Dr. Herodotus “Dan” Damianos
Founder, Owner of Pindar Vineyards
doctor@pindar.net
Born in New York City’s Hell’s Kitchen neighborhood, Herodotus Damianos grew up about as far from farm life as one can get. “A tree may have been growing in Brooklyn, but it wasn’t on 41st Street,” he says. It wasn’t until he was a practicing internist on Long Island in the 1960’s that he discovered what would become his passion: agriculture.
In 1966 Dr. Dan (as he is affectionately known) moved his family into an old house in the suburb of Stony Brook. He found grape vines growing on the property, and though they hadn’t been tended for decades -- “the size of tree trunks,” as Dr. Dan remembers them -- the potential of the grapes enraptured him.
When he mentioned his new project to his patients they introduced him to Long Island’s agricultural industry. Dr. Dan learned that conditions at the east end of the island -- sandy, well-drained soil, moderate temperatures due to the surrounding waters -- were ideal for grapes. And not just any grapes: there was a new theory that this would be a perfect environment for true French wine grapes (vitis vinifera) from the Bordeaux region.
In 1979 Dr. Dan bought his first patch of farmland, 30 acres in the North Fork town of Peconic, and in 1980 began planting. In 1982 his first wines hit the market. Drawing inspiration from Robert Louis Stevenson’s observation that “wine is like poetry,” Dr. Dan found that he could express himself through his wines. “I love medicine,” he says, “But I also wanted to do something creative.” He found the process of nursing grapes from the soil and turning them into wine deeply satisfying. Even from the beginning, he told himself: “Maybe my legacy will be this.”
True to his nature, he aimed high right from the start: “I said to myself: I believe in this industry, and if you’re going to make an impact you have to have enough product.” He continued buying and planting land, enlarging Pindar Vineyards every year, learning as he went. There was a lot of trial and error in the early days: “The vines were young, we didn’t know what we were doing because we were unique… it was a lot of heartache and a lot of mistakes.” But Dr. Dan also knew that he was onto something.
The commitment was nearly overwhelming. Dr. Dan maintained his medical practice and spent what free time he had at his vineyard, putting in 80-hour weeks. On weekends his children accompanied him to the fields. But before long the hard work paid off: by 1988 Dr. Dan’s wines were of such high caliber they were served at the inauguration of President George H. W. Bush. In 1994 he branched out, opening Duck Walk Vineyards on the South Fork with his son Alex.
Now Dr. Dan is a legend in the Long Island wine industry, the methods he pioneered paving the way for dozens of vineyards to come, helping turn Long Island into one of the nation’s premier wine regions. But he is not one to rest on his laurels. Dr. Dan continues to be intimately involved in his vineyards, even to the point of leading winery tours. He loves to share his passion with newcomers, to teach them how Pindar Vineyards creates its exceptional offerings, to hear firsthand the reactions as visitors taste his wines. And often, he doesn’t even mention that he started it all.
Jason Damianos
Director of Winemaking, Owner
jason@pindar.net
Jason graduated from the University of Hartford in 1990 with a B.S. / B.A. in Business Administration. He earned his second B.S. in Enology (Fermentation Science) at California State University, Fresno, where he also received the coveted Merit Award (given to only one outstanding Enology student per year). Jason next traveled to France and spent two-and-a-half years in the Diplôme National d’Oenologue program at the University of Bordeaux, a masters degree equivalent. Working in the Médoc, the Grave, Premierès Côtes de Bordeaux, and in the legendary Loupiac and Cadillac areas gave him the experience to come back to Long Island and plant a world-class vineyard.
Jason’s Vineyard in Jamesport is just 20 acres, closely planted meter by two meters using only the best French clones of Cabernet, Malbec, Carbernet Franc, Merlot, and Chardonnay. This tightly-spaced vineyard allows the grapes to mature earlier, producing higher quality grapes at optimum levels.
Pindar Damianos
Director of Vineyard Management / Owner
pindar@pindar.net
Pindar Damianos has an A.S. degree in Crop Production and Soil Science from SUNY Cobleskill and a B.S. degree in Plant Science Viticulture from California State University, Fresno. He oversees every aspect of production at Pindar Vineyards, caring for hundreds of acres and transforming 17 varieties of high-quality wine grapes into delicious wine.
It is a calling that he finds immensely rewarding: “I enjoy my job because I have a great team of people with me. Managing a vineyard of this scale is challenging but very exciting. I know the hard work and dedication is worth it when people enjoy the wines we produce.”
Alethea has been involved in the vineyards since childhood, learning many aspects of the business and watching as her father's dream grew to become a Long Island landmark. She graduated from Westminster College with a BA in marketing, then went on to Dowling College for her MBA. She is now based in the Port Jefferson Business Office but you will still see her at the wineries to oversee sales, tastings and special events.
Kathy oversees and directs the business aspects of Dr. Dan’s interests. While she continues to enjoy working with Dr. Dan, she also loves all of the new energy and ideas his (now grown) children are bringing to the business.
Nicole Damianos
Marketing & Interactive Strategies
nicole@pindar.net
Nicole Damianos has a degree in Finance from the University of Notre Dame. After several years of management consulting work in New York City, Nicole now oversees the interactive marketing and website projects at both Pindar and Duckwalk.
Steve is involved with direct sales and programming with distributors. He is in charge of the New York metro area, upstate, Connecticut, New Jersey and wherever we send him! Steve enjoys the people he calls on and those he works for. He also likes the travel aspect of his job, especially seeing different markets.
As the newest member of the Pindar / Duckwalk team, Richard is responsible for sales and distribution across the region. He brings over 20 years of experience working in the wine and liquor industry into the organization. Richard's strong initiative, organizational skills and knowledge of sales are all key assets that ultimately reward our customers.
Rose loves the atmosphere of the wine world and with an extensive background in horticulture she can combine these interests at Pindar Vineyards. “I love coming to work each day knowing that it will not be the same as the last,” she says. “Each season of the vineyard is different and has its own reasons why I love it.”
After more than a decade, Joanne finds it hard to narrow down exactly why she enjoys working at Pindar Vineyards because there are so many things about the business that she loves. “It’s the whole atmosphere of the winery and I love working for the Damianos family.”
Jake Damianos
Vineyard Dog
Jake, our Viszla, also plays a key role at the vineyard. Of Hungarian descent, Jake walks the vineyards, spends time with local birds, plays with the children at the winery, and keeps things lively around the operations. Jake is a team player and always has a good laugh for everyone. We love him dearly and If you see him, please pet him, he’s very friendly.
