep
Varietal Specific
Knowledgeable & Friendly
Set & Forget
Proper
Lafayette Street · Canandaigua · Indian
Flavors isn't a wine destination, but it's not pretending to be one either — the list is honest, the prices are fair, and the Fox Run Riesling alone justifies ordering a bottle. Come for the food, drink the Riesling, and don't overthink it.
Plays It Safe
Fair
Basic Stemmed
Willing but Green
Set & Forget
Acceptable
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