PICS: Get Elegant at These Awesome Wine Bars in Upstate New York

Full disclosure, I am not a wine guy. My wife is, but not me.

Having said that, when she makes the call, and it is "wine night" I do enjoy going to our local wine bar for a night out. There is something special about them. They are elegant, almost all of them serve wonderful food, and I always feel, well, more educated after I spend an hour or two at a wine bar. Yes, that's the word: Educated.

The servers are sharp as a tack, especially when informing and helping out those of us new to the "wine scene." The history, romance, and stories about the great wines of Upstate New York, and other places, always fascinate me. And, surprisingly, I can always find a glass or two that I really do like.

The wine bars on this list cover the whole area of Upstate New York. Some have "wine bar" in their name. Others are simply known far and wide for their wine lists. Many of these are much awarded by their peers.

I have been to several of these places and enjoyed them very much. I must be honest though, the one in Cooperstown was extra special for me. I took my wife to a private anniversary dinner at The Otesaga Resort and we dined and sipped in a private room in front of a wall of 100 bottles of fine wine. Yes, you will see the photograph. That night I felt like the wine-lover in me really came out.

Hey, wine will do that to a guy!

By the Glass, You Cannot Go Wrong at These 13 Upstate New York Wine Bars

Wine bars are spreading across Upstate New York rapidly. Not necessarily bars in the traditionally sense, or corner saloons, or cocktail lounges, but wine bars which focus mainly on the many varieties of wines from around the world.

Of course Upstate is no slouch when it comes to wine, with the Finger Lakes wineries now grabbing many of the headlines at wine expos and competitions around the country. But local wine producers, even the very small ones, are starting to nudge into the pack of award-winning vinos from coast to coast

Here is a list of 13 great wine bars. They all serve food and many of them have the word "restaurant" in their name, but as you will see, the wine is the superstar at all of these fine Upstate New York places.

10 More Great Upstate New York "Main Streets" For You To Explore!

Several months ago we published a gallery of a dozen great Upstate New York Main Streets. It was wildly popular, so we have added to that list with ten new ones. Again, we use the term "Main Street" loosely. Several of these streets are not even called Main Street, but rather Church Street, State Street, or Broadway, etc. Still, these streets are the heartbeat of each community and they all deserve a visit from you this summer!

Source: PHOTOS: Enjoy The Elegance of These Top Upstate New York Wine Bars

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