Nancy Tisch

Owner and Winemaker

Nancy moved to the Finger Lakes in 1998 to assume a one-year post-doctoral position at Cornell University. Several years later, in 2006, she left academia to follow her entrepreneurial spirit. At the time her vision was to fill a shop in Aurora, NY with food and wine. Under New York state law, retail operations that carry both food and wine are limited to wineries. Nancy sought and found mentors in Lou Damiani and Phil Davis of Damiani Wine Cellars in Hector, NY. She quickly developed her winemaking skills and her own style, resulting in numerous state and international awards. Initially annual production was limited to three or four varietals but has continued to expand based on fruit availability and Nancy’s willingness to try something new. Most recently, with her husband Kit Kalfs, Nancy has built a new production facility and planted a small vineyard in Tompkins County, NY. The vineyard will include cabernet franc, lemberger, and gamay noir.