Richie Pisacano
Vineyard Manager
Known at Wölffer Estate Vineyard and beyond as “The Grape Whisperer,” Richie Pisacano understands vines and the earth that yields them. His passion for farming, his education and skills, and his great appreciation for nature, gives Richie all the right tools for producing fruit that contributes to Wölffer Estate’s quality winemaking.
An affable man and nature-lover, Richie recognized early on that a career in wine was his chosen path. Growing up in Huntington, New York, he was first introduced to viticulture in 1977, while working during his high school years at Mudd’s Vineyard in Southold, in Long Island’s famous North Fork wine country. Later he joined Jamesport Vineyards and eventually purchased an 11 acre property on the North Fork to sell fruit to local wineries. He also moved into limited wine production, producing small quantities of custom labels for local restaurants.
Richie joined the Wölffer Estate team in 1997 as Vineyard Manager. Dedicated to sustainable farming, Richie and his vineyard team uses management practices that are respectful to the land and nature. This assures only the highest quality yield of fruit for years to come.