Do I need a reservation?

Yes. Reservations are required because seating is intentionally limited for an intimate tasting experience.

How long does the event last?

Each session runs approximately 1.5 hours (2:00–3:30 PM).

Can I use my Wine Club discount?

Wine Club discounts do not apply to the cost of this tasting; club discounts do apply to purchases made the same day.

Will there be food provided?

Yes. A shared grazing board featuring local meats and cheeses is included with the tasting.

Is the tasting seated or standing?

This is a seated tasting in an intimate, conversational format led by the winemaker.

Is this experience suitable for collectors?

Yes. The vertical format is valuable for collectors and anyone curious about cellar aging and vintage variation.

Vertical Riesling & Syrah Tasting with Winemaker Vinny Aliperti at Billsboro Winery | Wine

At Billsboro Winery in Geneva, New York, the Saturday Tasting Experience with the Winemaker is a focused, sociable way to read a bottle like a short story. Co-owner and winemaker Vinny Aliperti leads each 1.5-hour session, pouring a vertical flight—three Rieslings (2010, 2017, 2023) and three Syrahs (2017, 2019, 2023)—and narrating how vintage conditions, cellar aging, and stylistic choices shape flavor and structure. The setting is intentionally intimate: seated tasting, small group, a grazing board of local meats and cheeses, and room to ask the questions that shift a casual sip into insight.

The vertical format lets you compare youth and maturity side by side. Older Riesling shows its age in petrol-hinted aromatics and honeyed texture; the newest release gives sharp acidity and primary fruit. The Syrah trio demonstrates how warmth, oak, and bottle time alter tannin and spice. You won’t just taste differences; you’ll learn to name them, understand the winemaker’s decisions, and appreciate what library vintages add to the narrative.

This experience matters in Geneva because it stitches together production and place. Billsboro’s hands-on approach gives visitors access to the cellar logic that most public tastings skip: why a vintage is held, when to blend, and how food pairing evolves with age. The grazing board is not merely food—it’s a tool for sensory calibration, designed to show how fat, salt, and acid change perception.

Practical details are straightforward. Sessions run 2:00–3:30 PM and require reservations; space is limited and Wine Club discounts do not apply to the tasting fee, though club discounts are available on purchases the day of. The pace is conversational rather than perfunctory, making it a good fit for curious wine lovers, collectors considering cellaring, and visitors who want a deeper, question-driven tasting.

Book ahead on the provided reservation link to secure one of the deliberately small seats. Come prepared to taste thoughtfully: bring a notebook if you want to record impressions, arrive sober to maximize palate sensitivity, and plan transportation—this is a 21+ event. For anyone visiting Geneva who wants to understand both how wines develop and the choices that shape them, this guided vertical tasting at Billsboro Winery is a compact, illuminating education with delicious results.

Expect a mix of technical explanation and plain-language tasting: Vinny will explain fermentation choices, oak influence, and why acidity matters for Riesling’s longevity. Taste comparisons include differences in color, nose, mid-palate texture and finish; expect to work through aromas from citrus peel and orchard fruit to black pepper and smoked meat. The grazing board is rotated seasonally to match the flights. If you’re traveling without a designated driver, consider a ride-share or join a wine tour that includes Billsboro to fully enjoy the experience. And book early.