A carefully curated, ever-rotating selection of 40 wines ensures that there’s always something new and exciting for everybody. Moreover, our self-guided format offers the ultimate flexibility for you to build your own adventure, at your own pace. We partnered with Napa Technology, whose self-service wine tasting stations allow you to pour by the tasting pour, glass and glass-and-a-half.
Upon arrival, start by taking a look at the menu. The first section will show you all the wines we are currently pouring and where to find them in the wine stations. This is the go-to section for those that want to taste specific producers, styles, or wines. However, if you are feeling adventurous, you are going to want to be inspired by the second menu tab that explains the different themes and wines in every station.
Once something grabs your attention, swipe your personal access card at each dispenser and taste your way around the Finger Lakes! Besides the wine-specific information on the menu, if you wish to get to know the families behind these amazing brands, grab one of the FLX Families’ Books to peruse while you sip on their wines. And don’t forget to say hi to our knowledgeable staff! We are always around and available to answer questions and get geeky about wine, but also to tell you about an incredible must-visit waterfall, the best restaurants in town and other unique activities to create long-lasting memories.
What’s in the Tasting Stations…
SPARKLING FLIGHT
This one you’ll find at the main bar since sparkling wines need to be poured by hand. Due to the scarcity of top-quality sparkling wine open for tastings around the region. These are the only wines that come as a traditional 4-wine “flight”. This flight offers an overview of styles. From traditional champagne-method examples to modern pet-nats.
** If you like exploring through flights, each dispenser offers a deep-dive into a different theme.
CLASSIC WHITES & REDS
These wines showcase a textbook varietal and style. In other words, in this station is where you’ll find the styles and grapes that made the Finger Lakes famous. You’ll always find an outstanding Riesling of course. Chardonnay is another regular participant. But be prepared to find grapes and styles that are not as common in other wine regions. ‘Classic’ means a benchmark example of the region, it doesn’t necessarily need to be mainstream.
Same train of thought as Classic Whites. In the Red station you’ll find benchmark textbook varietals and styles. Cabernet Franc and Pinot Noir usually lead the charge. But here you will also find some grapes and styles that are not as common in other wine regions.
TRAILBLAZING WHITES & REDS
Classic vs. Trailblazing wines, the yin and yang of any wine region. These two tasting stations are not for the faint hearted. Yet they are arguably our most popular stations. Open your mind and be ready to challenge anything and everything you thought you knew about wine. Here you’ll find rare grape varieties, extravagant blends and will learn about up and coming viticultural and winemaking techniques.
PRESTIGE WHITES & REDS
We’ve worked really hard to forge strong relationships with phenomenal producers that have given us access to hard-to-find, allocated, highly-rated wines that you won’t find anywhere else. You can’t go wrong with any of these wines. You’ll be truly tasting la creme de la creme of Finger Lakes wine. These are the stations that rotate the most due to the tiny quantities we get of these wines. If you like one, make sure you grab a bottle on your way out since it’s very likely that you’ll never see that wine again!
NOT SO DRY
Even though most of the wines that we showcase are dry, we’ve made sure that we always have enough examples of top-notch wines that range from off-dry to semi-dry, and all the way to dessert wines. Even if you are a dry-wine drinker you should still take a minute to see what’s in this station. These are not just ‘sweeter wines’. They’ve all been made by preserving natural sweetness during winemaking and are highly regarded for their perfect balance and elegant complexity.
MYSTERY PICK
Back in the day when we were pouring flights, the “mystery flight” where you tasted wines blind was always one of the most popular ones. Tasting blind allows you to ignore pre-conceived ideas on what a grape, a style or a producer should taste like. In addition, it’s the best way to get to know yourself – what you really like, are sensitive to and are not a big fan of. If you don’t want to taste the wines completely blind, the menu includes some clues on what they are. And once you are ready for the big reveal simply ask one of our staff members.