THE ADVENTURE COLLECTIVE® · Independent discovery and booking for outdoor travel
Sit down with co-owner and winemaker Vinny Aliperti for a 1.5-hour vertical tasting—three Rieslings and three Syrahs—paired with a curated grazing board. This intimate, seated session at Billsboro Winery turns library bottles into a hands-on lesson in vintage, aging, and pairing.
Sit down with co-owner and winemaker Vinny Aliperti for a 1.5-hour vertical tasting—three Rieslings and three Syrahs—paired with a curated grazing board. This intimate, seated session at Billsboro Winery turns library bottles into a hands-on lesson in vintage, aging, and pairing.
Book with Billsboro Winery
Verified experiences and guided adventures in the surrounding area.
Operated by Billsboro Winery · Geneva, New York
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.
easy.
1.5 hours.
Light — mostly seated; suitable for most adults comfortable with moderated wine sampling.
Yes. Reservations are required because seating is intentionally limited for an intimate tasting experience.
Each session runs approximately 1.5 hours (2:00–3:30 PM).
Wine Club discounts do not apply to the cost of this tasting; club discounts do apply to purchases made the same day.
Yes. A shared grazing board featuring local meats and cheeses is included with the tasting.
This is a seated tasting in an intimate, conversational format led by the winemaker.
Yes. The vertical format is valuable for collectors and anyone curious about cellar aging and vintage variation.
Billsboro Winery is led by co-owner and winemaker Vinny Aliperti and focuses on small-batch production and vertical tastings that highlight vintage differences.
Buy local bottles and ask about recycled packaging; small wineries often track sustainable practices and source local foods for tasting boards to reduce food miles.
Billsboro Winery is a Geneva, New York winery offering guided tastings and curated wine experiences in the Finger Lakes region. The winery hosts The Winemaker's Table, an exclusive Sunday tasting led by winemaker Vinny Aliperti, featuring current releases, out-of-the-cellar selections, and local snacks while providing guests with behind-the-scenes insight into winemaking. Billsboro also offers a 45-minute Wine Tasting Reservation that includes five Finger Lakes wines served in a barn or on a covered patio, paired with local meats and cheeses for an approachable tasting experience. The property stages events including a Bi-weekly Pizza on the Patio event, creating casual, food-forward gatherings alongside wine service. Tastings emphasize varietals from the Finger Lakes AVA and highlight the region's cool-climate styles through focused pours and winemaker commentary. The combination of winemaker-led offerings, structured tasting reservations, and open events gives visitors clear options for both intimate and social visits. Accessibility for small groups is supported by the reserved 45-minute format, while The Winemaker's Table provides an intimate hour of storytelling and tasting directly from the cellar. Guests receive curated pours, contextual tasting notes, and locally sourced accompaniments to complement the wines. Reservations help manage group sizes and ensure a focused tasting experience for attendees and allow hosts to prepare local pairings.
Book with Billsboro Winery