Chris Stamp
Chris had his first taste of winemaking watching a neighbor make wine. Thus began his fascination with fermentation. He attended Cornell where he got a Bachelor’s degree in Food Science in 1983, and was immediately hired to make wine for Plane’s Cayuga Vineyards, one of the pioneer wineries on Cayuga Lake.
In 1986, Chris took a position as a research and extension associate for the wine industry in Ohio, where he worked until Lakewood Vineyards opened. He returned to Watkins Glen, and the family farm, and has been winemaker for every one of Lakewood’s vintages.
Chris uses traditional practices, such as barrel fermentation and aging, as well as new technology to make consistently exceptional wines. His familiarity with the grapes (some of which he worked while growing up on the farm) aids in his quest to make the best wines possible every vintage.
