Winemaker & Partner

Roman Roth became a winemaker at Winzerkeller Wieslochnear Heidelberg where he earned his Master Winemaker and Cellar Master Degree from the College for Oenology and Viticulture in Weinsberg. He traveled to the U.S. and worked at the Saintsbury Estate in CA, then to New South Wales, Australia, at Rosemount Estate. In 1992 Roman became the first winemaker at Wölffer Estate Vineyard. Under his meticulous direction, the winery has established its distinctive character: elegance, food-friendliness and longevity in wines that embody the essence of the Long Island appellation—ripe fruit and natural acidity unique to its terroir. In 2013 Roman became partner at Wölffer Estate with the new proprietors, Christian’s son and daughter, Marc and Joey Wölffer.

Roman has dedicated himself to promoting not only the wines of Wölffer Estate, but of Long Island, where he has consulted with numerous vineyards and is currently the president of the Long Island Wine Council. Roman’s contribution to quality winemaking on Long Island was recognized at the 2003 East End Food & Wine Awards where he was named Winemaker of the Year. The Wolffer Estate 2012 Perle Chardonnay was poured at the White House for President Obama and Chancellor Merkel in 2015. Also in 2015, his 2012 Diosa and 2012 Descencia dessert wines each earned 94 points in Robert Parker’s The Wine Advocate, becoming the highest-rated wines in Long Island history. Roman also makes The Grapes of Roth by Wolffer Estate — two award-winning rieslings and a merlot, a wine that earned him a spot (#64) on the Top 100 Wines of 2015 by Wine Spectator.

Peter Sichel, the famous wine merchant, once said: “to make a great wine you need 7 things: a perfect vineyard site, the perfect climate, the right grape variety, absolute determination, skill, money and lots of pride.” Roman believes that in addition, you need to believe without a doubt that you are able to make a wine that can stand up to the best in the world, and then be unwavering in your determination to achieve that goal.