Sip your way around the Finger Lakes as we dive into the rich history of our region with some of the area’s trailblazers! Throughout this discussion, we will explore the past, present and future of wine in the Finger Lakes – from grape varietals to stylistic shifts to booming tourism and industry wide trends.
You will taste eight different wines as our incredibly knowledgeable speakers take you on a journey through the eras.
Our speakers include Will King – Director of the Greyton Taylor Wine Museum, Peter Bell – a longtime FLX winemaker, Gina Lee – FLCC’s Coordinator of Viticulture and Wine Technology, and Point of the Bluff’s Winemaker, Mike Countryman. See below for their individual bios.
Join us in celebrating the history of this extraordinary wine region we get to call home!
Speaker Bios
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William King
A native of the Finger Lakes, William grew up working in his family’s vineyards as well as working for various local wineries and restaurants. He has a MS in Education From the University at Albany and has earned certifications from Wine Scholars Guild, Court of Masters and WSET. He currently is the Director of the Greyton Taylor Wine Museum.
Peter Bell
Peter Bell was head winemaker at Dr. Frank’s Winery for five years, and at Fox Run Vineyards for 27 years before retiring in 2022. During this time he was also active in lecturing and consulting worldwide, and acting as mentor to a generation of younger winemakers. He is now semi-retired and runs Finger Lakes Wine Consulting LLC.
Gina R. Lee
Coordinator FLCC Viticulture & Wine Technology programs
Gina Lee has been involved with FLCC’s Viticulture and Wine Technology programs for the last decade and was the key person responsible for getting the program’s micro-farm license. She is an integral force behind FLCC’s annual fundraiser for the Culinary, Hospitality, and Viticulture called Vintner’s & Valentines where they have raised over $100,000 since its inception in 2016.
Her passion for helping students succeed is her driving force to make sure the programs are useful and up to date with their offerings and equipment.
Mike Countryman
Winemaker at Point of the Bluff Vineyards
Mike Countryman has 30+ years of experience in winemaking and vineyard management in the Finger Lakes. He is a hands-on winemaker who stays involved in every aspect of the process, from planting the vines to bottling.