Wednesday April 5th 2017 - 6:15pm
With Guest Speaker
John Dyson
Owner Williams Selyem Vineyards
In less than two decades, this winery has achieved cult-status and garnered international acclaim for their Pinot Noirs, Chardonnays and Zinfandels - John will recount his story from Politics to Pinot!
John and Kathe Dyson purchased Williams Selyem Winery in 1998 from its founders, Burt Williams and Ed Selyem.
Their first investment in the wine world began in 1979 in John's hometown of Millbrook, NY as they began to convert an old dairy farm into
Millbrook Vineyards & Winery
. From that one acre to over one thousand (mostly in California) John and Kathe, along with their partners, have built a successful business. They also own and operate a small winery in Tuscany,
Villa Pillo.
John has been involved in every aspect of the winery. He was quoted as saying about Williams Selyem, "I have never worked so hard to change nothing in my life." Along with the talented winemaking staff headed by Jeff Mangahas, he and Kathe have successfully maintained rewarding relationships with the very growers that helped to put Williams Selyem on the map originally. Their mission 'Make the Best Wines, from the Best Grapes, from the Best Growers' has led to their wines being considered the gold standard of Pinot Noir.
John has also had a successful career in government and business beyond grapes and wine. He was a Deputy Mayor with Rudolph Giuliani and returned to work with him full time after the events of September 11, 2001. Before that, he was a cabinet officer in New York State, holding the positions of Commissioner of Agriculture, Commissioner of Commerce and Chairman of the New York Power Authority. He also developed the "I Love NY" advertising campaign for the state.
Guests will enjoy a food pairing experience with these
award winning wines!
