Pretty Room, Punishing Markups, Forgettable Pours
Skaneateles · Syracuse · Modern American, Fine Dining · Visit Website ↗
Reviewed June 19, 2026
Wingman Metrics
The Krebs is a stunning 1899 mansion in one of upstate New York's most charming lakeside towns, and the wine list arrives looking like it belongs there. But flip past the leather cover and you're staring at a roster of safe, familiar names that could have been assembled by a hotel event coordinator with a SkyMiles card and a Wine Spectator subscription from 2015.
The list leans heavily on California and French standards — Cakebread, Jordan, Far Niente, Veuve Clicquot — with some Italian and token Finger Lakes representation. Sitting a short drive from some of the most interesting Riesling and Cabernet Franc producers in the country, the Finger Lakes section feels like an afterthought rather than a point of pride. There's no adventurous sourcing, no small producers, no sense that anyone is excited about what's in that cellar. You get the impression the list was set a few years ago and nobody's touched it since.
Glass pours run $14–$22, which is reasonable on its face until you realize you're almost certainly getting entry-level crowd-pleasers like Meiomi Pinot Noir — a wine you can grab at Total Wine for $20 retail that they're somehow charging $60 a bottle for. The by-the-glass program shows no signs of rotation or curation. Order a cocktail if you're not going deep on a bottle.
Far Niente Cabernet Sauvignon 2018 (Napa Valley) — $265
In a list full of ugly markups, Far Niente at 77% over retail is the least offensive option. It's still expensive, but it's a genuinely excellent Napa Cab and the closest thing to a fair deal on the menu. If you're splurging on the tasting menu anyway, this is the bottle worth considering.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (Alexander Valley)
Jordan gets dismissed as a legacy brand by wine snobs, but the 2017 is drinking beautifully right now — structured, cedar-forward, and built for a dry-aged steak. It's overpriced at $145, yes, but it's also the most food-friendly red on a list that otherwise skews toward show-off bottles.
Meiomi Pinot Noir 2021 (California)
A $20 grocery store wine marked up to $60 a bottle. Meiomi is a mass-market, sweetened California Pinot that has no business appearing on a fine dining wine list at any price, let alone triple retail. This is the list's most embarrassing entry — skip it without hesitation.
Jordan Cabernet Sauvignon 2017 (Alexander Valley) + Dry-aged steak
Jordan's Alexander Valley Cab is soft enough not to fight with the richness of dry-aged beef, but has enough structure to cut through the fat. It's a classic combination, and on a list that doesn't offer many smart choices, this one actually makes sense.
❌ The Bottom Line
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.
One wine list review, one adventure pick, one quick tip, and a personal note. Every week. Under 500 words.