Winemaker

Chris has spent much of his life in the grape and wine business. He grew up on his family’s grape farm in Watkins Glen, NY. His interest in winemaking was piqued by the newly burgeoning small wineries in the area. Summer jobs at Glenora and Taylor Wine Company augmented his education while he attained a BS in Food Science from Cornell University. He began his winemaking career as winemaker at a small winery in the Finger Lakes. This was followed by a four year stint as extension and research associate at Ohio State University (OARDC, Wooster, Ohio).

In 1989, Chris moved back to the Finger Lakes to help his family start Lakewood Vineyards. Over the years Lakewood has grown to an annual production of over 100,000 gallons, producing a wide range of wines from vinifera to mead. He is an occasional contributor to Wines & Vines magazine and has given dozens of winemaking presentations. Chris and his wife Elizabeth are also sole proprietors of Lakewood Cork, importing and selling high quality wine corks in the Eastern U.S. They have three children (Ben, Abby and Amelia), 1 dog (Piper) and three horses (Buddy, George and Remi). Interests include flying and enjoying wine with friends, but not at the same time.

W02d | Ruby Port Styles