Owner and Vineyard Manager

After a career in international development starting with 3 years in the Peace Corps in Nepal, 20 years working for a distinguished international development institution concentrating on India and Colombia, and a period building with two Peace Corps friends a development consulting firm, Mel and his wife Dorothee discovered the Finger Lakes in 1992 and followed his desire to farm a vineyard. He initially did much of the farming himself but eventually built Keuka Lake Vineyards to grow high-quality grapes — primarily Riesling, Vignoles, Cabernet Franc and Leon Millot, sustainably, produce wines of international repute and to try to sell the wine. Keuka Lake Vineyards is the only east coast winery that has garnered 5 medals, including 2 gold, in France for its Rieslings, while its Leon Millot has won the “Best Red Wine” in the New York state Classic competition twice.