Oxto Score 9.4

Forge Cellars

Burdett · Finger Lakes

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The Oxto Edit

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Rick Rainey's operation runs two tasting experiences: the walk-in Salon with fire pits and lake views, and the appointment-only Summer House for serious wine study. The Rieslings are bone-dry, mineral-driven, and built to age—not the sweet crowd-pleasers most people expect from the Finger Lakes.

About

Forge Cellars makes Riesling the way the Finger Lakes was meant to make it: dry, mineral, taut. Rick Rainey and his team treat the region's glacial soils with the same reverence you'd find in Alsace or the Mosel, and it shows in wines that actually demand food instead of apologizing for their sweetness. The winery runs a dual program—crisp Finger Lakes bottlings alongside imports from their sister estate, Château de Saint Cosme in Gigondas—so you can track how shale and limestone translate across continents. Visit the walk-in Salon for glasses by the fire pit overlooking Seneca Lake, or book the Summer House for a proper tasting with staff who know the difference between Classique and Les Elements without checking their notes. Dog-friendly, unpretentious, and built for people who drink wine instead of just Instagramming it.