Rosalie's Cucina
Tuscany Landed in the Finger Lakes
Skaneateles · Skaneateles · Italian
Reviewed April 20, 2026
Wingman Metrics
First Impression
Walking into Rosalie's Cucina — a Tuscan-style room with fireplaces and actual charm in the middle of Skaneateles, New York — the wine list feels like it belongs somewhere much bigger. For a destination restaurant in the Finger Lakes that could easily coast on local Rieslings and call it a day, they went full Italy instead, and we respect the conviction.
Selection Deep Dive
The list runs 150-250 bottles and stays almost exclusively Italian, which sounds limiting until you realize how deep that rabbit hole goes. Barolo from Piedmont, Brunello di Montalcino, Amarone della Valpolicella, Chianti Classico Riserva — this is a list built by someone who actually cares about the peninsula. They've even stocked the prestige tier: Sassicaia and Tignanello are on here, which you don't typically find in a lakeside small-town dining room. The gap is a near-total absence of non-Italian options, so if you're hunting for Burgundy or a California Cab, you're out of luck — but that's a feature, not a bug.
By the Glass
The by-the-glass program runs 12-20 options, which is generous for a room this size. Expect Pinot Grigio from Friuli on the lighter end and at least a couple of the heavier Tuscan reds to rotate through. We'd push the staff to open something interesting by the glass — a Chianti Classico Riserva or even an Amarone — rather than letting the good stuff collect dust on the bottle list.
Chianti Classico Riserva — $55
In the $35-$150 range, a well-sourced Chianti Classico Riserva sits in the sweet spot — structured enough to hold up to the osso buco, priced fairly relative to what these wines cost at retail, and far more interesting than whatever bulk Tuscan red is lurking at the bottom of the list.
Pinot Grigio from Friuli
Most people tune out at Pinot Grigio because they're thinking of the watery stuff. Friuli Pinot Grigio is a different animal — textured, mineral, and actually worth your attention. It's the sleeper pick on this list, especially alongside the wood-fired branzino.
Sassicaia
Sassicaia is a great wine. It's also a wine that costs a lot to produce, a lot to buy, and a lot more to mark up in a restaurant. Unless you're celebrating something significant, the spread between what you'd pay here and what you'd pay at retail is going to sting. Save it for a wine shop.
Brunello di Montalcino + Osso buco
Brunello's firm tannins and earthy depth were practically engineered for braised veal. The slow-cooked richness of the osso buco softens the wine's edge while the wine cuts right back through the fat. This is the pairing that justifies the whole list.
🎲 The Bottom Line
Rosalie's Cucina is punching well above its zip code — an Italy-focused wine list with genuine depth, fair pricing, and a Wine Spectator credential to back it up. If you're in the Finger Lakes and tired of local white wine, this is exactly where you want to eat dinner.
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