Although he has been interested in wine his entire adult life, Dan’s passion for wines really blossomed while living in the Franconian wine region in Germany. There he visited the vineyards whenever possible, along with the other wine regions in Germany and the surrounding vineyards in France, Austria, and Switzerland. He observed first-hand the many boutique vineyards and wineries, and the passion and dedication of the winegrowers.

After returning to the United States and becoming an entrepreneur, Dan kept his interest alive by being a hobby winemaker. He never lost the dream of owning a family wine estate like those he had fallen in love with in Europe. When he finally had the chance to make his dream a reality, he chose upstate New York, inspired by its similarities to the cool climates of the areas that grew the wines he had so treasured in Europe.