Vineyard Manager of the Nutt Road Vineyard

This week both Wine Stories and Aged Wines examine rosé. What better way to prepare for rosé than to learn a bit about the man who manages all the Cabernet Franc grapes that make the wine!

Peter Martini may not be FLX born, but he was raised  in the Finger Lakes and lived all but 10 years post college here. His parents, Ann and John, planted grapes for Taylor Wine Co. in 1972. After the demise of that market in the 1980s they decided to start Anthony Road Winery, in 1989. They began planting some vinifera at that time and maintained some of the hybrids that were already established. 

Peter graduated from Clarkson University in the spring of 1990 with a B.S. in Business Management (he says he failed at his attempt at an engineering degree). He then moved to Jackson Hole, Wyoming after college, not willing to become an equities trader right away, fell in love with the place and spent the next 10 years there as an automotive technician at a small repair shop. Peter comments,  “towards the end of my stay in Jackson Hole, I met and got engaged to my wife, Margot, who was from Long Island. We decided to move back East and I would help my parents with the vineyards/winery. I have been the vineyard manager since 2000. This despite hating the vineyards in my youth, now I cannot think of anything I would rather do.”

Peter says, “I currently manage a total of close to 100 acres of primarily vinifera grapes. Our home farm has 35 acres and the Nutt Road Farm is 65 acres. Both are on the north west side of Seneca Lake. We manage the Nutt Road farm for its outside owners. While each season in the vineyard has its bright spots, my favorite time is post-harvest. The crop is in, the work is done, and I can take a break from the vineyards and not worry too much.” Peter approaches each day and harvest with the same work ethic his parents instilled in him. He  constantly and consistently works hard to grow the best possible grapes he can grow and believes in balance in the vineyards.

Peter lives on Seneca Lake and loves looking at the water, seeing how it changes daily. Peter says, “What I like most about the wine industry here is the great sense of cooperation versus competition. It says so much about the type of community we are.  I enjoy golfing, but it looks like I may have to wait a bit as golf courses are not open just yet.”