Best Wine Lists in New York

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

Inn of the Seasons isn't a wine destination, but it's an honest one — fair prices, a couple of genuine Finger Lakes highlights, and a list that won't embarrass you. Come for the Prime rib and the cozy room; just know where to point on the menu.

Eleven Waters isn't destination wine drinking, but it's the best regional wine argument a hotel bistro in upstate New York is likely to make — and for that, it earns a genuine recommendation over almost any comparable spot in Syracuse. Come for the Finger Lakes Rieslings, skip anything that isn't.

Lento isn't trying to be a wine destination, but its list is thoughtful enough that it kind of becomes one by accident — especially if you care about Finger Lakes wines in their natural habitat. Send your friends here, let them order the Duck Confit, and point them toward the Cab Franc.

jojo Pittsford is the kind of wine program that makes you want to cancel your dinner reservation somewhere else. For a bistro in suburban Rochester, this list is genuinely exciting — send your wine-curious friends here without hesitation.

Ristorante Lucano is a reliable Italian dinner with a wine list that doesn't embarrass itself — Italy-focused, anchored by classics, a bit overpriced but not offensively so. Send a friend here for a date night with the instruction to order the Barolo and not overthink it.