Our new favorite winery in the Finger Lakes. We came across Shalestone while doing a search online for dry reds and decided to stop by when they opened. Turns out it was their first day open for the 2026 season and they had a tasting spot open for their first tasting, so we got lucky on both accounts. Tastings are offered "on the hour" in the afternoons during business hours and I highly recommend making a reservation. This is the type of tasting where you sit, savor, and listen to the presentations on each wine. No rushing customers through, no large groups, and the employees do a great job of connecting with their customers. Shalestone is a small family run boutique style winery that only does red wine. The wine and the atmosphere reminds me of our favorite boutique winery in the Napa Valley. I believe we tasted 7 wines, all of which had their own specific profile and nuances. Too often at other wineries the reds all taste the same, but not at Shalestone. While we purchased a variety of their wines, our favorite is their Syrah! Absolutely delicious with all characteristics one would want in this full bodied red. I highly recommend making a visit to Shalestone when in the Finger Lakes if you want to enjoy mouth watering red wines. read more

Nice to see a lot of reds on the tasting menu but watch when you arrive at this location. Check the hours of tastings it is by reservation only and we did not have one. We arrived 45 minutes from closing without a reservation and we got the distinct vibe that they were not pleased because there was a table available in the tasting room but we were not offered it. They did agree to sell us each a glass of wine which we could enjoy outside. We didn't want to be pushy but a friend raved about their reds and we were excited to come and see what the liked about their wines. We were able to taste the red legend and even purchased two additional bottles for home. If I could give a split ratings it would be four stars for wine. 3 for service. read more

Shalestone Vineyards - the sun setting over a vineyard - Wineries Near Me - Lodi, New York

I have been coming up to the Finger Lakes for many years now and finally scheduled a tasting at Shalestone. Sometimes more formal is better. We got here early and just relaxed outside for a few. I can not think of any better place to just sit and relax. The view is magnificent. My tasting was scheduled for 12 and I was sitting at the table by 11:55. This is beautiful smaller building beautifully decorated. I find it equivalent of comfort food. Let me start by saying how impressed I was with their selection and wines. I truly enjoyed everything I drank. That's not to say that preferred one over the other, but... They're all fine wines. everyone must remember that there is a specific climate to the FLX and it's not going to produce the same as a NAPA. I must say that I was disappointed to see the one and two star reviews. Shalestone does not deprive that. My tasting included: 2018 Zweigelt 2017 Harmony - my favorite. Defiantly left me wanting more 2017 Cross-Rows - Very interesting (good interesting) and different Red Legend. 2017 Pinot Noir 2017 Cabernet Franc - another one of my favorites. Wish I had a slice of pizza or ziti marinara to go with this. Over the years I have definitely tried them all and have always been happy here. Unfortunately, my wife being a white drinker was not as happy. I think their pricing was very fair for the product. Without a doubt you should make this a stop on your Finger Lakes Wine Trail tour. read more

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We tried several of the wineries on our recent visit to the area and found the reds here to be the best of them all. Tastings are by reservation only and there is no option to have a glass of wine when you are done. read more

Good reds, we enjoyed the blends. The cab franc left something to be desired but the Syrah was quite nice. Very small tasting room, be sure to call ahead. read more

Friendly staff and ONLY red! For $5 tasting, you get 4 of the reds and 1 reserve. Great stop! read more

Shalestone Vineyards - Wineries Near Me - Lodi, New York

Hands down, the best winery in the area. We have been spending time between Cayuga and Seneca, and not only was it the best tasting experience but the best wine! Such strong reds, don't miss out! read more

This winery was by far the best that we have experienced in the area, at least so far! We got a chance to actually do our tasting with the owner who has his hand in all parts of the winemaking process. This winery does all dry red wines and I found them to be much more high-quality than some of the other wineries that offer red wines in the area. The owner and winemaker has a great perspective and isn't pretentious or condescending at all in his style.Their tasting menu is on point and the Pinot noir and synergy were also excellent. The red legend was our favorite by far and we had to take a bottle home! read more

Shalestone Vineyards - building at winery - Wineries Near Me - Lodi, New York

In the words of Danielle, Shalestone is a darling "hippie pagoda." It's a little hut reminiscent of a cottage in the countryside with a flourishing garden out front. When you walk inside you're in the tasting room with the bar to the right and the bottles for sale to the left. The space is very cabin-like and smells like freshly cut wood. It reminded me of my Colorado vacations as a kid. *This is a red-only winery* They offer a solid selection, featuring 5 pre-selected tastings for $3 and a $1 per pour for some fancier options. Each sip was better than the next, but among the options there nothing jumped at me enough to provoke me to buy a bottle. Although, thinking back after doing I would buy each and every one that I tried. They were unique and each one was better than the next -- the tasting offered a nice evolution of the wines produced there. I liked the unpretentious vibe of the place -- the owner doesn't provide "wine-speak" explanations, rather suggests you pick out the aspects of the wine you like on your own and explain them as a "cold shower" or "crescent wrench" of wines. A little chuckle.. Among the $1 per glass tasting menu, the Synergy is a sip worth tasting. The bottle price point a touch higher, but worth it ($30). Really well-rounded flavor. If we stopped here first I would fully have purchased that $30 bottle of Synergy, but I didn't and I might be regretting it as I write this. Next time I'll start here and get a sample of every one on the list -- in the end that'd be under $10. read more

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If you like very, very dry, light bodied red wines then you may like this place. I found all the wines to be quite disappointing. On top of that, the staff was incredibly rude. I made an appointment online and I walked in at the scheduled time and the woman at the desk, without even so much as a "hello", looked me up and down and said "we're not ready for you yet" and told me to wait outside. There was a younger girl, the wine maker's daughter, I think, who walked around the tables and talked to groups about the wines as she poured, but completely ignored me. Maybe because I was alone and had a single reservation? Not sure why she did not chat me up also, but at that point I did not even care. I finished my tasting flights, paid, and left. Will not be returning. read more

Dissappointing is hardly the word for this experience. Customer service needs to learn how to greet a group or even try saying hello. As the driver of a large wine tasting group, not a bunch of amateurs... we saw a sign for red wines, unfortunately we did not get to try any as our 7 person group was not greeted or acknowledged by the servers... I understand there were others tasting ahead of us, but as my group checked out the space I waited for a hint of eye contact or anything... I'm sure the red wines are as good as the finger lakes has to offer but if your group is ignored then we'll never know! read more

Same as the last reviewer, I also brought a group of 8 and had 2nd thoughts when seeing their sign about groups of 8+ are discouraged. However, it wasn't too crowded and the owner (Rob) didn't make a stink about it, so we proceeded to the tasting counter. Looking back, I wished we were turned away. I think it was no more than 3 minutes into the tasting before Rob starting bashing the west side Seneca Lake wineries and yapping about how they're not innovative enough. Shortly after that, he made a few remarks that condoned "responsible" drunk driving, which highly offended a member of my group who suffered a family loss due to drunk driving. Instead of apologizing, Rob felt compelled to call my friend "oversensitive" and proceeded to keep running his mouth. We walked out shortly afterwards and have no plans to ever return. read more

Call before driving to the vineyard. We showed up on a recent Friday at 3 pm and they were closed. Leaving a 4 star as not to mess with their current review, but alert others. read more

This was an amazing find during our Labor Day Finger Lakes wine tasting trip. The only winery to do reds-only, the small producer's options were all bursting with flavor. Although they were a bit crowded during our visit, it was wonderful see the wine maker behind the tasting bar sharing his thoughts and insight (staff is super friendly and willing to answer all questions; no pretentious attitudes here.) A favorite: the Lemberghini. Price point is moderate (about $13.00 to $15.00) and the taste is bold enough to stand up to homemade meat sauce, but can also be enjoyed on its own as a pre-dinner sip. We stocked up and are already trying to plan a return trip! read more

Rob Thomas, the wine maker is unpretentious, smart, and loves wine. Part of the young regenerative group of wine makers that is coming into the Finger Lakes and invigorating it as a wine region. We went to Shalestoen on a recommendation from another winery (Shannon Brock at Silver Thread) and were not disappointed. Rob was funny and charming. What some people call snobbery is really just engagement with his craft. Rob accused us of being pretentious, which we are. Then we laughed about it. Then we bought two wines and he comped us two tastings. For those of you who are unfamiliar with it, Rob has this thing called a personality. I know it's rare, but it actually makes life interesting. The wine trails -- Shalestone is on Seneca Lake-- function on two levels. On one hand you have the seniors on buses dressed in baggy shorts and black socks looking for sweet Concord grape wines. Then you have the giggling rowdy sorority sisters and fraternity brothers in limos getting drunk, shouting out rap lyrics, looking for sweet Concord grape wines. These are the people who complain about this winery. This is a real winery. This guy learned to make wine in Burgundy. The wines are fruit forward and balanced, which is hard to do in such a northerly climate. Go buy some wine at Shalestone. This guy is a star. read more

I know why some of the other reviews are poor. Yes, the female owner is snotty. Really, really snotty (that is me being nice). However, we were mostly poured by a younger girl who was more on the friendly side. While they are snooty, their policy of no groups of 8 or more are warranted, the shop/tasting room simply cannot fit a group that big. They catered to older people and clearly frowned upon us 30 year olds (even though the older guy next to us was wildly drunk). The reason that the rating is so high is the wine. This is good wine. In terms of just the quality of the wine, it was the hands down the favorite of the group. I would go again, and do recommend the wine, but do be prepared for the ice queen to be there. read more

We tasted a ton of wineries at Seneca Lake on our trip, and Shalestone was by far our favorite. We are heavy red drinkers, so it was a nice escape from the rieslings and whites found elsewhere on the lake. We took home more wine from this place than any other, if that says anything. As far as the staff goes, there were two people working while we were there. We spent most of our time talking to a nice young lady from Texas, who was very friendly and personable. She was great. We briefly talked to the winemaker's son, the other person working at the time. He seemed a bit standoffish and aloof - I was asking him some questions about the wine and he really didn't seem interested in answering. Maybe he just didn't like me, hey, he wouldn't be the first. Either way, if you're a red wine drinker on the finger lakes, you've gotta check out Shalestone. read more

Stopped at Shalestone after having their cabernet at Stonecat. We were very impressed with all of their reds especially since reds are not the wines noted for in the finger lakes. The staff was super friendly and nice. We were very happy to have found this little gem of a winery and look forward to visiting again. read more

Hands down the best dry red wines we had around Seneca Lake. Family run winery. Unfortunately, I can't recall the daughter's name who helped us with our flight, but she was very knowledgeable and friendly. All the the wines during the regular tasting were good, as were the wines from their 'special' pours. If you like dry reds make sure you stop here. read more

My girlfriends and I were taking a wine tour to celebrate absolutely nothing and loving life and each other's company. We walked into Shalestone happy and laughing, excited to try a winery we had never been to. We were not drunk let me assure you as it was only the second winery we had been to. We were standing near the door waiting for our turn as the tasting counter was full, when a man walked over and said to me " this is a serious winery with serious wines and if you are interested in that then we would love to serve you, but if your just going to be a bunch of giggling girls then you should leave." We left. Although I really wish I had stayed to tell him what a complete asshole he was. I've been to wineries in Napa and France among many other regions and never experienced such snobbery. Don't go to Shalestone. read more

I found their wines to be disappointing. I'd heard that their reds are great - not my experience. We were told by friends to try their Synergy red. It was not among their tasting options the day we visiting. The options were limited. The Synergy was expensive - We bought a few bottles despite not being given the opportunity to taste it in advance. Mistake. Won't happen again! We bought two nice red wine glasses. Better option than many of their wines.... read more

Quirky little winery with a Hobbit vibe and fabulous reds. The Cab Franc reserve is on par with high end producers in Napa and the laid back staff will remind you a lot of little vineyards in Sonoma. read more

We love the Beyond Rose, made from Pinot Noir grapes. We had this first at Dano's and quickly shot over to the winery for a few bottles to take home. Not cheap at $17 but delicious. read more

By far the best line up of reds on the East Coast we've had. Kudos to Shalestone (who only does Reds) - for creating a fine selection of dry and full-bodied wines. A great overall experience, tasting a variety of wines obviously created by a serious and experienced winemaker in the region. A must stop on the Finger Lakes Wine Trail! read more

We absolutely loved these wines. The owner was a touch cocky, but the wine certainly made up for it. The bottles are a bit pricey, but that's what you pay for GREAT dry red wines. The only carry reds, and it sits on a small hill, overlooking Seneca Lake. There were about 5 to taste, and he had 3 or 4 reserves for sale. Highly recommended if you love dry reds, which isn't easy to find in upstate. read more

The reds here were semi-dry. They only serve reds, so I only recommend going if red wine is your thing. I recommend their Syrah.

As a great admirer of Shalestone wines, I find the previous comments interesting. Although reviewers seem to find the purveyors of Shalestone to be snotty and aloof, predominantly, the comments find the quality of the wine to be excellent. I would certainly agree that the wine is some of the best - if not THE best in the Finger Lakes region, and I agree that the makers of these wonderful vintages can be a bit difficult in the tasting room. However, I have spent some time with the family, and perhaps I can offer a bit of explanation. This family farms ALL the grapes used to produce their vintages just across the road on their lovely vineyard. Rob, the grower and maker of Shalestone, is extraordinarily familiar with each and every row of his vineyard. He can lovingly describe each vine of every row in detail, and can even recount the demise of some of his favorite stock over the years. He is immensely passionate about the yearly cycle of production from pruning and soil conditioning all the way to pouring it into the bottle. He and Kate(his wife) are completely involved in each element of this process. Along with their son and daughter in law, they provide the vast majority of elbow grease that make the finished Shalestone product a reality. Every bottle of Shalestone is rife with the curated mastery of this talented family. Utterly bespoke, the experience of drinking Shalestone reflects the flora, fauna, and spirit of this wonderful region. When one contrasts larger commercial vineyards and wineries, there is an obvious lack of detail and personal attention. So if one senses snobbishness while tasting these delightful wines, perhaps consider the previous explanation. I would argue that Shalestone wines are a very intimate experience of this small family farm. They toil year after year, physically and mentally, to produce these small masterpieces. I think they would just appreciate a little respect for the immense personal commitment that is invested in every bottle. Whatever the case, everyone seems to agree that the wine and the experience of the product is excellent. If you ever have the chance to taste at this wonderful winery, don't miss it!!! Just have a little respect:-) read more

One of my favorite wineries in the Finger Lakes. I saw some reviews where it was said they were rude. I've been to Shalestone several times with groups of 6 - 7 and they were more than happy for us to taste their wines. We love their Harmony and Cross-rows read more

Best reds around. A little expensive compared to others around, but really really worth it. This is the only place we bought and entire case from on our trip... amazing. If you like reds go here!!! read more

Visited today with my family. The owner is quirky to be sure. He is serious about his wine and little patience for those who's only goal n wine tarting tours is to get drunk. The Fingers Lakes do not produce very good red wines. However, Shalestone's passion is to produce excellent reds. And they do. If you like red wine, I strongly suggest you visit. Engage Rob in discussions and let him know you are serious about wine And you will have a great visit and taste so e wonderful wines. read more

We spent the weekend sampling various wines. By a landslide Shalestone was our favorite. Excellent red wines, there wasn't one that we didn't like. Beautiful space and very gracious! Highly recommend this as a must do when visiting Seneca Lake. read more

The wine is ok but today during the tasting the owner was not customer friendly in the least. He expressed how rude people are that come in and don't pay attention to the tasting. He calls the people that tour the this region mindlessly, "trick or treaters"....kind of insulting. Anyway, he used passive aggressive "humor" with our group. He would make an insulting "joke", poured the wine and walked away without discussing the wine with us. Wasn't that the same behavior he found to be rude. He was a complete snob and insulting so I won't buy this brand anymore. He charges a premium price that I would have paid had it not been for his arrogant attitude toward the customers. The quality of the wine is really not that good to pay the price nor endure the insults. it's obvious he looks down his nose at the customers. What a snob. Don't go here! Save your money for an establishment that is happy to gain your business. read more

Red lovers only! No whites here. I enjoyed the fuller body that they are able to get out of their locally grown red grapes. Really liked their Cab Franc and Pinot Noir. read more

My husband and I stopped in here on our way home from a great great B&B stay. This place was recommended to us for my love of red wines. Unfortunately I walked in happy ,but left feeling terrible. They were rude right from the moment we stepped through the door. We didn't try their wines and I don't think we will ever return. I don't understand why they are so stuck up. Their just a shabby little place compared to some really beautiful vineyards in the Fingerlakes. Don't bother stopping in unless your a rich snob. read more

Omg. If you are a red wine fan, come here! It is amazing! They only do reds and their tasting room is open only on Fridays in October. Plan you trip around their hours! read more

My husband and I have raved about Shalestone since we first visited during our honeymoon in 2011. The owner was pleasant and informative, and the wines were superb. It really pains me to say that I have to take back everything positive that I've ever said about Shalestone and urge you NOT to visit this winery. We recently returned to celebrate our 5 year wedding anniversary in the Finger Lakes. We were having quite the enjoyable time and even left a group of friends to make it to Shalestone before heading back to our B&B. I wish we hadn't. We were so excited to be back in our favorite place only to be treated like garbage by the owner. Perhaps it was because we were driving my husband's truck and not my Lexus this time. How very shallow and pretentious!! He mocked my husband for trying to tell him about our home wine-making experience, (which by the way, was a positive story as we had amazing results), called him a liar when he told him his profession, and even made a snide remark about our family dynamic. (We have a 9 year old son, and have been married for 5 years.) I have never been so offended in my life. We left the winery as quickly as we could while I held back tears. It ruined our entire trip. Even the wine was forgettable this time. It was not nearly as good as I remember, and I know my dry red wines. Save yourself and pass by this one. There are plenty of other wineries that produce fantastic dry reds such as King's Garden, Frontenac Point, and even Thirsty Owl just to name a few. To say Shalestone left a bad taste in our mouths would be quite the understatement. We will never be back, and we will spread the word about how nasty the owner is. read more

I'm sitting at home enjoying a Shalestone Pinot Noir. Shalestone is our favorite NYS winery. We always enjoy visiting the tasting room when we are in central NY. My husband travels from Albany to Buffalo and has called the winery to arrange pick up of wine on his way home. Kate has always graciously accommodated his schedule. These wines--especially the Synergy, Merlot and Pinot Noir--are among our favorites. In my humble opinion, the wines are reminiscent of the French wine style--subtle and food friendly. You're not going to find a fruit bomb in NYS, but if you like a more old world style of wine, this is the place to get it. read more

Great wine and had a great conversation with the (very nice) owner. Not Sure why there are recent negative reviews but my wife and I thought this was one of our favorite stops in the region. We ended up tasting all of the wines available including the reserves. Took home 2 bottles. read more

Not open for tasting? 3:00 busiest Saturday of the year (October 11) We were really looking forward to trying these reds, VERY disappointed. . read more

Blended wine were so so and do not have finess. Only good one was pino noir but overpriced.